How to Replace Foodhub With Direct Online Ordering
Can you replace Foodhub with direct online ordering?
Yes. Most restaurants and takeaways that use Foodhub can build a direct ordering channel that generates comparable or greater order volume — without paying per-order commission. The transition takes planning but is straightforward with the right platform.
Why restaurants leave Foodhub
Foodhub charges commission on every order. For high-volume takeaways, that commission adds up quickly. A restaurant doing £10,000 per month in Foodhub orders at a 10–15% commission rate is paying £1,000–£1,500 per month directly to the platform.
Beyond cost, Foodhub owns the customer relationship. It controls the data, the marketing, and the repeat purchase flow. Restaurants on Foodhub are effectively renting access to their own customers.
When a restaurant moves to direct ordering:
- They keep the commission
- They own the customer data
- They control the marketing and reorder experience
- They build a brand that customers associate directly with them, not with a marketplace
What you need to replace Foodhub
To replace Foodhub, you need three things.
A direct ordering platform. This gives you a branded website and app through which customers can place orders. The Flipdish online ordering platform includes both, with a branded restaurant website and a mobile app under your own brand.
A way to bring customers across. Customers on Foodhub currently find you through the marketplace. You need to redirect that traffic. The main tactics are:
- Print the direct ordering URL on packaging, receipts, and signage
- Offer a discount or loyalty incentive for the first direct order
- Add the direct ordering URL to your Google Business Profile
- Run a social media campaign promoting direct ordering
- Use text or email marketing to existing customers
A marketing system to keep them ordering directly. Getting a customer to order direct once is the easy part. Getting them to come back is where the value compounds. Flipdish AI marketing automates re-engagement campaigns based on order history — sending the right message at the right time without manual effort.
How long does the transition take?
Most restaurants can go live with a direct ordering channel within a few weeks. Menu setup, payment integration, and branding can typically be completed in two to five days once the platform is configured.
The harder part is growing direct order volume. Expect three to six months to build a meaningful base of regular direct customers if you are actively promoting it. Some restaurants move faster if they have a loyal customer base already.
Should you stay on Foodhub during the transition?
Most restaurants leave Foodhub gradually rather than cutting it off immediately. A sensible approach:
- Launch direct ordering
- Promote it actively to existing customers
- Monitor direct order growth weekly
- Reduce reliance on Foodhub as direct volume grows
- Leave Foodhub when direct volume covers the shortfall
Some operators set a target — for example, leaving Foodhub when direct orders reach 60% of current Foodhub volume — and work toward it. Others stay on Foodhub indefinitely but cap their investment in it.
The commission cost calculation
Before deciding, do the maths for your restaurant.
| Monthly Foodhub orders | Average order value | Monthly gross | At 12% commission | Annual commission cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | £25 | £7,500 | £900/month | £10,800 |
| 600 | £22 | £13,200 | £1,584/month | £19,008 |
| 1,000 | £20 | £20,000 | £2,400/month | £28,800 |
A direct ordering platform costs a fraction of that — and the margin improvement on every order goes straight to the bottom line.
What about discovery?
The main objection to leaving Foodhub is discovery: customers find you on Foodhub because they search for food nearby.
This is a real concern for new customers. But:
- Your existing customers already know you — they do not need Foodhub to find you again
- A well-optimised Google Business Profile achieves comparable local discovery for repeat orders
- A branded app gives you a notification channel that Foodhub never provides
Most restaurants find that a significant majority of their Foodhub orders come from repeat customers. Those repeat customers can be converted to direct ordering.
What happens to your menu?
Your menu stays the same. With Flipdish, your menu is managed in one place and published to all your channels — website, app, kiosk, and POS. Changing a price or adding an item takes seconds and applies everywhere.
How Flipdish makes the transition straightforward
Flipdish provides:
- Branded web ordering — live within days
- Branded mobile app — customers download and reorder with a tap
- Restaurant POS — online and in-person orders in one system
- AI marketing — automated campaigns to drive repeat orders
- Customer data ownership — you own the database, not the platform
Restaurants using Flipdish for direct ordering typically see higher average order values than on marketplaces, partly because there is no competing menu from a nearby restaurant distracting the customer during checkout.
A practical migration checklist
Before you go live with direct ordering, work through this list:
- Set up and test your direct ordering channel end-to-end
- Upload your full menu including modifiers and extras
- Configure delivery zones and lead times
- Set up payment processing and test a transaction
- Create your customer-facing launch offer or incentive
- Update your Google Business Profile with the direct ordering link
- Order packaging inserts and receipt stickers with your direct URL
- Brief staff on how to promote direct ordering to collection customers
- Set up an automated re-engagement campaign for first-time direct orderers
What to do next
If you are seriously considering replacing Foodhub, start with the maths. Calculate how much you are paying in commission each year, then compare that against the cost of a direct ordering platform.
Then decide: are you ready to own your customer relationships?
Find out how Flipdish helps restaurants take back direct orders