You've probably noticed: the term "Click and Collect" has definitely been adopted (even by people who didn't know about it), and the delivery market has exploded.
This is no accident.
The online ordering is here to stay. What the health crisis accelerated, economic reality has solidified. And this economic reality deserves to be faced head-on: Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and their equivalents charge between 15% and 35% commission on each order (according to the pricing tables published by Uber Eats and Deliveroo France). On an average order of €25, that’s up to €8.75 gone before you’ve even covered your expenses.
Whether you want to offer Click & Collect (based on the takeaway model) or a delivery service in-house or via a Stuart-like connected fleet, this is the first question you're probably asking yourself.
Is using a delivery platform profitable for my restaurant?
It's understandable, especially if you're considering going through an Uber Eats or Deliveroo type platform for these services... or even if you already do.
Or maybe you're just wondering if taking orders by phone, the old-fashioned way, isn't just as effective and less risky after all.
The answer is no!
Having your own online ordering system is crucial for most independent restaurants and franchise chains. And behind this market demand lie some excellent business opportunities.
Here are 9 key reasons to choose an in-house online ordering system customized with your establishment’s branding.
Every order placed through a third-party platform incurs a variable, uncontrolled fee charged on each transaction. An in-house online ordering solution, on the other hand, involves a fixed and predictable cost, with no deduction from your revenue.
The impact is measured over time. At Innovorder, we regularly see revenue growth of up to 25% for retailers that adopt an omnichannel approach incorporating direct ordering (Innovorder data, customer panel). For many businesses, the direct channel doesn’t simply complement online platforms; it becomes their most profitable competitor.
Even if you negotiate your commission rate (and not all brands do), going through Uber Eats, Deliveroo or the like means thata piece of the pie goes away with each transaction.
By opting for an own order system, you keep the profit generated by the orders placed, without paying a share to a middleman.
The must?
Opt for an online order that does not charge you on the amount or volume of transactions, but rather on the basis of a controlled package that allows you to fully control your business without bad surprises at the end of the month.
The more you sell, the more you earn. It's as simple as that.
It’s not just us saying this (well, actually it is, since we regularly see up to a 25% increase in revenue from omnichannel sales among our clients), but the market figures.
In fact, the fact that customers can take their time browsing the menu and looking at the photos—while also being exposed to enticing upsell offers—tends to increase the average order value for online orders placed directly with restaurants.
Especially since, unlike aggregators, there are no service fees for the end consumer.
Three factors drive this growth: browsing without time pressure, which encourages customers to explore the entire menu; customization suggestions (add-ons, options, set menus) that increase the value of each dish; and the absence of a service charge for customers, which removes the psychological barrier to adding items. The result: a freely assembled order that is more comprehensive than one dictated by a quick phone call.
Poor (or broken) quality of communication on the phone, taking a phone call in the middle of a fire while managing customers on the spot... Taking orders over the phone can work, but is far from error-free.
These mistakes not only cost money, but they also disrupt the customer's experience with your establishment and therefore your brand... Not to mention the extra stress and time needed to rectify the situation!
With online ordering, your customer takes his time, carefully selects his dishes but also his preferences and options.
Everything is clear, square and well recorded.
Without even taking into account the health constraints linked to the crisis, generating new revenues without using an omnichannel approach almost necessarily means pushing back the walls.
With a digital offer without intermediaries, new possibilities are open to you: a sustained development of take-away sales, but also delivery opportunities that extend the turnover achieved in the restaurant.
That's not all!
By reaching a new connected audience, you open the door to the possibility of converting a part of this market by attracting them to your physical outlet or other similar ones (franchises, branches, chains...).
By focusing too much on the immediate part of the delivery and take-out business, it is tempting to put aside the brand awareness and preservation part, as well as the control of the offers presented to customers.
By having your own online ordering system:
Your name and brand have value: preserve them!
