With dozens of order management systems on the market, selecting the right one for your restaurant can feel overwhelming. Each vendor promises efficiency gains and revenue growth, but the actual fit depends on your specific operations, order volume, and growth plans.
This guide provides a practical framework for evaluating order management system options. Rather than recommending specific products, we’ll walk through the criteria that matter most and the questions that reveal whether a platform will actually work for your business.
Before comparing platforms, get clear on what problems you’re trying to solve. The most common issues restaurants face include:
High third-party delivery fees: Platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub charge 15-30% commission per order. A restaurant doing $15,000 monthly through these apps loses $2,250-$4,500 in fees.
Missed phone orders: During peak hours, busy phone lines mean lost sales. Industry estimates suggest restaurants miss 20-30% of calls during rushes.
Order errors: Manual transcription from phone calls to kitchen tickets introduces mistakes that lead to remakes, refunds, and unhappy customers.
Language barriers: In diverse communities, inability to take orders in customers’ preferred languages costs business.
Fragmented operations: Managing separate systems for online orders, phone orders, and in-store transactions creates confusion and inefficiency.
Rank these by financial impact. If commission fees are your biggest drain, prioritize platforms with strong direct ordering capabilities. If missed calls are the main issue, focus on solutions with AI phone answering or high-capacity call handling.
Not every restaurant needs every feature. Categorizing capabilities helps focus your evaluation.
These are non-negotiable for any functional order management system:
Unified order dashboard showing all channels in one view. Automatic routing to kitchen printers or display systems. Integrated payment processing. Customer database with order history. Basic sales reporting and analytics.
These significantly impact revenue or efficiency for most restaurants:
AI-powered phone ordering that handles calls automatically in multiple languages. Commission-free delivery integration (flat-fee services like Uber Direct rather than percentage-based platforms). Branded mobile apps that build direct customer relationships. Self-service kiosk support for in-store ordering. Push notification and marketing tools for customer retention.
Research from Nation’s Restaurant News technology benchmarking study found that restaurants with branded mobile apps see 3x higher customer retention rates and 67% more repeat orders compared to those relying solely on third-party platforms for digital ordering.
These matter depending on your specific circumstances:
Multi-location management (relevant only for groups or franchises). Inventory integration (useful for high-volume operations with waste concerns). Catering and large-order management (important if catering is a significant revenue stream). Loyalty program tools (valuable for building repeat business in competitive markets).
Comparing OMS pricing requires looking beyond the headline monthly fee.
Flat subscription models typically range from $89-$200 per month for full-featured platforms. Per-transaction models charge 2-5% of order valueโcalculate what this means at your actual volume. A restaurant processing $30,000 monthly through a system charging 3% pays $900/month, far more than most subscription plans.
The Small Business Administration’s cost analysis framework recommends evaluating total cost of ownership over 3-5 years rather than focusing solely on monthly fees, as hidden costs and scalability limitations often surface after the first year of implementation.
Setup and configuration fees range from $0 (some vendors waive these) to $1,500+ for complex implementations. Hardware costs include kiosks ($1,400-$2,000 each), tablets ($300-$600), and kitchen printers ($200-$400). Some vendors subsidize hardware for customers signing longer contracts.
Payment processing markups beyond standard rates. Per-feature charges for capabilities like AI ordering or delivery integration. Fees for additional locations or user accounts. Charges for customer support beyond basic email. Early termination penalties if you need to switch providers.
These questions reveal important details that marketing materials often obscure:
“What is my total monthly cost at [X] order volume?” Get specific numbers in writing, including all fees.
“Who owns customer data collected through your platform?” The answer should unambiguously be “you do.” Any hesitation is a red flag.
“What is your customer churn rate?” This reveals satisfaction better than testimonials. Strong platforms maintain annual churn below 5%.
“How long does typical implementation take?” Modern cloud platforms should be operational within days, not weeks.
“What integrations are included versus extra cost?” Verify compatibility with your POS, payment processor, and any delivery services you use.
“What support is available and when?” Weekend and evening availability matters for restaurants. Email-only support is often insufficient.
“What are the contract terms and exit provisions?” Month-to-month availability and reasonable termination terms indicate vendor confidence in their product.
These warning signs often indicate a poor fit:
Long-term contracts required: Multi-year commitments with substantial cancellation penalties suggest the vendor knows customers might want to leave.
Percentage fees on direct orders: If you’re paying for an OMS to escape third-party commissions, you shouldn’t pay commissions to the OMS on those same orders.
Vague or complex pricing: Inability to get clear cost projections usually means unexpected charges later.
Limited language support: For restaurants in diverse markets, English-only systems forfeit significant revenue.
Proprietary ecosystem lock-in: Systems that only work with the vendor’s hardware or don’t integrate with common platforms create future headaches.
Start with quantifiable savings: multiply monthly third-party delivery fees by the percentage you could shift to direct orders. Add estimated value of recovered missed calls (track unanswered calls during peak hours and multiply by average order value). Factor in the documented 10-30% higher average order value typical of digital ordering. Subtract the OMS monthly cost. Most restaurants see positive ROI within the first month.
For a comprehensive ROI calculation methodology, the Restaurant Technology Network’s ROI calculator provides industry-standard benchmarks showing that restaurants typically recover their OMS investment within 3-6 months through commission savings and increased order volume.
Restaurant-specific platforms typically offer better kitchen integration, menu management, and industry-relevant features out of the box. General e-commerce order management systems may require significant customization to work well in food service environments. Unless you have unusual requirements, purpose-built restaurant platforms usually provide faster implementation and better fit.
Many vendors offer trial periods or pilot programs. A two to four week trial with actual order volume provides much better evaluation data than demos alone. Ask about trial terms, including whether setup fees are refundable if you don’t proceed.
Cloud-based systems run on vendor servers and access via internet connection. They offer lower upfront costs, automatic updates, and accessibility from anywhere. On-premise systems install locally on your hardware, providing more control but requiring IT management. For most restaurants, cloud-based platforms offer better economics and less operational burden.
According to Gartner’s research on cloud adoption in hospitality, cloud-based restaurant management systems now represent 78% of new deployments, driven by lower total cost of ownership, automatic security updates, and the ability to access data across multiple locations.
Importance depends on your call volume and staffing. Restaurants receiving significant phone orders during peak hours benefit substantiallyโAI systems handle unlimited simultaneous calls, never put customers on hold, and don’t make transcription errors. For restaurants where phone orders are minimal or off-peak staff can easily handle calls, it’s a lower priority feature.
The right order management system balances capabilities with cost, addresses your specific operational pain points, and scales with your business. Focus your evaluation on vendors who offer transparent pricing, flexible terms, and proven results in restaurants similar to yours.
MyShop Technologies has built its order management platform specifically for independent restaurants competing against chains with larger technology budgets. The platform combines AI phone ordering in six languages, branded digital ordering channels, self-service kiosks, and commission-free deliveryโall for a flat $89/month starting price. With over 1,000 locations served, a 1% churn rate, and onboarding that takes minutes rather than weeks, MyShop demonstrates what restaurant-focused OMS design looks like in practice. Visit myshoptechnologies.com to explore the platform.
