Delivery apps are a great way for new customers to find you. The problem starts when your regular customers keep ordering through them too — because every one of those orders carries a commission, and those commissions are often quoted in the range of 20–30% of the order value depending on your agreement.
The goal isn't to leave the apps overnight. It's to use them for discovery, and give your loyal guests a better reason to order from you directly.
1. Work out what commission really costs you
Start with your own numbers. Take last month's delivery-app orders, multiply by your average order value and by your commission rate. Then add any extra fees for promotions, packaging or payment processing. Most owners are surprised by the total — and it's the figure you'll compare against a flat-fee ordering system.
Our free savings calculator does this in under a minute.
2. Give customers a direct way to order
Customers order through apps because it's easy. Your direct channel needs to be just as easy:
- A branded ordering website that loads fast on mobile and accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay and cards.
- Your own app for regulars who order every week.
- A QR code on every bag, receipt and table so the next order comes straight to you.
3. Make ordering direct worth it
Because you're not paying commission, you can share part of the saving with the guest and still come out ahead. Popular options include:
- A small discount or free side for ordering direct.
- Loyalty points that turn into a free meal.
- Exclusive dishes or bundles only available on your own channel.
Tip: put a card in every delivery-app bag with a QR code and a "next order" offer. It's one of the simplest ways to convert app customers into direct customers.
4. Keep the customer relationship
When people order directly, you keep their contact details (with their consent). That lets you send a WhatsApp message on a quiet Tuesday, a birthday offer, or a "we miss you" reminder — marketing you simply can't do when the app owns the customer.
5. Measure and adjust
Track how many orders come in directly each week and how much commission you've avoided. As direct orders grow, you can decide how much to rely on delivery apps — on your terms.
The bottom line
Delivery apps are a useful marketing channel, but they shouldn't take a cut of every repeat order. A direct ordering setup lets you keep more of each order and build a customer list you own. Book a free demo to see how Zapio Menu sets this up for you in 24 hours.
