Zero commission food ordering means your customers order from your own website, app or WhatsApp instead of a delivery app, so nobody takes a percentage of the bill. You pay a fixed fee for your ordering software and the payment gateway's charge on online payments, and keep the rest. For regular customers, this is usually the single biggest profit improvement a restaurant can make.
01What it saves on one order
An illustrative ₹500 delivery order. Real rates depend on your contract; see Zomato commission rates and Swiggy charges for the details.
| Through a delivery app | Direct order | |
|---|---|---|
| Order value | ₹500 | ₹500 |
| Commission (example 25%) | −₹125 | ₹0 |
| GST on commission (18%) | −₹22.50 | ₹0 |
| Payment gateway (example 2%) | included above | −₹10 |
| Delivery cost | by the app | your rider or a partner |
| You keep (before food and delivery cost) | ₹352.50 | ₹490 |
Even after paying for delivery yourself, a direct order usually leaves far more with you. Twenty direct orders a day at this ₹137.50 difference is about ₹82,000 a month, before your own delivery cost.
02Why customers stay on the apps (and how to answer each)
- Habit: they open the app without thinking. Answer: put your ordering link and QR in every parcel.
- Discounts: the app shows offers. Answer: a direct-only reward that beats them, like a free dessert or loyalty points.
- Trust in payment: answer with UPI and cash on delivery on your site.
- Order tracking: answer with order updates on WhatsApp or a tracking page.
03A 30-day plan to move regulars
| Week | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Set up your ordering website, payments and kitchen link. Place test orders. See how to set it up. |
| 2 | Print parcel inserts and table QR cards with a first-order reward. Add the link to Google, Instagram and WhatsApp. |
| 3 | Start loyalty points on direct orders only. Message past direct customers on WhatsApp (only those who agreed to hear from you). |
| 4 | Count direct orders vs app orders. Keep what worked, change the offer that didn't. |
04Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the apps completely. They still bring new customers. Use them to find people, and your own channel to keep them.
- Breaking app rules. Read your contract before putting offers in app parcels; keep inserts about your brand and your direct-order reward.
- A slow or clumsy website. If ordering takes longer than on the app, people go back.
- No reason to switch. "Order direct" alone isn't enough; give a clear reward.
- Spamming customers. Two or three useful messages a month is plenty.
05Zero commission food ordering with RestroGrow
RestroGrow gives every restaurant its own ordering website with UPI, online payments and cash on delivery, orders that reach the kitchen as a KOT, table QR ordering, WhatsApp ordering, first-order coupons, loyalty points, a customer wallet and ready-made posters with QR codes for parcels and tables. There is no commission per order. Try the app demo to see the customer side and the kitchen side.
FAQ
Is zero commission ordering really free?
There is no commission per order. You still pay for your ordering software and the payment gateway fee on online payments, and you arrange delivery.
Will customers really order directly?
Regular customers often do, if ordering is quick and there is a clear reward. New customers usually still find you through the apps.
How do I deliver direct orders?
Use your own riders for nearby orders and a delivery partner service for longer distances.
Can I take zero commission orders on WhatsApp?
Yes. Share your ordering link in WhatsApp, or take orders in chat. See how to take orders on WhatsApp.
Summary
Zero commission ordering keeps the full bill with you for every direct order. Keep the apps for new customers, set up your own ordering website, and move regulars with parcel inserts, QR codes, a direct-only reward and loyalty points over 30 days.
On this page
- 1What it saves on one order
- 2Why customers stay on the apps (and how to answer each)
- 3A 30-day plan to move regulars
- 4Mistakes to avoid
- 5Zero commission food ordering with RestroGrow
- 6FAQ
- 7Summary
Billing, KOT, QR menu and WhatsApp marketing for your restaurant.
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