Why restaurants add their own online ordering
Delivery apps bring new customers, but they charge a commission on every order, including orders from regulars who already know you. A direct channel lets those regulars order from you instead. Use our commission calculator with the rate from your own app contract to see what that is worth.
What the Chefzi online ordering system includes
- Your own ordering website, on your domain or a Chefzi link, with your menu, photos and opening hours.
- Staff order app on Google Play (coming soon to the App Store) to take and manage orders; customers order on your website.
- Delivery, pickup and dine-in from one menu, with delivery zones and fees by distance.
- Kitchen tablet and printer for incoming orders, with sound alerts.
- Card and cash payments. Card payments are paid out to your own account.
- Customer list and offers you control: promo codes, reorders and loyalty-style deals.
- English and French ordering pages, for Quebec and bilingual markets.
- Taxes your way: set GST, HST, PST or QST rates so they show correctly on checkout and receipts.
Leaving GloriaFood?
GloriaFood is shutting down. GloriaFood’s own website says it reaches end of life on 30 April 2027, the date in Oracle’s GloriaFood end-of-life FAQ. Oracle’s food and beverage page gives 31 March 2027 for full end of service. Plan to be moved before 31 March 2027 (checked 27 October 2026). Compare GloriaFood alternatives or follow the migration guide.
How restaurant online ordering works
- Your menu goes on your own ordering website, linked from your Google listing, social pages and QR codes.
- Customers order delivery or pickup and pay by card or at the door.
- The order lands on a tablet or printer in your kitchen, with the time you set.
- The customer’s details stay in your list, so you can bring them back with offers.
Choosing an online ordering system: a checklist
- Pricing in CAD: monthly fee, setup fee, and any fee per order on top of card processing.
- GST, HST, PST or QST shown correctly on receipts.
- A French ordering page if you serve Quebec or bilingual customers.
- Who owns the customer list, and can you export it?
- Card payouts to a Canadian bank account.
- Delivery zones and fees by distance, pickup times, and pausing when busy.
- Whether you must change your POS, or orders can go to a tablet or printer.
Delivery app fees vs your own ordering website
Delivery apps charge a percentage of each order. Published Canadian rates:
| App | Delivery commission | Pickup commission |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats | 15–30% by plan | 10% (15% without validated in-store prices) |
| DoorDash | 20–29% by plan | 8–10% |
| SkipTheDishes | Set in your contract | Set in your contract |
What one order costs you, by channel
Commission is a percentage, so it grows with every order. On a typical $30 delivery order the difference is easy to see:
| Channel ($30 delivery order) | Fee rule (published) | Fee on $30 |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats Lite / Plus / Premium | 20% / 25% / 30% | $6.00 / $7.50 / $9.00 |
| DoorDash Basic / Plus / Premier | 20% / 25% / 29% | $6.00 / $7.50 / $8.70 |
| Your own ordering page, card fee only | 2.9% + C$0.30 (Stripe standard) | $1.17 |
| Your own page + DoorDash Drive delivery | card fee + $8.50 flat | $1.17 + $8.50 |
Arithmetic on published rates (Uber Eats Canada merchant pricing; DoorDash Canada merchant pricing; Stripe Canada pricing; checked 27 October 2026). App fees exclude tablet fees, promotions and refunds; your own channel excludes your monthly software fee ($35 for Chefzi) and any delivery you run yourself.
Delivery without a marketplace commission
Commission-free ordering does not mean you have to run drivers. Three common options in Canada:
| Option | How it is priced | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash Drive On-Demand | Flat $8.50 per delivery (DoorDash Canada) | Pay per trip; DoorDash drivers |
| Uber Direct | Distance-based price per delivery (Uber Eats Canada) | Quote varies by distance |
| Your own drivers | Wages or per-delivery pay you set | Most control; you manage scheduling and insurance |
Sources: DoorDash Canada merchant pricing; Uber Eats Canada merchant pricing; checked 27 October 2026.
Ways customers can order from your restaurant online
- Pickup and order-ahead: the customer picks a time, pays online or at the counter, and collects the order.
- Delivery: your own drivers within zones and fees you set, or an on-demand courier. Some systems, such as Square Online, can send a DoorDash courier with no marketplace commission, though a delivery fee still applies.
- Dine-in by QR code: a code on each table opens your menu so guests can order and pay from their phone. See the QR code menu guide.
- From Google, Instagram and Facebook: Google Search and Maps can show an order button for a restaurant, and the order is placed on the provider’s website. Square, for example, connects its ordering page to Order with Google and to the Facebook and Instagram food-ordering buttons. At a minimum, put your ordering link on your Google Business Profile and in your social bios.
