Nowadays it is next to impossible to run a successful business without letting your customers order online.
To make that possible you will have to implement an ordering system as part of your business. You could build your own, or use one from a company that specializes in creating ordering systems. If you opt for the second option you will have several options to choose from.
We will group these into free, subscription-based, percentage-based and transaction-based ordering systems and tell you the pros and cons of each.
General pros and cons
There are lots of benefits and almost no drawbacks to having an online ordering system. Reduction of errors that could happen, such as mishearing someone over the phone, will ensure deliveries match exactly what your customers ordered. Your staff will also have more time to focus on other tasks instead of spending it on long phone calls with customers. You will avoid the possibility of all your lines being busy and missing a possible order. Internet marketing will allow you to reach more customers than ever before. Also, an ordering system will add value to your site should you ever plan to sell it.
When it comes to disadvantages, there are not many. The biggest disadvantage is the possibility of your ordering system going down and your clients being unable to place orders. That can be mitigated by using a reliable online ordering system. Another big scare for business owners is losing personal contact with their customers.
This drawback can be mitigated by starting a blog, that will further modernize your business.
Free ordering systems
The one clear benefit of the free ordering systems is that you get to use them for free. You need to check if the companies behind your ordering service are letting you use their system in a way that isn’t annoying to your customers. Some companies use ads inside the free ordering system to generate revenue. Don’t forget that customer experience is one of the most important factors in successfully running a business. Spending some money to keep your customers satisfied is a worthy investment.
We already talked about how there is always a chance that a system will go down. If that happens you will lose money as well as credibility.
Neither free access nor a subscription establishes reliability by itself. Evaluate the actual service scope, monitoring, support, backup and recovery responsibilities, and incident process; do not assume that paying guarantees uninterrupted operation.
A current free trial, and what free frontend code does not cover
A concrete evaluation path is the Ordering.co Restaurant and Marketplace plans and trial terms. The current pricing page says no credit card is required and lets teams try the products and features. This is a trial, not a promise of a permanently free hosted restaurant platform. Confirm the applicable trial terms and the ongoing plan before directing real customer traffic to it.
For a small restaurant, use the trial to configure one menu, a required modifier, pickup, and the merchant's order receipt. If you need delivery or QR ordering, test the exact customer-to-store flow as well. An app for staff to take table orders is a separate workflow from customer self-ordering or an administrator entering an order; do not infer a complete waiter/POS product from the word “app.”
The frontend source code is open source and included with every Ordering.co product. That lets engineers adapt the supplied interface; it does not provide a generic free app builder or a free independent backend. The backend and API remain managed by default. Backend source has a separate approved enterprise licensing route. Custom frontend deployment, app-store accounts, release work, and ongoing maintenance still need an owner and a budget.
Before calling an option “free,” separate four questions:
- Is the software subscription permanently free, or is access limited to a trial?
- Who pays for card processing, actual deliveries, and any applicable AI or other usage?
- What hosting, domain, device, app-store, integration, and support costs remain?
- Can you export the records you need and keep operating under the proposed terms after evaluation?
For an illustrative comparison, calculate monthly cost as the applicable fixed subscription plus contracted order/usage charges, processing, delivery, and your team's work. Do not apply a percentage fee to profit unless the agreement explicitly uses that base. A “no platform fee” claim does not remove third-party costs.
If you are seeking a free alternative to GloriaFood, distinguish a perpetual free service from a time-limited trial and from source code you must operate. Use the current pricing and the workflow you have demonstrated, rather than an old “free website” description, to decide what the restaurant can continue using.
Percentage-based and transaction-based ordering systems
A percentage-based ordering service charges against the base defined in its agreement, such as eligible order value. Do not assume that base is the restaurant's profit. Compare the applicable charges with the same order volume, payment mix, and service scope.
Transaction-based ordering systems are similar to percentage-based ones. The minor difference is that they charge a fee on each transaction you make. In the end, they also get more expensive as your company grows.
Changing providers requires a data and operating plan, but it does not inherently require several days without orders. Configure and test the replacement while the existing channel remains available where the setup allows it, then agree a controlled changeover and staff training.
It might be better to start with an ordering system that will continue to be cost effective once your business grows.
Subscription-based ordering systems
A subscription charges a recurring amount for a defined scope. Compare what it includes with any separate usage, processing, delivery, implementation, and support charges instead of assuming that one model is always the best choice.
For Ordering.co, use the current pricing and terms for the restaurant, marketplace, or enterprise scope you need. A software subscription does not remove payment processing, actual delivery, applicable AI or other usage, custom work, or third-party costs. Do not infer an unlimited lifetime cost cap from the subscription model.
Conclusion
There are a lot of benefits that come with online ordering systems and you shouldn’t miss out on them. Implementing such systems makes your life and the lives of your employees much easier, while giving you more opportunities to grow your business.
The few existing disadvantages can easily be mitigated by choosing the right model of ordering system and implementing a few more improvements to how you run your business.
In the end, it is simple and efficient to make your business better by implementing an online ordering system.