Direct Ordering vs Delivery Aggregators: The Real Maths for UK Restaurants
Delivery aggregators bring restaurants orders they would not otherwise get, from customers who have never heard of them. They also charge a commission on every order, forever, and they keep the relationship with the customer. Neither fact makes them good or bad; it makes the maths worth doing.
What commission really costs
Work it out with your own numbers. Take the monthly value of orders you receive through a marketplace and multiply it by your commission rate. That is what you pay each month, before delivery fees, promotions and payment charges.
For example (these figures are only an illustration), £8,000 a month at a 15% commission is £1,200 a month. The commission calculator on our UK ordering page lets you use your own figures.
What aggregators are good for
- Discovery. Reaching people who do not know you yet.
- Delivery logistics, if you do not run your own riders.
- Demand in quiet slots.
What they are not good for
- Your regulars. A guest who already loves you pays the same commission on every order.
- The relationship. The marketplace keeps the customer's details and preferences.
- Loyalty. Points and rewards with you do not build up.
A sensible split
Use aggregators to be found, and move regulars to direct ordering. Every guest who orders direct from your own menu, by table code, takeaway code or order ahead, costs no commission with WowMenu and builds your own guest profile, loyalty and win-back.
How to move guests across
- Put your own QR code and a small welcome offer in every delivery bag
- Make ordering direct as easy as the app: no download, verified mobile, saved preferences
- Reward direct orders with loyalty points
- Message opted-in guests with a reason to order direct
What a direct ordering system costs
A flat monthly plan, with no commission: WowMenu starts at £59 a month in the UK, after a 30-day free trial. See commission-free ordering for UK restaurants.
