If you run a restaurant or takeaway in the UK, you're probably handing over 14–32% of every single order to Just Eat, Uber Eats, or Deliveroo. On a £25 order, that's up to £8 going straight to a platform that didn't cook the food, serve it, or build the customer relationship.
The Real Scale of the Problem
Let's do the maths. If your restaurant takes 100 orders per day at an average of £25 each, that's £2,500 in daily revenue. At 25% commission, you're paying £625 every single day — £18,750 per month — just to appear on someone else's platform.
Over a year, that's £225,000 going to delivery platforms instead of into your business. For many restaurants, this is the difference between profit and loss.
Why Restaurants Are Finally Fighting Back
Smart restaurant owners across Lancashire and the wider UK have started implementing direct ordering strategies — and the results have been transformative. The key insight is simple: the customer who orders from you via Just Eat is YOUR customer. They chose your food. They like your restaurant. They just need a convenient way to order directly from you instead.
The Direct Ordering Formula That Works
- Your own branded website with online ordering — customers can order directly without a middleman
- SMS marketing to existing customers — remind them you exist and offer a direct ordering incentive
- 24/7 call answering — capture telephone orders that would otherwise go unanswered
- Loyalty programme — reward customers who order directly with points, discounts, or free items
- Social media promotion — promote your direct ordering link on Instagram and Facebook
Real Results: A Lancashire Restaurant Case Study
One of our clients — an independent restaurant in Lancashire — was paying over 28% commission to delivery platforms and taking 120 orders per week through those apps. Here's what happened after six months with Tech Talk Solution:
- Direct orders increased from 20/week to 95/week
- App-based orders decreased (but total orders increased)
- Commission costs dropped from £2,800/month to under £400/month
- Monthly revenue increased by 44%
- Customer retention rate improved significantly
The SMS Marketing Secret Weapon
The single most effective tool for driving direct orders is SMS marketing. Your existing customers — the ones who've already ordered from you — are your most valuable asset. A well-timed SMS saying "Order directly on our website this week and get a free drink" converts at rates that social media advertising can't match.
SMS messages have a 98% open rate and are typically read within 3 minutes of receipt. At just 4p per message, sending 500 messages costs £20 and can generate hundreds of pounds in direct orders the same day.