{"id":5839,"date":"2026-02-06T15:01:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/?p=5839"},"modified":"2026-02-07T02:32:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T02:32:08","slug":"online-orders-are-up-so-why-is-my-restaurant-making-less-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/online-orders-are-up-so-why-is-my-restaurant-making-less-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Orders Are Up &#8211; So Why Is My Restaurant Making Less Money?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5839\" class=\"elementor elementor-5839\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-541cdbb7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"541cdbb7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1a990d3b\" data-id=\"1a990d3b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-335345d9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"335345d9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"color: #555; font-size: 16px;\">You&#8217;ve noticed a significant uptick in online orders, yet your profits aren&#8217;t reflecting this growth. Sound familiar? Many restaurant owners and managers are scratching their heads over this paradox. Let&#8217;s break down why your restaurant might be making less money despite a rise in online orders.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #f8f9fa; border-left: 4px solid #f14a52; padding: 20px 25px; margin: 25px 0; border-radius: 4px;\">\n<h3 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #333; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600;\">Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0; padding-left: 20px;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 8px; color: #555;\">Increased online orders often come with higher costs, including delivery fees and tech expenses.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 8px; color: #555;\">Menu pricing and portion control can impact profit margins significantly.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 0; color: #555;\">Strategic use of data and analytics can help optimize operations and boost profitability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">1. Understanding the Cost Implications of Online Orders<\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: #555; font-size: 16px;\">It&#8217;s easy to assume that more orders mean more money. However, increased online orders often come with additional costs that can eat into your profits. These can include:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"color: #555; padding-left: 20px; font-size: 16px;\">\n<li>Delivery fees and commissions from third-party apps.<\/li>\n<li>Costs of maintaining and upgrading online ordering systems.<\/li>\n<li>Additional packaging and marketing expenses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #fff3cd; border-left: 4px solid #ffc107; padding: 18px 22px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 4px;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0; color: #856404;\"><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> Use a <a style=\"color: #f14a52; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/third-party-delivery-commissions-calculator?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\">delivery commission calculator<\/a> to understand how these fees are impacting your bottom line.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">2. The Hidden Cost of Delivery and Commission Fees<\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: #555; font-size: 16px;\">Third-party delivery services can take a significant cut of your revenue, often between 15% and 30%. It might not be immediately apparent, but these costs can drastically reduce your profit margins. Consider evaluating whether a <a style=\"color: #f14a52; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/products\/online-ordering?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\">direct online ordering<\/a> system could reduce these fees.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">3. Rethinking Menu Pricing and Portion Control<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-52b00de elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"52b00de\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-18235a5\" data-id=\"18235a5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc7c0cf elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dc7c0cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update-1024x683.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5880\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update-450x300.png 450w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update-780x520.png 780w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/menu_update.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6fe9862 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6fe9862\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-968c068\" data-id=\"968c068\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2cf06fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2cf06fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"color: #555; font-size: 16px;\">Have you adjusted your menu pricing to account for the shift in order types? Online orders might require different pricing strategies. Consider using a <a style=\"color: #f14a52; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/menu-engineer.applova.io\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\">menu optimization tool<\/a> to ensure your pricing aligns with the additional costs of online orders.<\/p><h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">4. Leveraging Data to Improve Profitability<\/h2><p style=\"color: #555; font-size: 16px;\">Data analytics is your friend when it comes to understanding where your money is going. By analyzing sales patterns and customer preferences, you can make informed decisions about menu offerings, pricing strategies, and promotional efforts. Utilizing <a style=\"color: #f14a52; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/products\/analytics\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\">analytics tools<\/a> can help identify profit leaks and optimize your operations.<\/p><h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">5. Streamlining Operations for Efficiency<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60e9c09 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60e9c09\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-576f27b\" data-id=\"576f27b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94220cf elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"94220cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"632\" data-src=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-1024x632.