Food delivery apps like DoorDash, Grubhub, UberEats, and Postmates have become a double-edged sword for many restaurant owners. On one hand, they provide exposure to new customers and handle delivery logistics. But on the other, they claim huge commissions that eat into profits.
If you feel it’s time to cut ties with delivery apps, this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step. But before taking that leap, we’ll cover why you may want to hold off. Then we’ll look at the three key steps to successfully shift your online ordering to an in-house solution.
The Power and Pitfalls of Food Delivery Apps
It’s no secret that food delivery apps are money magnets, reeling in almost a third of each online order. As delivery increasingly becomes the norm, these services hold the key to new customer acquisition.
According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2023 State of the Industry Report, 60% of full-service operators say online ordering and delivery now represents a bigger chunk of revenue compared to pre-pandemic. Over 90% of major chain restaurants plan to continue offering delivery options moving forward.
When used strategically, delivery apps can drive exposure, online sales, and new loyalty. But their steep fees damage bottom lines, especially for independent restaurants already hit hard by recent challenges.
This dilemma leaves many restaurants wrestling with how, when, or if to break free of delivery app dependence. Cutting them off too soon sacrifices digital visibility and new customers. But keeping them too long slowly bleeds profits.
The solution lies in the middle ground. Savvy owners are using delivery apps tactically while shifting online orders to their own commission-free platforms. They are cementing digital relationships with guests to control their own online ecosystem.
When the time is right to delete delivery apps for good, this transition makes the process painless. But getting there takes forethought and graduated steps.
3 Steps to Successfully Remove Delivery Apps
Taking ownership of your online ordering presence allows you to end reliance on delivery apps when the time is right. Follow these three key steps for a smooth transition:
- Implement a No-Commission Online Ordering System Like Tapless Menu
The first step is having your own digital ordering channel so you avoid delivery app commissions. Tapless Menu offers integrated online ordering at an affordable monthly cost of just $19.99.
Choose a solution that:
- Has a built-in online ordering system
- Has optimized menu and order management features
- Lets you brand the ordering experience
- Provides detailed analytics on sales and customers
- Accepts payments through major gateways like Stripe
- Has flexible order pacing and visibility tools
- Enables loyalty program integration
- Offers QR code tableside ordering
- Has transparent delivery add-on pricing
With the right setup, you can offer a polished ordering experience and retain each online dollar.
- Direct Customers to Order Through Tapless Menu
Once your system is in place, you need guests to use it. Make ordering directly from you just as easy and compelling as delivery apps.
- Create a QR code linking to your ordering page and include it on all packaging and marketing
- Train staff to encourage direct ordering and educate guests on app fees
- Offer perks for ordering directly, like discounts or loyalty points
- List your restaurant on Google Maps and link to ordering
- Promote direct ordering through email, social media, and other channels
Convincing customers to switch takes persistence, but reducing app orders steadily gives you more control.
- Expand Your Digital Following
Before cutting delivery apps completely, be sure your online presence can capture new customers. If your restaurant is new or you just built your online ordering, keep the apps to gain digital visibility.
- Grow your email list and send promotions driving ordering
- Build an Instagram following through mouthwatering food photos
- Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile for local SEO
- Advertise your online ordering to nearby residents
- Track online analytics to see where you need improvement
Once you have strong digital engagement, you won’t need delivery apps to find customers.
Knowing When to Pull the Plug on Delivery Apps
App orders declining? Online revenue steady without them? Check that these factors are true before deleting for good:
- You’ve run online ordering for over 6 months
- Your restaurant has been established for 1+ year
- Less than 20% of digital orders come via delivery apps
- Your POS system provides needed online features
- Direct online marketing channels are performing well
If you meet these criteria, you likely have the digital presence and customer base to thrive without dependence on delivery apps.
How to Remove Your Restaurant From Each App
Ready to break it off? Here’s how to get off the major food delivery platforms for good:
DoorDash Fill out DoorDash’s Contact Customer Support form:
- Select “Account Support” as the category
- Choose “Close Store” as the subcategory
- Explain you want to be removed from DoorDash
- If you have a provided tablet, note you need to return it and will do so within 7 days
You should receive a shipping label via email to return the tablet free of charge. Expect deactivation within 48 hours.
Uber Eats Call Uber Eats at (866) 987-3742 and request removal. Or, fill out their partner removal request form:
- Select the button to be removed
- Provide your details like name, restaurant name, contact info
- Verify your identity when they send a confirmation email
A support rep will then contact you to complete the offboarding process.
Grubhub Reach out to your Grubhub account advisor directly and inform them you wish to be removed from the platform.