The key to success in a world of intermediaries is building a direct relationship with your fans and customers. With live online ordering, you—and you alone—have access to the contact information and preferences of each of your customers.
Ultimately, this makes it easy for you to promote your new menus, special offers, and grand openings, as well as to manage and grow your loyalty program. It’s a powerful tool whose value is well established.
At Innovorder, we’ve noticed that our most successful clients are the ones who focus on building that direct connection with their community!
The key is to shift from transactions to relationships. In practical terms: sending a targeted birthday offer, reaching out to a customer who hasn’t made a purchase in 30 days, or promoting a deal on their favorite dish. These actions are only possible if you have access to customer data. Ludwig Jamet, CEO of Hey Pongo (an Innovorder partner), illustrates this as follows: "Does the data tell us that a customer prefers a certain product? Then we’ll send them a specific offer for their favorite product. The customer feels recognized, valued, and much more loyal to the restaurant."
Advising, serving, preparing and handing out orders, cleaning the premises... There is no shortage of daily tasks in a sales outlet. And you know that better than anyone! Human resources are a crucial and important expense for a restaurant.
By automating the order taking, you allow your employees to focus on high value-added tasks thanks to the time freed up by digital tools.
This time saving is even more important since the time spent answering questions about options, compositions or dish modifications can be avoided with a well set up online order.
Recent years have seen the emergence of a new trend: the sale of grocery items, farm-to-table baskets, and DIY kits featuring signature recipes from certain restaurants or brands (with Bagel Corner leading the way in this regard).
As a source of additional revenue and a real entry of the brand into the daily lives of customers (their kitchens), it is likely that the expanded ranges are here to stay.
Having an in-house online ordering system makes it easy to test new products, but also prices in the evaluation phase, which is much more complicated or time-consuming when you don't control your offer in real time and live.
While the term may sound intimidating or give the impression that it’s reserved for big names on the web, the reality is quite different.
Data on your customers' behavior, contact history, and interactions will help you optimize your offerings, pricing, and communication strategies in the short, medium, and long term. Don't miss out on this opportunity!
In practical terms, your direct ordering solution gives you access to actionable metrics:
- Sales by channel and time slot
- Top-selling products and average order value by segment
- Visit frequency and customer return rate
- Actual margins by product and material costs
- Campaign performance and conversion rates
All of this data can be managed using a tool like IO Analytics. As Ludwig Jamet, CEO of Hey Pongo, puts it: "Customer data helps us better understand who our customers are, what they buy, when they visit, and what they expect from their restaurant."
A third-party platform will never share this information with you. It keeps it to itself.
This is the main argument put forward by advocates of large food delivery platforms: Uber Eats and Deliveroo offer immediate exposure to millions of active users, without any effort on your part to acquire them. That’s true.
But this visibility comes at a cost that goes beyond the commission. In exchange, you give up control over customer relationships, data, and part of your brand identity. Customers acquired through a platform do not become “your” customers: they remain the platform’s customers, and the platform can change its algorithms, fees, or terms of access at any time. The visibility you purchase today does not belong to you.
The question isn't whether to choose between platforms and in-house order management, but how to combine them effectively.
Platforms play a role in customer acquisition: they expose your brand to new customers. Your in-house solution turns those customers into loyal buyers. The challenge is to gradually shift repeat orders to your direct channel, where your margins remain intact and you can build a genuine relationship.
An effective hybrid strategy is based on three principles:
1. Use platforms to attract first-time buyers
2. Encourage a first direct purchase through a welcome offer or a targeted discount
3. Build customer loyalty through data to encourage repeat purchases on your own channel
The explosion of take-out and delivery orders is a tremendous source of opportunities for restaurateurs... Provided that it is well implemented and maintained!
While having your own system is the key to success in terms of revenue and direct links, it is entirely possible to combine this approach with a presence on the major delivery platforms.
Contact us now to discover the best online ordering offer on the market, accessible without commission on your transactions.
