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Online ordering review

ChowNow

A direct ordering platform with an SEO website, branded app, loyalty and automated email on every plan, and 20+ POS integrations. Launch costs $249 a month month to month, with no commission on orders from your website, app and ChowNow's marketplace, 2.95% + 29¢ card processing per order and a $499 setup fee per its agreement. Orders from its Discovery Network (Google, Apple Maps, Yelp and others) carry a 15.5% marketing fee, unless you turn on Profit Protector, which raises your menu prices on those channels.

By ChowNowParent company: ChowNow, Inc. (private company)

RTC SCORE

7.9

#3 of 21 with enough data

Our verdict

ChowNow suits a restaurant that wants published plans and processing, no commission on its own website and app orders, marketing tools and many POS integrations. Our 12-month cost for the reference restaurant uses its published plan, processing and setup, and leaves out the 15.5% fee on Discovery Network orders, which depends on how many orders come through those channels. Check the setup fee and the service charge on your order form and read the plan's Service Terms before signing, since cancelling takes 30 days and nothing is refunded.

What we like

  • No commission on orders from your website, app or ChowNow's marketplace, and card processing is published: 2.95% + 29¢ per order.
  • Every plan includes an SEO website, branded app, loyalty and automated email, with 24/7 support by phone, chat and text.
  • Integrates with 20+ POS systems, including Toast, Square, Clover, Shift4 POS and Lightspeed.
  • ChowNow takes on consumer chargebacks, the agreement makes order data jointly owned, and you can export your customer list.

What to watch

  • Orders from its Discovery Network (Google, Apple Maps, Yelp and others) carry a 15.5% marketing fee, or higher menu prices for your customers if you turn on Profit Protector.
  • The agreement sets a $499 setup fee for every plan, while the pricing page shows a lower range without saying which plan pays less.
  • Your customers pay a $0.99 service charge on website and app orders unless you opt out in writing, per the agreement; the help center describes it as a setting you turn on.
  • Cancelling takes a form or a call and 30 more days of charges; on an annual plan billed monthly the rest of the year is due, and fees aren't refunded.
  • The Service Terms of each plan, which can add a cancellation fee, aren't public.
  • Delivery app orders in one place and text marketing start at the Grow plan ($349 a month).

How the score breaks down

RTC Score7.9out of 10

Methodology v0.1.0

Data completeness100%

We could verify 100% of the scoring data

Strongest points
12-month cost of the reference restaurant, Contract term, Direct POS integrations
Weakest point
12-month cost of the reference restaurant

Score by criterion

  • 12-month cost of the reference restaurantWeight 29%StrongestWeakest6.6 out of 10

    $9,127 over 12 months

  • Contract termWeight 7%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Direct POS integrationsWeight 6%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • 24/7 supportWeight 6%10.0 out of 10
  • Your customers' dataWeight 5%10.0 out of 10
  • Product statusWeight 5%10.0 out of 10
  • Fee charged to your customersWeight 4%5.0 out of 10
  • Delivery app orders in the same placeWeight 4%6.0 out of 10
  • Support channelsWeight 4%10.0 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Cancellation feeWeight 3%3.0 out of 10
  • Refund when you cancelWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Website with your own domainWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Brings you new customersWeight 3%8.0 out of 10
  • Handles fraud and chargebacksWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Notice to cancelWeight 2%6.7 out of 10
  • App with your brandWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Loyalty and email or text marketingWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Works without the vendor's own POSWeight 2%10.0 out of 10

