1. Build the menu the way the kitchen works
Online menus fail when they do not match how the kitchen prepares food. Set up categories, sizes and modifier groups exactly as your staff would ask on the phone: toppings, sides, "on the side", spice level, required versus optional choices, and prices for each.
2. Decide pickup and delivery rules
- Pickup lead times for busy and quiet hours.
- Delivery zones drawn on a map, with a minimum order and fee per zone.
- Order cut-off times before closing.
- Scheduled orders for later in the day or catering.
3. Take payment properly
Use a payment provider that deposits directly into your account and supports cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Decide how tips, taxes and refunds are handled before launch.
4. Make orders impossible to miss
New orders should alert on a tablet in the kitchen or at the counter, with timers and status updates. Customers should get an email or text confirmation automatically.
5. Put the "Order online" button everywhere
- The top of your website, on every page.
- Your Google Business Profile ordering link.
- Instagram and Facebook profiles.
- Receipts, bags and table cards with a QR code.
6. Give regulars a reason to order direct
Loyalty points, a free item on the first direct order or a small direct-order discount. Over time, regulars move from marketplace apps to your own channel.
7. Test before you announce
Place real test orders for pickup and delivery, with modifiers, a refund and a scheduled order. Fix anything confusing before customers see it.
How we help
We built iWantFoods to do all of this on a flat monthly subscription, without per-order commission. See also our guide on what delivery apps cost.