Alternatively, you can request removal through their restaurant care team in your Grubhub portal. They will handle disconnecting your account.
Postmates Postmates does not have a publicized way to remove your business. You’ll need to call their merchant support line at (800) 882-6106 and speak to a representative about dissolving the partnership.
The Future is Your Own Digital Ecosystem
While delivery apps provide exposure, their high fees can reduce profits over time. Savvy owners are using them tactically while shifting customers to their own online ordering platforms.
With the right online ordering system, you can offer a branded, commission-free ordering experience that keeps revenue in-house. Combine this with proactive digital marketing and relationship building, and you’ll develop a loyal customer base that orders directly.
Once you control your own online ecosystem, you can delete delivery apps knowing your restaurant has the tools and audience needed to thrive digitally. It simply takes the right strategy and graduated steps to make the transition with success.
All-in-One QR Menus, Orders, & Delivery System:
Provides a simple solution for customers to place orders by scanning a QR code, suitable for dine-in, online, or take-out orders. Aims to enhance the customer experience without any commissions or fees. Offers instant menu updates, no need for a mobile app, and includes analytics features to help businesses increase revenue.
Business Management Features: Allows management of multiple stores and online orders with ease. Offers advanced analytics for tracking business performance and streamlined transactions for simplified ordering and secure online payments. Enhances user experience for both business owners and customers.
How It Works: Businesses can create their menu, print the QR code, and display it for customers to scan and view the menu, place orders, and make payments directly at the table, promoting a touchless, efficient service.
Touchless QR Code Menus: Enables the creation of branded QR code menus quickly and without the need for design skills. Eliminates the need for menu printing, reducing expenses, and allows for easy and instant updates to the menu. Offers the ability to add images and descriptions to menus, link tables to specific menus, and feature seasonal menus.
Customization and Branding: Provides tools for creating customizable stores, menus, categories, and items. Allows adding extra features to each item, setting up store details, operational hours, and integrating social media links. Ensures enhanced visuals and security with options for images, password protection, and custom CSS.
Ordering & Online Payments: Supports accepting orders directly through QR code menus and integrates with popular payment gateways. Manages online and on-premise orders from a central platform and offers contactless delivery options.
Powerful Analytics: Provides insights into menu performance, referral sources, user data based on country, device, browser, and operating system. Delivers analytic reports via email.
Online Ordering System: Streamlines the ordering process for delivery and takeout across all restaurant locations. Manages online orders seamlessly and offers both delivery and takeout options. Enhances customer satisfaction with a streamlined ordering process.
Empowerment of Managers: Offers customizable team permissions, allowing managers to update and modify menus as needed. Enables swift adaptations to menus for daily specials or seasonal changes without long approval chains.
Get a Commission-Free Online Ordering Platform like Tapless Menu
As we’ve covered, implementing your own online ordering system is the vital first step in reducing dependence on delivery apps. An affordable and seamless solution is Tapless Menu.
Tapless Menu offers restaurants a robust QR code ordering platform for just $19.99 per month, with no hidden fees or per-order commissions. Everything you need for contactless ordering, online menus, and management features comes in one package.
With Tapless Menu, you can:
- Instantly generate a QR code for touchless tableside ordering
- Create digital menus that update in real time
- Accept payments directly through the Tapless Menu app
- Track critical sales and customer analytics
- Manage unlimited locations from one dashboard
- Customize menus, hours, and business information
- Enable online ordering, pickup orders and delivery options
The beauty lies in the simplicity. Tapless Menu is designed for easy setup without complex hardware or coding. Menus can be built out and QR codes generated in minutes. Customers simply scan your code, browse the menu, order, and pay seamlessly from their phone.
This allows you to own the entire ordering process while providing guests a streamlined experience. There are no middlemen taking commissions or controlling your brand presence.
With Tapless Menu, you keep service fees typically claimed by delivery apps. The affordable $19.99 monthly cost means you start saving on every online order. As your business grows, you can upgrade seamlessly while still paying simple flat monthly rates. Tapless Menu scales with you, ensuring you always retain control of your online ecosystem. Advanced analytics provide data-driven insights to optimize your menu and promotions.
Conclusion
Delivery apps provide valuable exposure but at the cost of profits. Using them tactically while shifting online orders to your restaurant’s own platform is key. Solutions like Tapless Menu make building your own branded digital experience easy and affordable.
With an in-house online ordering system, you can take back control of your online customer relationships, data, and profit. When the time comes to cut delivery apps, the transition will be seamless as your restaurant is equipped to thrive digitally on its own terms.