How to Replace Foodhub With Direct Online Ordering

Can you replace Foodhub with direct ordering?

Yes. Restaurants that currently rely on Foodhub for delivery and collection orders can build a direct ordering channel that removes the commission cost entirely. The process involves setting up your own ordering website and app, migrating customers to order directly, and running marketing campaigns to shift ordering behaviour over time.

It takes planning, but restaurants that go through it typically find that direct orders become their most profitable channel — because there is no commission deducted from every sale.

Why restaurants are leaving Foodhub

Foodhub positions itself as a lower-commission alternative to Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. For many restaurants, that positioning was appealing. But commission is still commission — and it comes out of every order, every day, indefinitely.

The economics become clearer when you look at annual figures rather than per-order percentages. A restaurant doing modest delivery volumes will pay thousands in annual commissions to Foodhub regardless of how competitive the rate is compared with other marketplaces.

Beyond cost, the other structural problem with marketplaces is that the customer relationship belongs to the platform, not the restaurant. Foodhub owns the customer contact details. Restaurants cannot message past customers directly, cannot run loyalty programmes, and cannot build the kind of direct relationship that creates repeat business on their own terms.

What Foodhub actually costs

Foodhub charges restaurants a commission on every order placed through the platform. The exact rate depends on the deal agreed, but even at the lower end of what marketplace platforms charge, the cumulative cost across a full year is significant.

Beyond the commission itself, consider:

  • Lost customer data. Every customer who orders through Foodhub is, in data terms, Foodhub's customer — not yours. You cannot remarket to them, cannot run loyalty campaigns, and cannot communicate with them outside the platform.
  • Menu dependence. Your menu is displayed within Foodhub's interface and subject to their rules about presentation, promotions and changes.
  • Price pressure. Marketplace customers are comparing your prices against every competitor on the same screen. This creates constant downward pressure on value.
  • No loyalty leverage. There is no mechanism within Foodhub for building customer loyalty to your brand specifically.

What you gain with direct ordering

When a customer orders through your own website or app:

  • You keep the full order value — no commission deducted
  • You own the customer's contact details and order history
  • You can run loyalty programmes, push notifications and targeted promotions
  • Your brand is the only brand the customer interacts with
  • You can build genuine repeat customer relationships

Direct orders are also typically higher in value than marketplace orders, because your website and app can upsell, cross-sell and run promotions that marketplaces do not support.

Step by step: how to replace Foodhub

1. Set up a direct ordering website

Your first step is a branded ordering website — a page under your own domain where customers can place orders directly, without going through any marketplace. This should be mobile-optimised, fast, and set up with your full menu.

Flipdish restaurant websites are built specifically for conversion. They are designed to load quickly on mobile, present menus clearly, and guide customers through checkout without friction. They also integrate directly with your POS so online orders go straight to the kitchen.

2. Launch a branded app

A branded mobile app gives you the most direct connection to your customers. Push notifications mean you can communicate with customers without relying on social media algorithms or email open rates. Customers who download your app tend to order more frequently and spend more per order than marketplace customers.

The app lives on the customer's phone under your brand name. Every time they look at their apps, your restaurant is there.

3. Migrate your customer data

This is where marketplace ordering has always had a structural weakness: Foodhub does not give you customer contact details. Restaurants cannot simply export a customer list and start emailing.

You will need to build your direct customer database from scratch. There are practical ways to do this:

  • In-restaurant signage pointing customers to your website and app
  • Order receipts with a QR code linking to your ordering site
  • Packaging inserts with a clear offer for customers who order directly next time (a discount, a free item, loyalty points)
  • Social media directing followers to order directly rather than through a marketplace
  • Staff training so anyone who takes a counter or phone order encourages the customer to download the app

4. Give customers a reason to switch

Customers order through Foodhub partly out of habit. The way to break that habit is to make direct ordering obviously attractive.

Common approaches:

  • A launch discount for first direct orders (10–15% off, a free side dish)
  • A loyalty scheme where customers earn points on every direct order
  • Exclusive menu items or deals only available on your own platform
  • Slightly lower prices on your own site compared with Foodhub, reflecting the saving you make on commission

Customers who switch once and have a good experience tend to stay switched.

5. Run re-engagement campaigns

Once you have a direct customer base, use it. Send targeted campaigns to:

  • Customers who ordered once but have not returned
  • Customers who have not ordered in 30+ days
  • Customers whose birthdays are approaching
  • Customers who order regularly and are candidates for loyalty upgrades

Platforms like Flipdish AI marketing automate this segmentation and campaign execution, so you do not need a dedicated marketing resource to run effective campaigns.

6. Reduce or close your Foodhub account

Most restaurants do not exit marketplaces overnight. A staged approach is lower-risk:

  1. Run direct ordering alongside Foodhub
  2. Build your direct customer base over several months
  3. Gradually shift more customers to the direct channel through promotions and incentives
  4. Reassess Foodhub when direct ordering volume justifies it

Some restaurants keep a minimal marketplace presence to capture new customers they can then migrate to direct. Others close their marketplace accounts entirely once direct ordering is established. The right choice depends on how much marketplace ordering your restaurant still depends on.

Making direct ordering profitable

The economics of direct ordering improve materially over time. Initial setup costs — platform subscription, app development, launch promotions — are front-loaded. Once established, the per-order economics are significantly better than any marketplace because there is no commission taken.

The profitability calculation also changes when you factor in customer lifetime value. A direct customer who orders regularly for two years is worth far more than the commission saving on a single order. The retention tools available through direct ordering — loyalty programmes, push notifications, personalised campaigns — make it possible to build that long-term customer relationship in a way that is simply not available through any marketplace.

Common concerns

Will customers find me without Foodhub? Yes, if you actively drive them to your direct channel. The restaurants that struggle with this are the ones that set up a website and expect customers to find it without any promotion. The restaurants that succeed are the ones that actively redirect in-restaurant customers, use packaging inserts, and run launch promotions.

How long does it take? Most restaurants see meaningful direct ordering volume within three to six months of a properly executed launch. Full marketplace replacement, if that is the goal, typically takes six to twelve months.

What if my volume drops during the transition? Running direct ordering in parallel with Foodhub during the transition period avoids this risk. You only reduce your Foodhub presence once direct ordering is generating enough volume to absorb it.

How Flipdish helps

Flipdish provides everything a restaurant needs to build a direct ordering channel:

  • A conversion-optimised ordering website under your domain
  • A branded iOS and Android app
  • POS integration so online orders go straight to the kitchen
  • Customer loyalty and CRM tools
  • AI marketing to drive repeat orders from your customer base
  • AI phone ordering to handle phone orders without staff time

Flipdish is used by independent restaurants and major chains across the UK and Ireland. The platform is built around the goal of helping restaurants own their customer relationships rather than renting them from a marketplace.

Learn how Flipdish online ordering works or explore the pricing options to understand the commercial case for making the switch.