Deciding on a restaurant online ordering system isn’t easy. There are loads of options to choose from and a number of factors to take into account, which might make choosing a system difficult. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best online ordering systems of 2023 to help you choose the right online ordering software for you.
Online Ordering Systems
- UpMenu
- Toast Online Ordering
- Flipdish
- Cloudwaitress
- Square Online
- Wix Restaurants
- Bentobox
- Bbot
- Olo
- GloriaFood
What is the best restaurant online ordering system?
There are many online ordering systems available on the market, and the best one for a particular restaurant will depend on your specific needs and preferences.
The best online ordering system is one that is easy to use by guests and staff, is inexpensive, and is designed specifically for the restaurant industry with features that business owners need.
The most important features online ordering software should include are powerful marketing tools, an easy to use loyalty program, a fully customizable drag-and-drop website building option, a branded mobile app for easy ordering, report generating tools, and pos system integrations.
Why do restaurants need online ordering systems?
- Lower commission costs from third party delivery services: third party commissions can eat up even 30% of what you make from each sale. Your own online ordering system significantly lowers those fees
- Easier online order management: this allows your team to easily accept incoming online orders and begin working on them right away
- Own your customer data: keep all of your clients’ information in one spot, which is essential when creating marketing campaigns, tracking customer purchase history, loyalty, etc.
- Build websites and an online presence: advanced online ordering systems for restaurants often come with a website builder, which allows for the creation of a branded website and grows your online presence
- Improve customer loyalty: online ordering systems help restaurant owners tie clients to their business for longer
- Generate real-time reports: create real-time reports that help track how your business is performing
Features you should look for?
- Free Website (No Code, Drag & Drop): an online website that you can design yourself is a great way to improve your digital presence, and make it easy for online ordering.
- Branded Mobile App (iOS & Android): a branded mobile app makes the online ordering process easier for customers.
- Qr Code Menu: this makes tableside ordering easier than ever. In-house clients simply scan the QR code at their table, and order their meals directly from the online menu. The online ordering software also informs your staff which table the order came from.
- Customer loyalty program: loyalty programs are used to encourage customers to order meals with the use of incentives like points or stamps, which can be redeemed for free meals and other offers.
- Email, SMS & Push Marketing: using valuable customer data, marketing features in your online ordering system help you to encourage clients to order from your restaurant via email, SMS, or push notifications.
- Promotions & Discounts (Advanced): promotional tools are ideal for filling empty order slots in your online ordering software. Create a limited time offer, notify your customers about it, and watch tableside and online sales increase.
- Multi-location management: for restaurant franchises, this feature is essential in order to manage multiple business locations with just the click of a button.
- Customer data collecting option: your online ordering tool should come with a customer information feature, which keeps relevant data in one spot and is used for creating effective marketing campaigns.
Key features comparison matrix
Taking into account factors such as cost, features, ease of use, and customer support will be important in determining which system will be the best for your restaurant.
It’s always best to test online ordering systems through a trial version if it’s available in order to get an idea of how it works and if it has everything you’re looking for.
To help you decide on the right online ordering system for your business, we’ve created a table that presents the best restaurant ordering systems, their features, and prices.
| UpMenu | ToastPOS | Flipdish | Cloudwaitress | Square | Wix | BentoBox | Bbot | Olo | Gloriafood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $49 | $165 | $149 | $39 | Free | $39 | $79 | $79 | $149 | Free |
| Sales Comission | 0% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 2.6% + 10¢ | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Free Trial | ||||||||||
| Free Websites (No Code, Drag&Drop) | ||||||||||
| Free Website Templates | NA | |||||||||
| Free Hosting | NA | NA | NA | |||||||
| Branded Mobile App (IOS & Android) | ||||||||||
| Order Taking App (Owner App) | ||||||||||
| Qr Code Menu | ||||||||||
| Custom Tips | ||||||||||
| Tableside Ordering | ||||||||||
| Table Reservations | ||||||||||
| Loyalty Program | ||||||||||
| Email, SMS & Push Marketing | Email and SMS | |||||||||
| Promotions & Discounts (Advanced) | ||||||||||
| Coupon & Promo Code | NA | |||||||||
| Whitelabel | NA | NA | ||||||||
| Multi Location | ||||||||||
| Free Setup Service | NA | NA | NA | |||||||
| Free Migration Service | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
1. UpMenu
UpMenu is a commission-free cloud-based online food ordering platform for restaurants, which allows customers to place online orders for delivery or pickup directly from the restaurant website or branded app. The software also includes features such as online payment processing and pos integration, and automated printing of kitchen tickets, to help streamline the ordering process for restaurant staff.
Additionally, it allows restaurants to manage their online menus, inventory, and customer data. UpMenu also lets users create targeted marketing campaigns and promotions sent via SMS, push and email, as well as customer loyalty programs to increase in-house and online orders.
UpMenu also comes with an application programming interface (API), allowing you to integrate the system with several third-party POS systems and delivery solutions.
