What are the advantages of direct ordering?
5 blockers preventing your guests from ordering directly from your restaurant
How to encourage more direct ordering
When a guest orders directly from a restaurant, as opposed to via a third-party marketplace, it is unquestionably better for the restaurant in terms of guest relationships and revenue generation. There are many reasons for restaurants to invest in third-party marketplaces—like exposure to new guests—but when it comes to finding the right mix of third-party and direct, restaurants generally want to maximize direct orders when possible.
Many guests would even prefer to order directly from a restaurant—likely because they see an average 68.6% markup on third-party orders due to higher pricing and fees. One study found that 58% of people prefer to order directly from a restaurant and spend 35% more when they do.
However, somewhere in the journey, your direct ordering experience is creating friction that sends guests back to the familiar territory of third-party apps.
The good news? In my 10 years working with restaurant brands at Olo, I've seen these barriers get fixed time and time again. Here's what actually works.
Your biggest competitor isn't the restaurant down the street. It's invisibility. When hungry guests pull out their phones, muscle memory takes over—they open the third-party app that's already on their home screen.
Make direct ordering impossible to miss.
Many restaurant websites weren't built with conversion in mind. Too many clicks, slow load times, buried "Order Now" buttons, and complicated checkout flows create abandonment points at every turn.
Third-party marketplaces have trained guests to expect frictionless ordering. If your direct experience doesn't measure up, they'll bounce before completing their first order. But there’s hope: When Portillo's optimized their online ordering solution and streamlined their menu, their cart conversion rate doubled.
Changing behavior requires motivation. If guests don't see a clear reason to abandon their third-party routine, they won't. Direct ordering allows you to deliver the hospitality your brand is known for. Make sure guests know they're getting better service, not less, when they order direct.
Just because an order is placed online doesn't mean there's no opportunity for hospitality. When guests land on a generic ordering page with no recognition, they're getting a transactional experience.
These moments of recognition matter. They help decision-fatigued guests order faster and create the kind of experience that earns lasting loyalty.
Delivery orders have 35% higher AOV compared to pickup. If guests can't get delivery through your direct channels—or don't know that they can—you're leaving significant revenue on the table.
The key is ensuring that guests view your direct channels as offering equal or better convenience than third-party platforms—because when convenience is matched, the other benefits of direct ordering (lower prices, loyalty points, better service) become the deciding factors.
Third-party marketplaces serve a role in your overall strategy—they're an expensive but effective acquisition engine. But 52% of restaurants are now prioritizing migrating business to direct channels for good reason: direct orders provide better profit margins, give you ownership of guest relationships and data, and allow you to deliver brand-specific hospitality that builds long-term loyalty.
The restaurants that succeed in shifting guest behavior aren't the ones that simply ask guests to change. They're the ones that remove every possible barrier, communicate benefits clearly and consistently, and deliver an experience that's demonstrably better than third-party alternatives.
Want to dive deeper into optimizing your direct ordering strategy? Download our ebook, " How Restaurants Can Optimize Direct Ordering ," for detailed guidance on finding the right mix of direct and third-party orders, maximizing guest lifetime value, and implementing proven tactics from successful restaurant brands.
Transform your guest experience today.