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Type of platform
Data pointValue
Type of productDirect ordering platformSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Requires the vendor's own POSNoSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Product statusActiveSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Private company in Culver City, California, selling its current plans. It bought Cuboh (now its Hub product) in 2024; no end of life or sale of ChowNow announced.
What the restaurant pays
Data pointValue
Monthly fee$249/moSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Launch billed monthly. On an annual plan it's $229 a month; Grow is $349 ($319) and Elevate $449 ($409).
Published pricingPublishedSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Plans, card processing and add-ons are published. The Service Terms of each plan aren't.
Commission on app delivery ordersN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Commission on app pickup ordersN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Commission when your own drivers deliver app ordersN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Commission on your own online orders0%Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)0% on orders from your website, your app and ChowNow's marketplace. Its Discovery Network (Google, Apple Maps, Yelp and 6+ more sites), included in every plan, runs on the Order Better Network: those orders carry the agreement's 15.5% marketing fee, unless you turn on Profit Protector, which raises your menu prices on those channels so your customers cover it. ChowNow says you can opt out channel by channel by email.
Fixed fee per order$0 per orderSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)No fixed fee per order to the restaurant besides card processing. The $0.99 service charge on website and app orders is paid by your customer: the agreement charges it unless you opt out in writing, while the help center describes it as a setting you turn on.
Card processing on online orders (%)2.95%Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)2.9% + 30¢ instead when the payment goes through a third-party POS integration (such as Square or Toast).
Card processing per order (¢)29¢Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Card processing included in the commissionNoSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Setup fee$499 one-timeSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)The agreement sets $499 for every current plan. The pricing page shows "$119 – $499" without saying which plan pays less; your order form sets the final amount.
Tablet or hardwareRented from the vendorSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)The tablet is leased at a price ChowNow doesn't publish; a printer costs $250 to $420. Orders can go into your POS instead. Leased equipment must be returned within 30 days of leaving or ChowNow charges its full cost.
Order limit of the planNo order limitSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Fee per order over the limitN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: plans have no order limit.
Other feesApple developer account for your app: $99 a year. Printer: $250 to $420. ChowNow Flex delivery: $7.98 per order, split with your customer as you choose. Marketing fee of 15.5% on orders from the Discovery Network (Order Better Network) unless Profit Protector raises your menu prices on those channels. Your customers pay the $0.99 service charge on website and app orders (on unless you opt out, per the agreement; a setting you turn on, per the help center) and, on ChowNow marketplace orders, a 7.5% Support Local Fee.Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
What your customer pays
Data pointValue
Fee charged to your customersThe platform may charge a variable feeSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)The agreement lets ChowNow charge your customers a variable "Support Local Fee" on every order through its platform. Today its help center applies 7.5% only on orders in the ChowNow app or eat.chownow.com. On your website and app there is a $0.99 service charge split 50/50 with you: the agreement charges it unless you opt out in writing, while the help center describes it as a setting you turn on. With Profit Protector on, your menu prices are higher on Discovery Network channels.
What your customers payA 7.5% Support Local Fee on orders placed in the ChowNow app or eat.chownow.com. On your own website and app, a $0.99 service charge (half goes to you): on unless you opt out in writing per the agreement, a setting you turn on per the help center. Higher menu prices on Discovery Network channels if you turn on Profit Protector. The delivery fee, minus any part you cover.Source: ChowNow Restaurant Support (opens in a new tab)
Who pays for deliveryThe restaurant chooses: customer, restaurant or splitSource: ChowNow Restaurant Support (opens in a new tab)
Delivery cost per order$7.98 per deliverySource: ChowNow Restaurant Support (opens in a new tab)ChowNow Flex, up to 8 miles. ChowNow suggests charging your customer $3.99 and covering the rest.
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Contract termMonth to monthSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)On the monthly plan (the prices above), month to month. An annual plan lowers the monthly price and renews for another year.
Automatic renewal1 monthSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Renews for the same term as the plan: a month on the monthly plan, a year on an annual one.
Notice to avoid renewal30 daysSource: ChowNow Restaurant Support (opens in a new tab)
Notice to cancel30 daysSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)To cancel you fill out a form or have a call with your Restaurant Success Manager; you pay the last 30 days of service.
Cancellation feeNo published cancellation fee on the monthly plan: you pay the last 30 days. On an annual plan billed monthly, the unpaid balance of the year is due at once; prepaid plans aren't refunded. The Service Terms of each plan may add a cancellation fee that ChowNow doesn't publish (§4.2).Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
How the cancellation fee worksOther (see the clause)Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Monthly plan: 30 more days of charges. Annual plan billed monthly: the unpaid balance of the year is due at once. The Service Terms of each plan may add a cancellation fee that ChowNow doesn't publish (§4.2).
Refund when you cancelNo refundsSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Prepaid annual plans aren't prorated either. Hardware returned in working condition within 30 days of shipment cancels the service with no fees.
Right to raise pricesChowNow may change any of its fees on written notice, including through your dashboard, effective 30 days later.Source: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Your customers and marketing
Data pointValue
Your customers' dataExport, plus a built-in CRMSource: ChowNow Restaurant Support (opens in a new tab)Names, emails and spending, in the dashboard's Customer Spending report; email marketing is built in.
Who owns the customer data (per the terms)Shared with the platformSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Order data is jointly owned. ChowNow owns the data collected through its platform outside your orders, and the order data of third-party partners.
Website with your own domainIncludedSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
App with your brandIncludedSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Publishing it needs an Apple developer account ($99 a year).
Loyalty and email or text marketingIncludedSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Launch includes loyalty and automated email (500 contacts). Text marketing and one-off campaigns start at Grow ($349 a month).
Brings you new customersIts own discovery networkSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)ChowNow's own marketplace app plus ordering on Google, Apple Maps, Yelp and other sites. Discovery Network orders carry a 15.5% marketing fee unless Profit Protector raises your menu prices there.
Operations and integrations
Data pointValue
Direct POS integrationsToast, Square, Clover, Shift4 POS, Lightspeed, OthersSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)ChowNow lists 20+ POS integrations, among them Toast, Square, Clover, Shift4 POS and Lightspeed (K-Series).
Delivery app orders in the same placePaid add-onSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub orders in one place come with the Grow plan ($349 a month) and up.
Delivery for your direct ordersDoorDash Drive, Uber DirectSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)ChowNow Flex sends your delivery orders to DoorDash or Uber drivers at $7.98 each.
Handles fraud and chargebacksYesSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Except chargebacks from fraud by the restaurant or by its own employees or owners.
Reach of the delivery apps
Data pointValue
Share of US delivery spendingN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Subscription for your customersN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Minimum orders guaranteeN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Publishes its fee caps by cityN/ASource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: it isn't a delivery app.
Support
Data pointValue
24/7 support for restaurantsYesSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)
Support channelsPhone, Chat, Text message, Email or formSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)Call or text 888-707-2469; chat; and email.
Language
Data pointValue
Ordering page in Spanish for your customersNot in SpanishSource: Apple App Store (opens in a new tab)ChowNow's diner app is listed in English only, and none of its restaurant help articles covers other languages.
Restaurant dashboard in SpanishNoSource: Apple App Store (opens in a new tab)The Business Manager app for restaurants is listed in English only.
Support in SpanishUnconfirmedSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)ChowNow offers 24/7 support by phone, chat and text but doesn't say it is given in Spanish.
Terms in SpanishNoSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)The Restaurant Agreement is published in English only.
US website in SpanishNoSource: ChowNow (opens in a new tab)get.chownow.com/es answers 404.

More about ChowNow

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