Pros
- No commission fees
- Free, bo-code, drag-and-drop website building
- Built-in loyalty program
- Integrated with 3rd party systems (pos, delivery)
- Easy to use
- Powerful marketing tools (promotions, coupons, email/sms/push marketing)
- Branded website, online menu, and mobile app
- Fully customizable
- Real-time data collecting
- Designed specifically for the restaurant industry
- Monthly subscription fee
- SEO tools
- Multi-location management
- Tableside QR ordering
Cons
- No sales forecasting
- No barcode/ticket scanning
- No social media integrated promotion
- There are online order limits for the basic and standard plans
Pricing
UpMenu’s prices start at only $49 per month for each premises, with zero commission fees and no hidden costs.
2. Toast POS
Toast POS is a point-of-sale system specifically designed for restaurants, coffee shops and food service businesses. It is a cloud-based software that can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
It provides an array of features including online ordering, inventory, menu, and customer management, as well as real-time reports.This online system also allows for accepting online orders and food delivery management.
Toast POS can be integrated with various third-party apps such as accounting software, payment processors, and kitchen display systems. Customers can order food online, place reservations, order take-out and pay via mobile. It is available on both android and ios platforms.
Pros
- Designed specifically for restaurants
- Online and mobile ordering option
- Easy inventory management
- Menu customization and management
- Customer data and reports management
- Kitchen display system
- Employee and client management
Cons
- No barcode recognition
- No free trial
- Requires a long term contract
- Can get expensive with additional fees for extra features
Pricing
Toast POS pricing is based on a monthly subscription model and can vary depending on the specific needs and requirements of the business.
The base price for Toast POS starts at $79 per month per location for the software and hardware, which includes the Toast POS system, a touchscreen tablet, and a receipt printer.
3. Flipdish
Flipdish is an online ordering system and delivery platform that allows restaurants to create their own mobile app and website for online ordering. This online ordering system comes with features such as real-time report generation, customer database management, and integrated payment processing.
Customers can use the platform for digital ordering and to pay for food delivery or pickup from the restaurant.
Pros
- Designed specifically for restaurants
- Easy inventory management
- Menu customization
- Customer data and reports management
- Allows for mobile ordering
Cons
- Expensive
- No credit card processing
- No promotions management
- No table and waitlist management
- No customer history and employee management
Pricing
The pricing for the basic subscription package starts at €149 per month, and businesses can choose to add on additional features such as integrations with third-party delivery providers, SMS notifications, and advanced analytics and reporting.
4. Cloudwaitress
CloudWaitress is an online ordering software and reservation platform for restaurants. This ordering system allows for online ordering, managing pickups, deliveries, QR tableside ordering and table reservations. Restaurant owners are able to design their own unique website and menu to match their online branding.
Customers can easily place their orders online or make a reservation and view live updates to their order status.
Pros
- Designed specifically for restaurants
- Offers a free plan
- Integrated POS system
- Menu customization
- Multi-location management
- Customer data and reports management
- Allows for mobile ordering
- Integration with third-party delivery apps
Cons
- Expensive when considering extra features
- No loyalty program
- No table and waitlist management
- No inventory management
Pricing
Although Cloudwaitress offers a free plan, it lacks a number of key features that most restaurant owners can’t be left without. The standard plan, which comes with additional features is $39 per month, however, this does not include the iOS & Android app, which costs a one time fee of $399.
5. Square
Square for restaurants is one of the more popular online ordering systems, designed to help small businesses and individuals process credit card payments using a mobile device or tablet.
In addition to processing payments, Square also allows businesses to accept online orders, manage inventory levels, collect customer data, and generate reports. Unlike other pos systems, Square includes an online ordering option, curbside pickup, and has an online ordering app available on both android and ios platforms.
Pros
- Inventory management
- Integrates with other POS systems
- Data reporting tools
- Online ordering option
- Online app for Android and iOS
Cons
- No waitlist management
- No customer history tracking
- Additional transaction fees that can stack up
Pricing
Square pricing varies depending on the type of plan you choose.The basic plan is free and includes POS features most online ordering systems have, such as inventory management, sales reports, and customer management, as well as some extras, like ads to encourage social media ordering and other marketing features.
Additional features, such as customer accounts and a free domain are not available in the basic plan. Square for restaurants has a number of features designed for the industry, such as menu management, kitchen display system, and online ordering integration, but pricing varies based on the number of locations and the specific features you need.
In general, Square charges a flat rate of 2.6% + 10 cents for credit card processing fees for all available plans.
6. Wix
Wix is a website building platform ideal for restaurant owners seeking to create and design their own websites without the need for coding or programming skills. It offers a wide range of restaurant templates and features such as e-commerce, contact forms, and social media integration.
Pros
- No-code, drag-and-drop website building
- Easy to use and set up
- Social media and e-commerce integrations
- Customer contact forms
- Data collecting and analytics
- Customizable website templates
- SEO tools
Cons
- Not designed specifically for the restaurant industry
- No calendar management
- No customer database
- No mobile alerts
Pricing
Wix plans start at $11, however, this basic plan lacks important features required to effectively run and manage your restaurant. The Business & eCommerce plan is the most popular for restaurant owners, and prices start from $23 per month.
