DirectOrders vs ChowNow: Which Is Better for Restaurant

ChowNow's Place in Restaurant Tech

ChowNow deserves credit. They were early advocates for commission-free ordering when DoorDash and Uber Eats dominated with 25-30% takes.

According to Crunchbase, ChowNow has raised over $60M in funding and serves thousands of restaurants. They helped establish that restaurants shouldn't give away a quarter of every order to delivery apps.

But the market has evolved. What was innovative in 2018 is table stakes in 2026. Here's how the platforms compare today.

The Critical Difference: Customer Fees

Let's start with what matters most to your customers.

ChowNow

According to ChowNow's support documentation, ChowNow applies a "Support Local Fee" of 7.5% of the subtotal on orders placed through the ChowNow App or eat.chownow.com.

• A $40 order costs your customer approximately $43

This fee is applied at checkout. Note: Orders placed on your own branded website/app may have different fee structures.

DirectOrders

Zero customer fees. Your menu price is what customers pay.

• No service fee
• No convenience fee
• A $40 order costs exactly $40

Why this matters:

According to Baymard Institute research, 48% of cart abandonment happens due to extra costs revealed at checkout. When customers see unexpected fees, they leave.

With DirectOrders, what they see is what they pay. Higher conversion, happier customers.

Feature Comparison

Based on publicly available information from each platform's website:

Key Differences: DirectOrders offers more ordering channels (15+ including Voice AI, social messaging) and charges zero fees to customers. ChowNow is an established platform with tiered pricing starting lower ($119/mo) but adds transaction fees and customer fees on app orders.

Pricing Breakdown

ChowNow Pricing

According to ChowNow's official pricing page:

• Hub: $119/month (aggregates third-party delivery orders)
• Pro: $199/month (adds email marketing, websites)
• Premier: $298/month (adds dedicated success manager, branded apps)
• Plus 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction (processing fees)
• Setup fees: $119-$499
• $99 annual developer fee for Apple branded apps
• Flex Delivery: $3.99/order (recommended to split 50/50 with customers)
• Support Local Fee: 7.5% charged to customers on ChowNow App orders

Pricing verified January 2026. Contact ChowNow for current rates.

DirectOrders Pricing

• Pro: $249/month (founding rate, normally $449)
• Full omnichannel platform
• Zero transaction fees
• Same-day payouts included

• Pro + Voice: $349/month (founding rate, normally $799)
• Everything in Pro
• AI phone ordering (500 minutes included)
• Additional minutes: $0.15/min

No setup fees. No transaction fees. No revenue share. Month-to-month available.

The Math on Fees

Let's calculate the impact of fees on a restaurant doing $30,000/month in online orders (approx. 750 orders at $40 avg):

With ChowNow Pro (based on published pricing):

• Monthly subscription: $199/month
• Transaction fees (2.95% + $0.29): ~$1,102/month
• Setup fee: $119-$499 (one-time)
• Total monthly cost: ~$1,301/month
• Plus customers pay 7.5% on ChowNow App orders

With DirectOrders Pro:

• Monthly subscription: $249/month
• Transaction fees: $0
• Setup fee: $0
• Total monthly cost: $249/month
• Customers pay zero additional fees

Potential annual savings: ~$12,600 depending on order volume and ChowNow plan tier.

Note: ChowNow's Hub plan starts at $119/mo with the same transaction fees. Actual costs vary based on plan selection and order patterns.

Channel Comparison

Where ChowNow Accepts Orders

1. Branded website

2. Mobile app

3. Google ordering

4. Facebook ordering

Where DirectOrders Accepts Orders

1. Branded website

2. Mobile app

3. Google Business ordering

4. Facebook ordering

5. Instagram DM ordering

6. WhatsApp ordering

7. SMS ordering

8. Voice AI (phone)

9. ChatGPT

10. Perplexity AI

11. Google AI Overviews

12. Apple Business Chat

13. Facebook Messenger

14. QR code ordering

15. Third-party delivery app routing

DirectOrders provides 3x more ordering channels, including the AI and social channels where modern customers discover restaurants.

Voice AI: The Capability Gap

Phone orders still matter. Popmenu research shows 35% of restaurant orders come by phone.

ChowNow

• No AI phone ordering
• Phone calls go to voicemail or staff
• Busy periods = missed calls = lost revenue

DirectOrders

• Voice AI answers every call
• Takes complete orders with modifications
• Handles multiple calls simultaneously
• 94% order accuracy
• 500 minutes included on Pro + Voice

Result: DirectOrders restaurants capture phone orders that ChowNow restaurants miss.

Same-Day Payouts

ChowNow

• Standard payout timing: 2-3 business days
• No same-day option available

DirectOrders

• Same-day payouts included free on all plans
• No percentage fee
• Your money, the day you earn it

According to U.S. Bank research, 82% of business failures cite cash flow issues. Getting paid daily vs. waiting 3 days makes a real difference.

Support Comparison

ChowNow

• Email and chat support
• Phone support on higher tiers
• Extensive knowledge base

DirectOrders

• Email, chat, and phone support on all plans
• Founders personally respond to tickets
• No tiered support - everyone gets the same level

Who ChowNow May Work For

ChowNow may be a good fit if:

• You primarily need website and app ordering
• Transaction fees aren't a major concern for your business
• You value their established market presence
• You want fraud and chargeback protection (they cover this)
• Basic ordering channels meet your needs

Who DirectOrders May Work For

DirectOrders may be a better fit if:

• Zero transaction fees is a priority
• AI features matter to your operation (Voice AI, ChatGPT integration)
• You want 15+ ordering channels including social messaging
• Same-day payouts would help your cash flow
• You prefer no setup fees

Making the Switch

If you're currently on ChowNow, switching to DirectOrders is straightforward:

Week 1:

• Import your menu (we handle this)
• Set up branded website
• Configure payment processing

Week 2:

• Connect additional channels (Instagram, WhatsApp, Voice AI)
• Set up Google Business integration
• Train staff on new dashboard

Week 3:

• Go live with DirectOrders
• Redirect ordering links
• Begin customer migration

We provide migration support at no extra cost.

The Bottom Line

Both platforms help restaurants move away from high-commission delivery apps. ChowNow has been doing this since their founding and has a proven track record.

The key differences come down to:

• Fees: DirectOrders has zero transaction fees; ChowNow charges 2.95% + $0.29 per order
• Channels: DirectOrders offers 15+ channels including Voice AI and social messaging
• Setup: DirectOrders has no setup fees; ChowNow charges $119-$499

The right choice depends on your specific needs, order volume, and which features matter most to your restaurant.

Want to compare the numbers for your restaurant? [Book a DirectOrders demo](https://www.directorders.com/demo) and we'll calculate your potential costs with each platform.