The complete guide
Everything you need to know about setting up online ordering for your restaurant — costs, platforms, QR codes, and how to get started today.
Australian diners have changed. After years of scanning QR codes, ordering from apps, and paying with their phones, customers now expect the option to order digitally — even when they are sitting at your table.
This is not a trend that is going away. According to the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association, over 70% of Australian diners have used a QR code to view a menu or place an order. For restaurants under 50 seats, this shift represents a real opportunity: serve more customers faster, reduce ordering mistakes, and give your staff time to focus on hospitality instead of writing down orders.
The cost of not having online ordering is harder to measure but real. Customers who search for your restaurant and find no way to order online may choose a competitor who does. Younger diners — the 18-35 demographic that makes up the bulk of casual dining spend — actively prefer digital ordering. They are not going to call you.
Many restaurant owners think “online ordering” means signing up to UberEats, Menulog, or DoorDash. These platforms do provide online ordering, but at a significant cost. Here is what the commission structure actually looks like:
| Monthly revenue | UberEats (~30%) | Menulog (~35%) | Direct ordering (2%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $6,000 | $7,000 | $400 |
| $50,000 | $15,000 | $17,500 | $1,000 |
| $100,000 | $30,000 | $35,000 | $2,000 |
At $50,000 per month — a realistic number for a busy independent restaurant — the difference between UberEats and direct ordering is $14,000 per month. That is $168,000 per year.
Beyond the commission, delivery apps create hidden costs that are easy to miss:
Delivery apps have their place — they provide delivery logistics and discovery. But for dine-in and pickup orders, you should not be paying 30% to a middleman when the customer is already at your table. See our detailed breakdown: Windsor Digital vs UberEats.
Not all online ordering platforms are created equal. Here are the five things that matter most for independent restaurants:
You are a restaurant owner, not a web developer. The system should be something you can set up yourself, during a quiet afternoon, without calling anyone. If it takes more than a day to go live, it is probably designed for a larger operation than yours.
There are three common pricing models in restaurant ordering:
For independent restaurants doing $5,000-$20,000 per week, the transaction-based model is almost always the cheapest option. See how Windsor Digital compares to UberEats or how it compares to Bopple.
When a customer orders through UberEats, UberEats owns that relationship. When a customer orders through your own ordering page, you own it. You see their name, their email, their order history. That data is yours — for marketing, for building loyalty, for understanding what your customers actually want.
On a delivery marketplace, you are one of hundreds of restaurants in a list. On your own ordering page, you are the only restaurant. Your name, your logo, your menu — presented the way you want. Customers are ordering from you, not from an app.
Check how payments work. Some platforms hold your money for weeks. Others (like Stripe, which Windsor Digital uses) pay directly to your bank account within 2-3 business days.
Here is the step-by-step process to go from zero to taking your first digital order:
Pick an ordering system that matches your size and budget. For independent restaurants, a transaction-based platform with no monthly fee is the safest starting point — you can try it with zero risk. Compare your options: vs UberEats, vs me&u, vs Bopple.
Enter your menu items, prices, and categories. Some platforms (like Windsor Digital) let you photograph your printed menu and AI reads everything automatically — items, prices, categories, descriptions. This cuts setup time from hours to minutes.
Link your bank account so you can receive payments. Most platforms use Stripe, which takes about 5 minutes to set up and pays you within 2-3 business days.
Configure when customers can order. Set your open and close times for each day, and if you offer scheduled pickup, set your available time slots and how many orders you can handle per slot.
Print QR codes that link to your ordering page. Place one on every table, at the counter, and near the entrance. Customers scan, browse, and order — no app download needed.
Tell your regulars. Mention it when greeting tables. Post on your Instagram or Facebook. The easiest way to get started is to tell the customers who are already in your restaurant that they can now order from their phone.
Costs vary widely. Delivery apps like UberEats charge 25-35% commission. Monthly subscription platforms charge $50-300/month plus transaction fees. Windsor Digital charges 2% per transaction with no monthly fee, making it the lowest-cost option for independent restaurants.
Not with modern platforms. Windsor Digital lets you photograph your printed menu and AI reads every item automatically. You can be live in 10 minutes with no technical knowledge.
Yes. QR code ordering is designed for dine-in — customers scan a code at their table, order from their phone, and the order appears on your dashboard. It works for dine-in, takeaway, and scheduled pickup.
No. With web-based ordering systems like Windsor Digital, customers order from a webpage on their phone. No app download required.
Place QR codes on every table and at the counter. Most customers are already comfortable scanning QR codes. You can also mention it when greeting tables: "You can scan the QR code to order whenever you are ready."
Customers need internet on their phone to place orders, but most use mobile data. If your restaurant WiFi goes down, customers can still order on 4G/5G. Keep paper menus as a backup for the rare case where mobile coverage is poor.
Your own ordering page, your brand, your customers. No monthly fee, no credit card required.
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