7. Bentobox
BentoBox is an online ordering system designed to help businesses handle various eCommerce operations including event management, online ordering via restaurant website, catering, and more.
Users can easily update menu items, manage orders, post promotional content across social media platforms, track online sales, and gain an overview of website traffic via actionable analytics, without having to use third party apps.
Pros
- Loyalty Program
- Order processing features
- Social media and e-commerce integrations
- Third party pos integration
Cons
- No multi-location
- Expensive
- No route management
- No SMS marketing
- No inventory management
- No customer database
Pricing
BentoBox’s prices start at $149 per month with their Essentials Website plan, which doesn’t include marketing features and selling and managing to-go orders for delivery service. The set up fee is a one-time cost of $1,000, which is pretty steep when compared to free online ordering systems for restaurants.
8. Bbot
Bbot is a web-based contactless order and pay solution that allows guests to order food and drinks from their phone to their location. There is no signup required or app to download, and operators can still collect customer data via the restaurant ordering system.
Guests can order and pay without swiping a card, signing a receipt, or spending a moment waiting in line, which are great online ordering features few systems have.
Bbot helps operators increase sales from on-site orders, curbside pickup, take out, and delivery orders with branded digital menus.
Pros
- No-code website building
- Branded website and menu
- Easy to use and set up
- Social media and e-commerce integrations
- Customer contact forms
- Integrated payment processing
Cons
- No loyalty program
- Basic plan missing essential features
Pricing
Bbot’s plans start at $49 per month. Although this may be a great plan to start out with, it doesn’t have basic features that other online ordering platforms have, like a loyalty program, client CRM, and pos integrations.
9. Olo
Olo is a software company that provides online ordering options for restaurants. They offer a variety of services to help restaurants manage online orders, including a mobile ordering app, a website ordering system, and integrations with popular delivery services like GrubHub and DoorDash.
Olo also provides tools for tracking and analyzing customer data, and marketing services to help restaurants reach new customers. Their software is designed to help restaurants streamline the ordering process, increase sales, improve the customer experience, and turn new customers into loyal regulars.
Pros
- No-code website building
- Easy to use and set up
- No iOS and Android app
- Social media and e-commerce integrations
- Customer contact forms
Cons
- Expensive
- No employee management option
- No mobile alerts
- No inventory management
Pricing
Olo’s plans start at $149 per month, plus an additional one-time setup fee of $399, which is pricey when compared to other online ordering software. There may be additional fees with credit card processing, which depend on which credit companies you decide to work with.
10. Gloriafood
GloriaFood is a cloud-based online ordering system that provides restaurants a number of online ordering options for their customers. Clients can place orders for delivery or pickup directly from the restaurant’s website, Facebook page, or mobile app.
This online ordering software features online payment processing, order tracking, and automated printing of kitchen tickets to help streamline the ordering process for restaurant staff, making this option a great ordering system for restaurants.
Additionally, it allows restaurant owners to manage their online menu, inventory, and customer data. GloriaFood also offers tools for marketing and promotions, such as email campaigns, loyalty programs, and online reviews to help increase the number of loyal customers.
Pros
- Online ordering through web or mobile app
- Built-in kitchen display system
- Online menu and customer data management options
- Marketing features
- Loyalty program
- Inventory management
- Basic system is free
Cons
- Essential features like marketing and payment processing cost extra
- No credit card processing
- No employee management options
- No pos system integrations
Pricing
Gloriafood provides users with a free online ordering system that includes a variety of tools beginning restaurant owners can find useful.
Although Gloriafood is commission-free, certain essential features for running a restaurant will include monthly fees, such as having a branded mobile app, a sales-optimized website, pos system integrations, and marketing tools – which the best online ordering systems have in their basic plans.
Which ordering app is best for restaurants?
Based on our list, UpMenu is the best online ordering app for both franchise and independent restaurants. UpMenu is easy to navigate, fully customizable, commission-free, and has all the features a restaurant owner needs to run their business effectively.
What software do restaurants use to take orders?
Restaurants turn to online ordering systems like UpMenu for taking incoming orders, either through the app, website, or even via Facebook ordering. UpMenu comes with a number of additional features that help to effectively run restaurant operations, generate reports, and create marketing campaigns.
How do I set up an online food ordering system?
Setting up an online food ordering system typically involves deciding on an online ordering platform, designing your menu, integrating your POS system, promoting your online ordering option online, and tracking your reports.
Make sure that all of your data is also available to potential clients on your website, such as delivery zones, contact information, a link to your online ordering system, and online menu.
Key Takeaways
- Free systems usually have hidden fees.
- The best restaurant online ordering system is one that offers users a branded
- menu, app, and website, a loyalty program, pos system integrations, and customer data collecting capabilities.
- Unlike UpMenu, few online ordering systems allow for integrations with third party apps.
- Many free online ordering systems exclude essential features for running and maintaining a restaurant.
