A $30 DoorDash order typically nets you just $21 after commission and fees. By shifting that same order to your own digital channel, you keep $28–29 – a 93% higher margin. To grow profitably in the USA, you need a strategy that prioritizes direct orders over third-party discovery.
While third-party apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash are useful for customer discovery, they should never be your final destination. Restaurants with robust direct ordering systems see takeout profit improvements up to 30% higher than those relying solely on third-party aggregators. Reclaiming your margins starts with a mobile-first approach.
Implementing a restaurant online ordering system allows you to capture customer data and avoid heavy commission fees. To make this shift successful, you must optimize for Gen Z. Since 84% of Gen Z consumers prefer ordering via apps, your mobile experience must be frictionless and faster than the marketplaces they are used to.
You can also use artificial scarcity to drive traffic to your owned channels. Launching "limited drops" or exclusive menu items available only on your website provides a compelling reason for customers to leave the third-party apps behind.
If your restaurant does not appear in the Google Local 3-Pack, you are essentially invisible to hungry diners. "Open now" searches have surged 875% year-over-year, making local search visibility a non-negotiable part of your growth. In fact, Google Maps optimization alone can increase foot traffic and delivery inquiries by 40–60% within just 90 days.
Responding to all reviews within 24–48 hours signals to search engines that your business is active and relevant, which helps maintain your ranking in local search results.
In the modern delivery market, diners eat with their eyes first. 90% of diners check a restaurant's social media pages before deciding to order. Static photos are no longer the gold standard; restaurant video marketing grows revenue 49% faster than non-video strategies.
Focus on short-form video content like 15–30 second Instagram Reels or TikToks. These videos should highlight the human element of your business, such as behind-the-scenes kitchen prep or the satisfying visual of a finished dish. To extend your reach without a massive ad budget, partner with local micro-influencers. Creators with 1,000–5,000 followers often generate 8x the ROI of traditional advertising because their audiences are geographically relevant and highly engaged.
You should also prioritize user-generated content by reposting customer photos and videos. Seeing a real peer enjoy a meal acts as powerful social proof that is often more convincing to a new customer than a polished professional advertisement.
Acquiring a new customer is five to 25 times more expensive than keeping an existing one. According to a Bank of America analysis, a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25–95%. Success in delivery isn't just about the first order; it's about the tenth.
Marketing automation allows you to turn guest data into timely, personalized messages that drive repeat visits without adding to your daily workload.
A brilliant marketing strategy will fail if your kitchen is overwhelmed by "tablet chaos." Managing multiple delivery apps on separate devices leads to manual entry errors that can cost you 3–5% of your total revenue.
Spindl provides an all-in-one platform that consolidates your POS, delivery apps, online ordering, and loyalty systems into a single device. By integrating your operations, you can reduce administrative tasks by 30%, saving the average operator roughly 12 hours every week. This efficiency allows you to focus on high-level strategy rather than fighting with fragmented hardware.
Whether you run a single location or a growing chain, moving from outdated tech to a modern OS like Spindl ensures your marketing data is accurate and your delivery business is actually profitable. Stop using "Nokia-era" systems and give your restaurant the iPhone-level technology it deserves.
