Why Australian Restaurants Are Ditching Third-Party Ordering Platforms

The numbers tell a stark story. Australian restaurants operate on razor-thin margins — typically 3-5% net profit. Yet the dominant third-party ordering platforms charge 25-35% commission on every order. Something has to give.

The Commission Problem

Let's break down the maths on a typical $50 food order through a third-party platform:

That's right — many restaurants break even or lose money on every third-party order. The platform takes a bigger cut than the restaurant's entire profit margin.

Why Restaurants Signed Up Anyway

Despite the economics, restaurants joined these platforms for understandable reasons:

1. Visibility — platforms drive discovery and new customers
2. Convenience — no need to build ordering technology
3. Delivery logistics — platforms handle drivers and routing
4. Pandemic necessity — during COVID lockdowns, it was the only option

But as the market has matured, restaurants are realising that the trade-offs aren't working in their favour.

The Hidden Costs Beyond Commission

Commission is just the start. Third-party platforms create other problems:

Loss of Customer Data

When a customer orders through a platform, the platform owns that relationship. The restaurant often doesn't even get the customer's email address. That means no loyalty programs, no direct marketing, no repeat business that isn't filtered through the platform.

Brand Dilution

Your restaurant's menu sits next to hundreds of competitors in an endless scroll. Your brand identity — the thing that makes your venue special — gets reduced to a thumbnail and a star rating.

Menu Inflation

To offset commissions, many restaurants increase prices on third-party platforms by 15-30%. Customers notice, and it erodes trust.

Operational Disruption

Third-party tablets interrupting kitchen flow, orders printing on separate systems, driver wait times creating congestion — it all adds up to operational friction.

The Direct Ordering Alternative

UniOrder takes a different approach: give restaurants their own branded ordering system with zero commission fees.

How It Works

1. Your brand — customers see your menu, your branding, your restaurant
2. QR code ordering — dine-in customers scan a QR code at the table
3. Online ordering — takeaway and delivery through your own website
4. Kitchen display — orders flow directly to a kitchen display system
5. Zero commission — flat monthly fee, no per-order charges

The Numbers With Direct Ordering

The same $50 order through UniOrder:

That's $15 profit per order instead of $0. Over hundreds of orders per week, the difference is transformative.

What About Discovery?

The most common pushback is: "But how will customers find us?"

It's a fair question. Here's what we've seen work:

• QR codes in-venue — convert dine-in customers to repeat online customers
• Google Business Profile — link your ordering page directly
• Social media — Instagram and Facebook drive significant food orders
• Local SEO — your own ordering page ranks for your restaurant name
• Word of mouth — the most powerful marketing in hospitality hasn't changed

The reality is that most third-party platform orders come from existing customers who already know the restaurant. You're paying 30% commission for customers who would have ordered directly if given the option.

Making the Switch

Transitioning doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Many restaurants start by:

1. Adding QR code ordering for dine-in (captures customers already in the venue)
2. Adding a direct ordering link to their website and social media
3. Gradually reducing reliance on third-party platforms as direct orders grow

UniOrder integrates with existing POS systems, so there's no need to overhaul your kitchen operations.

The Bottom Line

Third-party ordering platforms served a purpose, especially during the pandemic. But for restaurants looking to build sustainable, profitable businesses, the commission model doesn't work.

Direct ordering puts restaurants back in control — of their margins, their customer relationships, and their brand.

Learn more about UniOrder | Visit UniOrder