Delivery apps are great at finding you new customers and expensive at keeping them. When a regular orders the same pizza every Friday through Uber Eats, you pay commission on a customer you already earned. Moving those regulars to direct ordering is the cheapest growth most restaurants will ever get.
Here's a seven-step plan, the math to justify it, and how one Vancouver pizza shop did it.
Uber Eats Canada lists delivery commission of 20%, 25% or 30% depending on plan (Uber Eats, as of Oct 2026). DoorDash Canada lists 20%, 25% or 29% (DoorDash Canada, as of Oct 2026). In British Columbia, a provincial cap limits fees on large platforms to 20% of the order before tax and tip (BC government).
A regular spending $40 a week on a 25% plan costs you $10 a week, or $520 a year, for one customer. Twenty regulars is over $10,000 a year. AIOrders' calculator estimates a $30k/month restaurant loses $2,700/month to delivery commissions.
You don't need to leave the apps. You need your regulars to order direct.
It must be as easy as the app: fast on mobile, photos, saved details, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Use commission-free ordering on your own domain. If you're comparing systems, start with commission-free online ordering explained and online ordering system costs.
Many guests use apps for delivery, not the app itself. On-demand delivery services like Uber Direct let you use Uber's drivers on your own orders; Uber lists Direct as "No commissions; tailored pricing is based on distance" (Uber Eats Canada, as of Oct 2026). AIOrders' online ordering includes Uber Direct integration so you "only pay for actual delivery" (aiorders.io).
Every app order is a chance to meet the customer. Put a card in the bag with a QR code: "Order direct next time and get a free garlic bread." Put QR code ordering on tables and the counter for dine-in. AIOrders' stop-losing-money page lists the same tactic: "QR codes, social campaigns, and in-bag inserts move repeat orderers to your direct site" (aiorders.io).
Price your direct menu fairly (many restaurants mark up app menus to cover commission), and add something the apps can't: loyalty points, a birthday reward, or first-order credit.
Check app rules before you change prices. Uber Eats Canada, for example, says its 10% pickup fee requires proof that in-app pickup pricing matches in-store pricing; without it, the pickup fee is 15% (Uber Eats Canada, as of Oct 2026).
Direct orders give you names, emails and order history. Use them: win-back messages for guests who haven't ordered in 30 days, slow-night offers, and review requests after good orders. AIOrders' product page puts it this way: "Third-party platforms own your customer data. With direct ordering, you build lasting relationships and can market to them directly."
Track direct share (direct orders ÷ all online orders), commission paid, repeat rate and Google rating. Aim to grow direct share every month.
Vancouver Pizza Heaven, a pizza takeout shop in Vancouver, BC, is profiled on AIOrders' case-study page (aiorders.io, as of Oct 2026). Everything below is as stated there.
The problem: "Every UberEats and DoorDash order was costing 30% in commission." The shop was "invisible on Google and AI search," first-time buyers didn't return, and slow hours were dead.
What they did: an AI-optimized website, FoodSwipe discovery and food influencers, direct commission-free ordering, an AI customer CRM, autopilot retention and win-back marketing, an automated review engine, catering orders and off-peak offers.
Reported results: - +$91K in additional sales, with zero ads - 500% more Google and AI-search visibility - +40% repeat orders - Google rating up from 4.1 to 4.8 - 0% commission paid on direct orders
The owner's quote: "We didn't change our pizza. We didn't run ads. We just plugged into AIOrders and the orders started flowing."
The lesson isn't any single tool. It's the combination: be findable, make ordering direct easy, and bring people back automatically.
AIOrders bundles direct ordering, Uber Direct delivery, QR ordering, Google listings and retention marketing, with a flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees. Compare it with Uber Eats alternatives, DoorDash alternatives and SkipTheDishes alternatives, or browse the best online ordering system for restaurants.
About AIOrders: a commission-free online ordering and restaurant marketing platform based in Vancouver, BC, serving restaurants in Canada and the USA. Pricing: a flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees, or a lower-cost entry plan with a per-order fee.
Make direct ordering as easy as the app, offer delivery, put your link on Google and in every bag, and give a reason such as loyalty points or a first-order reward.
Usually not. Keep them for discovery and move repeat customers to direct ordering, where you don't pay commission.
Yes. Use your own drivers or an on-demand service such as Uber Direct, which Uber prices by distance with no commission (as of Oct 2026).
Many restaurants set higher app prices to cover commission. Check each app's current terms; some plans have pricing rules.
It varies. AIOrders' Vancouver Pizza Heaven case study reports a 40% boost in repeat orders, but results depend on how consistently you promote direct ordering.