Online ordering pricing models in Canada
There are four ways Canadian providers charge for restaurant online ordering. Here are published examples:
| Model | Published example (CAD) | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan + card processing | Square Online: $0 plan, paid plans from $36/month, processing 2.8% + 30¢ per online transaction | Usually tied to the provider’s POS and payments |
| Flat monthly fee | MenuDirect SiteFresh Pro: $59/month + $299 setup (card payments +$10/month). iShopo Basic: $99/month per location for up to 100 orders, $1,000 one-time setup | Order caps, setup fees, contract length |
| Percentage per order | Eatro: 5% per takeout order on the pre-tax subtotal, plus card fees | Cost grows with your sales |
| Marketplace commission | Uber Eats: 15–30% of delivery orders by plan | Commission and who owns the customer list |
Setting up online ordering: step by step
- Gather your menu with prices, modifiers (sizes, extras) and photos.
- Set delivery zones, minimum order, fees and pickup times, plus how you’ll pause orders at busy times.
- Connect card payments to a Canadian bank account and set GST/HST, PST or QST.
- Decide where orders print or display: a tablet, a kitchen printer or your POS. See restaurant software.
- Put your ordering link on your website, Google Business Profile, social bios and QR codes. See the restaurant website guide.
- Place a test order for delivery and for pickup before you announce it.
Sources (pricing and ordering channels)
Sources for this section: Square Canada, Online ordering; MenuDirect pricing; iShopo pricing; Eatro pricing; Google Help, Order food with Google; Uber Eats Canada merchant pricing (checked 27 October 2026). Competitor prices are as published, before tax, and may change.
Sources
Sources: Uber Eats Canada and DoorDash Canada merchant pricing pages, checked 27 October 2026. Run your own numbers in the commission calculator.
Built for Canadian restaurants
Prices in Canadian dollars, provincial sales tax settings, French-language ordering for Quebec, and support on Canadian time zones. Browse city guides or guides by cuisine.
Chefzi pricing
- Cash and pickup: $17 CAD per location per month.
- Card payments: $35 CAD per location per month.
- Setup is free. Plans are month-to-month, with no commission per order. See pricing.
About this page
Reviewed by the Chefzi team. Last updated 27 October 2026. Learn about Chefzi or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
What is an online ordering system for restaurants?
Software that lets customers order from your own website, with orders sent to your kitchen. Unlike a delivery app, you keep the customer relationship and don’t pay a percentage of each order to a marketplace.
What does Chefzi cost in Canada?
A flat monthly fee in CAD with no commission per order. See pricing. Card processing fees apply to card payments.
Is there a free restaurant online ordering system?
Free options exist: Square Online has a free plan with per-sale processing fees, DoorDash Online Ordering has no monthly or commission fee. For other providers, such as Relayfy (relayfy.com), see their site. Each has trade-offs, such as ties to a POS, a marketplace or customer fees (checked 27 October 2026). GloriaFood’s free plan is closing. Compare them in our list of online ordering systems in Canada.
Do I get my own online ordering website?
Yes. Your ordering website carries your name and menu, and regulars can reorder from your website.
Do I need a POS for online ordering?
No. Chefzi sends orders to a tablet or printer, so you can start without changing your point of sale.
Do I have to leave SkipTheDishes, Uber Eats or DoorDash?
No. Most restaurants keep the apps for new customers and use their own ordering for regulars. See delivery apps for restaurants.
Does it work in French?
Yes. Your ordering page can be in French, English or both. Version française.
Do I still pay card fees with commission-free ordering?
Yes. Card processing applies to every online card payment, for example 2.9% + C$0.30 on Stripe’s standard Canadian pricing or 2.8% + 30¢ on Square Online (checked 27 October 2026). That is still far less than a 20–30% delivery commission.
Who delivers orders from my own website?
Your own drivers, or an on-demand courier such as DoorDash Drive (flat $8.50 per delivery in Canada) or Uber Direct (distance-based). You can also offer pickup only.
Can I keep Uber Eats and DoorDash and add my own ordering?
Yes, and most restaurants do. Use the apps for discovery and move repeat customers to your own page.
Can customers order from my Google listing?
Google can show an order button on Search and Maps when your ordering provider is connected, and the order is then placed on the provider’s site. If yours isn’t connected, add your ordering link to your Google Business Profile.
Can I take dine-in orders by QR code?
Yes, with a QR code on each table that opens your ordering menu. Our QR code menu guide explains how to set it up.
How much does a restaurant online ordering system cost in Canada?
Published Canadian examples range from a $0 plan plus 2.8% + 30¢ per online transaction (Square Online) to flat fees of $59–$99 a month plus setup (MenuDirect, iShopo), or 5% per order (Eatro). See the pricing models table above.
How does online ordering for restaurants work?
Customers open your ordering page from your website, Google listing, social profiles or a QR code, choose pickup or delivery, and pay. The order goes to a tablet or printer in your kitchen, and the customer’s details stay in your own list.
How do customers find restaurants with online ordering?
Mostly through Google: an online ordering link on your Google listing sends customers straight to your ordering page (Google Help). Add the same link to your website, Instagram and Facebook profiles, and on QR codes at the counter.