Restaurant Ordering Systems: Which One Is Right for You?
Choosing an ordering system is one of the most impactful decisions for your restaurant. This guide compares your options — from delivery aggregators to white-label platforms — so you can make the right choice for your business.
Key Benefits
Aggregators: reach vs. cost
Platforms like Wolt and Bolt Food bring new customers through their marketplace, but charge 25-35% commission on every single order. For many restaurants, especially in the Czech Republic and Slovakia where margins are already tight, the math simply does not work — particularly for dine-in and pickup orders where no delivery is involved. A restaurant doing 3,000 EUR in monthly Wolt orders at 30% commission pays 900 EUR per month just in fees. That money could pay for a part-time employee, better ingredients, or a complete digital ordering solution like FoxiFood many times over.
White-label: control vs. effort
White-label platforms like FoxiFood give you your own professionally branded ordering website — with your domain, your logo, your colors — at a low flat monthly fee of 29 EUR. You keep full ownership of customer data and contact information, control every aspect of the ordering experience, and build a direct relationship with your guests. Unlike aggregators, there is no middleman between you and your customers. Your restaurant appears as its own brand, not as one of hundreds of listings on someone else's platform. This brand ownership compounds over time as repeat customers bookmark your site and share it with friends.
The hybrid approach
Smart restaurant owners in Prague, Bratislava, and across Central Europe use both channels strategically: aggregators for new customer discovery and delivery logistics, plus their own FoxiFood-powered ordering platform for repeat customers, dine-in QR ordering, and direct pickup. This hybrid approach maximizes your reach while keeping overall margins healthy. The key is to gradually shift your repeat customers to direct ordering by offering small incentives — a free drink, priority preparation, or a 5% loyalty discount. Over time, your direct channel grows while your dependence on expensive aggregators shrinks.
Key factors to consider
When choosing an ordering system, evaluate these critical factors: commission rates and total cost of ownership, branding and visual customization control, customer data ownership and export capability, payment method flexibility (card, cash, Apple Pay), multi-language support for tourist-heavy areas in Prague or Bratislava, QR code table ordering capability, integration with your existing POS or kitchen display, and ongoing technical support in your language. No single system is perfect for every restaurant — but understanding these factors helps you make an informed decision that aligns with your specific business model and growth goals.
Hidden costs of aggregators
Beyond the headline 25-35% commission, food delivery aggregators come with hidden costs that many restaurant owners overlook. They control your customer data, meaning you cannot market directly to people who loved your food. They control your brand presentation — your restaurant is displayed in their template, not yours. They control pricing recommendations and can change fee structures at any time, as Wolt did when raising commissions in several markets in 2024. If they raise fees, you have zero leverage. Consider the real numbers: 5,000 EUR/month in orders through Wolt at 30% commission equals 1,500 EUR paid to Wolt. With FoxiFood, the same volume costs 29 EUR monthly fee plus approximately 75 EUR in card processing fees — roughly 104 EUR total. That is a difference of nearly 1,400 EUR every single month.
Transitioning from aggregators
You do not need to drop Wolt or Bolt Food overnight — and in fact, a gradual transition is the smartest approach. Start by setting up your FoxiFood ordering site alongside your existing aggregator presence. Print QR codes with your direct ordering link on every table, receipt, and takeaway bag. Incentivize direct orders with a small discount of 5-10% — you still save significantly even after the discount because you are no longer paying 30% commission. Promote your direct ordering link on social media, Google Business Profile, and in-restaurant signage. Many restaurants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia successfully transition 40-60% of their total orders to direct ordering within just three months using this gradual approach, with some reaching 80% direct orders within six months.
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