Orders
500
Illustrative monthly direct-order count
ChowNow pricing - updated 2026-05-24
ChowNow pricing: what restaurants actually pay
ChowNow can be a useful commission-free direct-ordering platform, but the real cost is monthly subscription plus transaction fee, setup, delivery, app, printer, and diner-side fees. This page separates those costs so restaurant owners can compare them clearly.
One-minute answer
- ChowNow is commission-free in the marketplace sense, but it still charges subscription and transaction fees.
- The official pricing page lists Launch from $249/month, Grow from $349/month, and Elevate from $449/month.
- ChowNow adds a 2.95% + 29 cents transaction fee, setup from $119-$499, and possible app, printer, and delivery costs.
- Orderitto charges setup plus flat monthly pricing and zero per-order platform commission on direct orders.
Cost matrix
ChowNow vs Orderitto cost model
The right comparison is not only monthly price. Restaurants need to model subscription, setup, transaction fees, delivery, app costs, customer fees, and how those costs change as direct order volume grows.
| Feature | Orderitto | ChowNow |
|---|---|---|
Monthly subscription ChowNow's FAQ says plans start at $199/month; Sauce reports older Hub/Pro/Premier pricing. Confirm the live quote. | $149/mo Starter; $249/mo Pro | $249/mo Launch; $349/mo Grow; $449/mo Elevate |
Setup / onboarding | $799 Starter; $1,299 Pro | $119-$499 |
Transaction fee on each order | 0% platform commission on direct orders | 2.95% + 29 cents |
Diner-side fee | Not a ChowNow-style app marketplace fee | 7.5% Support Local Fee on ChowNow App / eat.chownow.com orders |
Branded app cost | Included in Pro scope | $99/year Apple developer fee |
Printer / hardware | Order printing included in Starter | $250-$420 printer if needed |
Delivery | Pickup and delivery included in Starter | $7.98/order Flex Delivery on official pricing page |
Customer data | Customer behavior tracking in Pro | Restaurant owns customer data |
POS replacement |
Example math
What the percentage fee does at volume
If a restaurant takes 500 direct online orders at a $30 average ticket on a $249/month ChowNow plan, the 2.95% + 29 cents transaction fee is about $587.50 before delivery or add-ons. That makes the rough monthly total about $836.50 before setup, app, printer, and delivery costs. Use your own order count and average ticket before making a decision.
Average ticket
$30
Example subtotal before delivery or tips
ChowNow transaction fees
$587.50
500 x ((2.95% x $30) + $0.29)
What commission-free means
Commission-free does not mean free
ChowNow's commission-free positioning is legitimate, but restaurants still need to read the fee stack.
No marketplace commission
ChowNow does not charge a marketplace-style commission on unlimited direct orders. That is different from saying the product has no fees.
Transaction fee still applies
The checked ChowNow pricing page lists 2.95% + 29 cents per transaction. That cost rises as order volume and average ticket rise.
Diner fee matters
ChowNow says diners pay a 7.5% Support Local Fee on orders placed through the ChowNow App or eat.chownow.com.
Quotes can disagree
ChowNow's official pricing page, its FAQ, and third-party writeups show different entry prices. Treat those as research starting points, then confirm a current quote.
Which model fits?
ChowNow is lighter to start; Orderitto is built for flat direct-order scale
ChowNow can fit lower-volume starts
If the restaurant wants a managed direct-ordering tool and order volume is still modest, a lower starting subscription can matter more than the per-order fee.
Orderitto can fit repeat-order volume
If repeat direct orders are already meaningful, a flat monthly model with zero per-order platform commission can protect margin as volume grows.
Both are ordering layers
Neither ChowNow nor Orderitto should be treated as a full POS replacement. The question is which ordering layer fits your restaurant's economics and workflow.
Model delivery separately
Delivery cost can change the whole answer. Compare pickup orders, first-party delivery, third-party courier delivery, and marketplace orders as separate channels.
Compare the nearby choices
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Toast vs Clover
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Best Online Ordering Systems
See which restaurant ordering platform fits each operating model.
Menufy Pricing
Compare Menufy's $149-$179 plans and $1.75 per-order convenience fee model.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ChowNow charge restaurants?
ChowNow charges a monthly subscription plus a 2.95% + 29 cents transaction fee per order. Its official pricing page lists Launch from $249/month, Grow from $349/month, and Elevate from $449/month, with setup fees from $119-$499. ChowNow's FAQ also says pricing starts at $199/month. Restaurants should confirm a current live quote before signing.
Is ChowNow really commission-free?
ChowNow is commission-free in the marketplace sense: restaurants are not paying a DoorDash-style marketplace commission on direct orders. It is not free. The monthly subscription, 2.95% + 29 cents transaction fee, setup cost, delivery fees, printer cost, and branded-app costs can still apply.
How is ChowNow different from DoorDash?
DoorDash is primarily a marketplace and delivery channel that gives restaurants access to marketplace demand. ChowNow is a direct-ordering platform for a restaurant's own website, app, and ChowNow surfaces. ChowNow's cost model is subscription plus transaction fees rather than a marketplace commission model.
How does ChowNow work?
ChowNow adds online ordering to a restaurant's own digital presence, can support a branded app, provides customer data ownership, offers next-business-day deposits Monday-Friday, and has 24/7 support. It is an ordering layer, not a POS replacement.
How does ChowNow compare to Uber Eats?
Uber Eats is a marketplace and delivery channel. ChowNow is built for direct ordering and customer ownership. A restaurant may use marketplace apps for discovery and direct ordering for repeat customers, but the costs and customer relationship are different.
When is Orderitto cheaper than ChowNow?
Orderitto tends to become more attractive as direct-order volume rises because it charges zero per-order platform commission on direct orders. ChowNow can be lighter to start, but its percentage-plus-flat transaction fee scales with each order.
Want the direct-order math for your restaurant?
Bring your average ticket, monthly direct-order count, current platform fees, and delivery setup. We will show whether flat pricing or a percentage-plus-fee model fits better.
Sources checked
- ChowNow PricingChecked for Launch, Grow, Elevate, setup, transaction fees, branded app, printer, and delivery fees.
- ChowNow Restaurant FAQChecked for pricing starts, commission-free definition, payouts, customer data, and support.
- ChowNow Diner Support FeeChecked for the Support Local Fee and where it applies.
- Sauce ChowNow Pricing and FeesChecked for third-party plan, setup, delivery, app, and printer fee reporting.
- Orderitto PricingChecked for Orderitto Starter, Pro, and flat-fee direct-ordering positioning.