After the pandemic, many people enjoyed coffee, snacks, and meals from local cafés. At the same time, ordering food online became super popular.
But here’s a problem.
Many cafés use big delivery apps like GrabFood or Deliveroo to get orders. These apps help, but they also take a big part of the café’s money. Sometimes, cafés don’t even get to talk to their customers.
That’s not fair, right?
Cafés work hard to make tasty food. They should keep more of their earnings.
There’s a smarter way.
Cafés can use their websites to take orders. It’s better, faster, and helps them grow their brand. Customers can still order easily, and cafés can talk directly to them.
Direct-ordering websites for cafes help them save money and give better service, all without needing those big apps.
Read the blog and explore why you should invest in direct ordering websites instead of relying on apps. In the end, you will know the benefits of direct ordering from cafe websites. Let's dive in!
The Pitfalls of Third-Party Apps for Cafes
- High Commission Fees
Third-party apps usually take 25% to 35% of the commission on each order. If a customer buys $20 worth of food, the café only gets around $13. That’s a huge cut, right? Cafés have to pay for ingredients, staff, rent, and other costs. After covering all those costs, there’s little money left to invest in growing the business. For Instance, Singapore’s “Bean & Brew” monthly costs increased by 22% after launching their direct site.
- Loss of Customer Data
When someone orders through the third-party app, the app keeps all the customer’s details. The café doesn’t know who ordered, what they like, or how often they come back. Without insights into repeat buyers or preferences, building loyalty is nearly impossible.
- Generic Branding
Third-party apps use their logos, colours, and designs. All cafés look the same on the app. Customers might not remember the café’s name; they will just remember the app. Generic app branding makes it harder for cafés to stand out and be remembered.
- Dependence on Algorithms
Third-party apps show lots of places at once. Popular cafés might be shown first. Small cafés may be pushed to the bottom of the list. To stay visible, cafés sometimes pay extra, which costs even more money.
- Limited Control
Cafés can't choose how their menu looks or run special offers the way they want. The app controls the layout, pricing rules, and even the timing of deals. This means cafés can’t give the experience they want their customers to have.
Benefits of Direct-Ordering Cafe Websites
Running a café is hard work, and it needs passion, planning, and smart decisions to stand out and succeed. One of the best moves in today's time is having your mobile-first café website that makes online ordering easy and smooth on any phone.
- Lower Operational Costs
Food delivery apps often take 25% to 35% of every sale. If a café makes $10,000 in orders, it could lose up to $3,500 just in fees. A café’s website keeps that money in the business, for better ingredients, staff, or shop upgrades.
- Own Your Customer Relationships
With a direct-ordering site, the café can collect customer info like their names, emails, and favourite orders. This helps them to create strong café brand loyalty strategies, like sending thank-you notes, discounts, or updates on special drinks and cakes. Apps don’t share this info, so cafés miss the chance to build close bonds with customers.
- Strengthen Brand Identity
Your website reflects your café’s personality. Whether it’s warm and cosy or bright and trendy, a website shows your menu, story, and space with beautiful pictures and fonts. Unlike apps that all look alike, your café stands out.
- Flexibility & Control
With your website, you can make changes instantly—no waiting, no approvals. Unlike food apps that limit your options, your website gives you full freedom to adjust prices, highlight seasonal specials, and control exactly how your café appears online. Every decision stays in your hands.
- Integration with Local Tools
Your website can link up with systems like iMenu, queue tools, and local payment apps like PayNow and GrabPay. A website development company can seamlessly integrate these tools to ensure everything runs smoothly from order to kitchen to pickup. This keeps operations efficient and reduces errors during busy hours.
- Data-Driven Decision Making
With your website, you can observe which products sell the most, when orders are at their peak, and what customers prefer the most. That means better planning, less waste, and happier customers.
Key Features of a High-Converting Direct-Ordering Website
Here are the top features that every high-converting direct-ordering website should have:
- Order Tracking & Notifications
Nobody likes waiting and wondering. Real-time updates let customers track the status of their food. It shows them when their food is being prepared, packed, and on the way. This builds trust and keeps them happy, especially during busy times.
- Loyalty Program Integration
People love feeling special! A good website lets cafés offer points, stamps, or discounts after a few orders. It's an effective method for showing appreciation and building stronger customer relationships. You can even send gentle reminders like “You're one coffee away from a free treat!”
- One-Click Reservations
Want to dine in? With a simple booking button, customers can easily save a table in seconds. Link it to a page with your opening hours, menu, and phone number so customers can find what they need without any hassle.
- Happy Customer Buzz
Good reviews are golden! A smart website shows real customer reviews right on the home page. You can also connect your Google My Business page to showcase more reviews and customer photos. This builds trust and helps new customers feel more confident while choosing your café.
Must-Have Website Design Elements
Here are some top design features that help cafés turn visitors into happy customers:
- Emotional Branding Through Micro-Interactions
Small details make a big impact! Add fun touches like steam rising from coffee when you hover over a menu item or a cup icon that wiggles when clicked. Even using a custom-shaped cursor, like a tiny spoon or bean, makes your site feel more like your café. These little moments make the site memorable and give your brand a special personality.
- Personalised Order Recommendations
Make visitors feel welcome! Use AI-powered tools for your cafe website that help you remember their past orders or show what’s popular. A banner might say, “Welcome back, Sarah! Try our new Matcha Latte.” These ideas help people feel special and guide them to try more new things.
- Trust-Building Visual Cues
People want to know if your café is safe and high-quality. Showing “Halal Certified”, “SG Clean”, or hygiene badges clearly near the top. Also, use “live counters” like “14 people ordered Nasi Lemak today!” to create excitement and show that your café is loved.
- Thumb-Friendly Mobile Design
Most customers order on their phones, so the site must work well on small screens. Place big, colourful buttons in the thumb zone—especially for “Order Now.” Use swipeable categories so people can quickly scroll between Breakfast, Lunch, Drinks, and more.
- Seasonal Design Flexibility
Be ready for any holiday! With modular blocks and theme colours, it’s easy to swap in banners like “Hari Raya Treats Are Here!” or “Try Our CNY Specials.” Change your site’s look in minutes to keep it fresh and festive all year.
Conclusion
Cafés have become essential to everyday life, and it has become more than a place to get coffee. After the pandemic, online orders became super popular, but using food apps comes with hidden problems.
Big apps take big cuts.
They charge high fees, control how your café looks online, and keep all the customer information. This makes it hard for cafés to grow, stand out, or build strong customer relationships.
That’s why direct-ordering websites are a smart choice.
With your website, you keep more money, make faster updates, and talk directly to your customers. You can show your café’s true style and give a better experience on phones and computers.
“Even better, you can add helpful features!”
From live order tracking to loyalty rewards, table bookings, and fun design touches make your website more than a menu. It becomes your café’s digital home.
Plus, you stay in control.
Change menus anytime, show festive promos, connect to payment tools like PayNow or GrabPay, and even use AI to recommend drinks and dishes.