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2151 lazyload\" alt=\"Beat The Kitchen&#039;s Heat With Kitchen Display Systems\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-1024x632.webp 1024w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-768x474.webp 768w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-1536x948.webp 1536w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-2048x1264.webp 2048w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-450x278.webp 450w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-780x481.webp 780w, https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Beat-The-Kitchens-Heat-With-Kitchen-Display-Systems-1600x988.webp 1600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/632;\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e3b0e0a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e3b0e0a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c011e6e\" data-id=\"c011e6e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-efad919 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"efad919\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">\u00a0<span style=\"color: #555555; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400;\">Efficiency is key to profitability. Consider integrating a <a href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/products\/kitchen-display\/?utm_source=blog&amp;amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\\\">kitchen display system<\/a> to improve order accuracy and reduce waste. This can also help speed up service, enhancing customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.<\/span><\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">6. Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/h2><ul style=\"color: #555; padding-left: 20px; font-size: 16px;\"><li>Not adjusting menu prices for online orders.<\/li><li>Ignoring the impact of delivery fees on profits.<\/li><li>Overlooking data analytics for business insights.<\/li><\/ul><div><span style=\"color: #555555;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"color: #555555;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div><h2 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 20px;\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><h3 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 8px;\">Why are my online orders increasing but profits decreasing?<\/h3><p style=\"color: #555;\">Increased online orders often come with higher costs such as delivery fees, technology expenses, and marketing efforts, which can reduce overall profitability.<\/p><\/div><div style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><h3 style=\"color: #333; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 8px;\">How can I reduce the costs associated with online orders?<\/h3><p style=\"color: #555;\">Consider using direct online ordering systems and adjust your menu pricing to better reflect the costs of online and delivery services.<\/p><\/div><div style=\"background: #e8f4f8; border: 2px solid #4a90e2; padding: 20px 25px; margin: 30px 0; border-radius: 4px;\"><h3 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #333; font-size: 18px;\">Quick Summary<\/h3><p style=\"margin-bottom: 0; color: #555;\">Increased online orders can lead to reduced profits due to higher costs. Key strategies to mitigate this include re-evaluating menu pricing, leveraging data analytics, and reducing third-party delivery fees.<\/p><\/div><p style=\"color: #555; font-size: 16px;\">To wrap up, it&#8217;s vital to address these hidden costs and optimize your operations to ensure that increased online orders lead to increased profits. Curious about how technology can help streamline your operations? Check out Applova&#8217;s <a style=\"color: #f14a52; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 500;\" href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/products\/online-ordering?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\">online ordering solutions<\/a> for more insights.<\/p><div style=\"background: #f8f9fa; border: 2px solid #f14a52; padding: 25px; margin: 30px 0; border-radius: 8px;\"><p style=\"margin-bottom: 15px; color: #333; font-size: 16px;\">Interested in exploring more ways to boost your restaurant&#8217;s profitability? Talk to an expert.<\/p><p><a style=\"display: inline-block; background: #f14a52; color: white; padding: 12px 28px; border-radius: 5px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 600;\" href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/contactus\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta&amp;utm_campaign=online_orders_are_up_-_so_why_is_my_restaurant_mak\">Learn More<\/a><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b3d5e5a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b3d5e5a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f2639a9\" data-id=\"f2639a9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d5a532 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1d5a532\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/applova.io\/request-demo?utm_source=blog&#038;utm_medium=cta&#038;utm_campaign=7_reasons_owners_miss_blog\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Book a free demo<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6cd85be elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6cd85be\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3d6f397\" data-id=\"3d6f397\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-082fe47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"082fe47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Join 1,000+ restaurant owners using Applova.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Online Orders Are Up &#8211; So Why Is My Restaurant Making Less Money? Uncover the hidden costs and solutions to boost your restaurant&#8217;s profitability now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","ub_ctt_via":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5839","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-online-ordering","8":"category-restaurant-tech"},"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/5839_image.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Admin Team","author_link":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/author\/editorial-team\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/5839_image.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5839"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5932,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5839\/revisions\/5932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applova.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}