7StartUp Team
Short answer: Keep Zomato and Swiggy for new customers, but move your repeat customers to your own ordering website or WhatsApp ordering. Once you add GST on commission, payment charges, ads and discounts, many restaurants give away 25–35% of an order to food apps. On a direct order you pay only delivery and a small payment fee. Shifting even 20–30% of orders to direct can add lakhs of rupees a year to profit.
Last updated: 10 November 2026.
What you really pay on a food app order
The headline commission is usually 18–30% depending on your city, size and contract. But the real cost of an order is higher:
| Cost on a ₹500 order | Food app (typical) | Your own website |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | ₹90–150 | ₹0 |
| GST on commission (18%) | ₹16–27 | ₹0 |
| Payment gateway | Included or extra | ₹10 (about 2%) |
| Ads / visibility | ₹20–50 | Optional |
| Discount you fund | ₹25–75 | Your choice |
| Total cost | ₹150–300 | ₹10–60 + delivery |
Rates vary by contract. Check your own payout statement for the exact figures.
Why repeat customers matter most
A customer who has ordered from you two or three times already knows and trusts your food. They do not need the app to find you. Yet every time they reorder on the app, you pay the full commission again. Those regulars are exactly the customers to move to direct ordering.
How to set up direct ordering
- Ordering website with your full menu, photos, add-ons and combos.
- Online payment (UPI, cards) and cash on delivery.
- Delivery areas and charges by pin code or distance.
- WhatsApp order alerts to your kitchen, plus a simple owner panel.
- Order tracking so customers know when food is on the way.
- Delivery: your own riders, or on-demand delivery partners (Dunzo-style, Porter, Shadowfax, Borzo) for a fixed fee per order.
Try our working demo: Moksha restaurant ordering website with menu, cart, payment, order tracking and an owner panel.
How to move customers from the app to your website
- Bill insert or sticker in every parcel: "Order direct next time and get 10% off" with a QR code.
- QR code at the table and counter for dine-in guests.
- Better price or a free item on direct orders, funded by the commission you save.
- WhatsApp broadcast of daily specials to customers who opt in.
- Google Business Profile "Order online" link pointing to your own website.
- Instagram bio and Reels with your ordering link.
Follow your aggregator contract. Do not copy customer phone numbers from app orders; let customers choose to order direct.
How much can you save?
| Monthly app orders | Avg order | Orders moved to direct | Saving per month* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | ₹400 | 20% (200) | ₹16,000–20,000 |
| 2,000 | ₹450 | 25% (500) | ₹45,000–55,000 |
| 4,000 | ₹500 | 30% (1,200) | ₹1.2–1.5 lakh |
Assumes 25–30% total app cost vs about 5% on direct orders, before delivery cost.
Frequently asked questions
Should I leave Zomato and Swiggy?
No. Food apps are great for discovery. Use them for new customers and your website for repeat customers.
How much does a restaurant ordering website cost?
A ready ordering website with menu, payments and owner panel starts from about ₹14,999, plus hosting. A QR menu for dine-in costs less.
Who delivers direct orders?
Your own riders, or third-party delivery partners that charge a fixed fee per order.
Get your own ordering website
We build restaurant ordering websites, QR menus and food delivery apps. See QR Menu & Ordering System, Food Delivery App Development and Restaurant Website Design.
Related reading:
