For most restaurants, the best path is to build your own online ordering system while also keeping your delivery app profiles active. This dual approach lets you capture direct orders and profit from customers who find you on the apps.

The core issue is commission. Apps typically take 15 to 30 percent of every order. For a restaurant doing steady delivery business, that is a major cost. Your own site keeps that margin. However, the apps provide instant access to a large, ready-to-order audience. The right choice depends on your current volume, your capacity to manage orders, and your long-term goals for customer relationships.

1. The Commission Math Changes Your Margin

Delivery and pickup apps charge a significant fee for their service. A 15 to 30 percent commission directly reduces your profit on every item sold through them. For a high-volume restaurant, this can represent tens of thousands of dollars per year.

When a customer orders directly from you, you keep the full amount minus your standard payment processing fees, which are much lower. This is not just about saving money on one order. It is about building a customer list you own, which allows for repeat business without paying the platform fee again. The cost of building your own ordering system, like our Storefront package at $2,000, should be compared against one to two years of these commission fees.

COST DRIVER: The main cost for your own ordering site is the initial build. Ongoing costs include hosting, payment processing fees, and any maintenance. You can see our fixed prices for builds and monthly services on our /pricing page.

2. What You Gain by Owning the Order Flow

Owning the customer relationship is the primary advantage of your own site. On a delivery app, the customer belongs to the app. You have limited ability to market to them again, thank them, or offer a direct incentive for their next visit.

Your own website puts you in control. You can collect email addresses or phone numbers (with permission) for a newsletter. You can offer a loyalty program. You can highlight your story, your chefs, or your sourcing in a way apps do not allow. This is especially valuable for Korean American restaurants where authenticity, family recipes, and community connection are key selling points. A bilingual site, with English and Korean on separate URLs built for search engines, helps you reach both your local community and a wider audience.

3. When Staying on the Apps Is the Right Call

Building your own system is not the first step for every restaurant. If you are new, have very low delivery volume, or lack the staff to manage an additional order channel, starting with the apps alone is a valid strategy. They handle marketing, payment, and customer service, which can be a relief for a small team.

The apps also serve as effective advertising. They are where many people go to discover new restaurants. For this reason, even restaurants with robust direct ordering often maintain polished profiles on major apps. They treat the app commission as a customer acquisition cost, then use their packaging and website to convert those one-time app users into direct regulars.

4. The Technical Path to Your Own Ordering Site

Adding online ordering to your restaurant's website requires specific functionality. It needs a menu that updates easily, a shopping cart, secure payment processing, and a clear system for notifying your kitchen of new orders.

We build this with our Storefront package ($2,000). It includes a fully functional online store in both English and Korean from day one. The site is hand-built to be fast and accessible, passing a WCAG 2.1 AA check before launch. You own all the code and the hosting account. There are no ongoing platform fees beyond standard payment processing and our optional monthly services, like Blog management at $150 per month to help attract customers.

PORTFOLIO: We have built sites for Korean American restaurants, cafes, and food businesses. You can see examples of this work, though not specific client names or invented stories, on our /case-studies page.

5. Making the Decision for Your Business

Start by looking at your last six months of statements from delivery apps. Calculate the total commission fees paid. If that number is close to or greater than the cost of building your own site, it is a strong financial signal to invest.

Next, assess your operations. Can your kitchen handle orders from another source? Do you have someone who can manage the website backend? If not, you may decide to wait, or to start with a simpler Landmark site ($599) that establishes your bilingual presence and directs phone calls, while you plan for ordering later.

The goal is not to abandon apps immediately, but to start building a direct channel that grows in importance over time. This balances short-term reach with long-term profitability and independence.

6. Next Steps if You Are Considering a Change

If the math makes sense and you are ready to explore, the first step is an objective review of your current digital presence. We offer a free website audit that looks at your site and app profiles, noting where you are visible and where opportunities are missed.

For restaurants, visibility in local search is critical. Our Local SEO service ($100/month, month-to-month) manages your Google Business Profile and other local listings in both languages, helping customers find you whether they search in English or Korean. This supports both your app profiles and your own website.

The decision to take online orders is a business one, not just a technical one. By understanding the costs and benefits of each platform, you can choose a path that builds your brand and keeps more of your hard-earned revenue.