12 questions to ask an online ordering provider before you sign

Updated 12 Nov 2026. Chefzi sells online ordering, so we answer each question for Chefzi as well as saying why you should ask it of everyone. The Chefzi answers come from Chefzi facts and pricing, and you should get every other supplier's answers in writing.

In short: ask for the monthly price, every per-order charge, the contract length, who sets your card rate, what happens when the tablet goes offline, and how you leave. If a supplier will not put an answer in writing, treat that as an answer.

The twelve questions

1. What do I pay each month, and is anything charged per order?

Compare the plan fee, any per-order fee, any customer service fee and any commission. Chefzi: Starter £12 a month (£9 billed annually), Plus £22 (£19), Pro £49 (£39), per location, excluding VAT, with 0% commission and no fee added to your customers' orders.

2. Is there a setup or onboarding fee?

Some suppliers charge hundreds of pounds up front. Chefzi: no setup fee, and we set up your menu with you on a short call.

3. What hardware do I have to buy or rent, and who owns it?

Ask whether tablets, printers or terminals are bought, rented or lent, and what happens to them when you leave. Chefzi: orders arrive in the Chefzi Orders app on an Android phone or tablet you already own. There is no expensive equipment to buy.

4. How long is the contract and how much notice do I give?

Check the minimum term, the renewal and the notice period before you sign. Chefzi: plans are month to month, and you can cancel any time.

5. Who takes the card payments and what is the rate?

Some suppliers tie you to one processor, and the processor sets the rate. Chefzi: card payments are on Plus and Pro, through Stripe Connect, Square, Worldpay or PayPal at your processor's rate. Starter takes cash orders only.

6. What does my customer pay?

Ask if a service fee is added at checkout and who keeps it. Chefzi: Chefzi adds no fee to your customers' orders.

7. What happens when the tablet or the internet goes offline?

This is the question that decides whether you lose an order in the Friday rush. Chefzi: the Orders app rings until someone accepts or rejects, and if the device is offline Chefzi texts the restaurant and then automatically calls the mobile or phone line.

8. How quickly can I go live and who builds the menu?

Ask for a date, not a promise. Chefzi: we aim to get you live in 24 to 48 hours, and we set up your menu with you.

9. Whose domain, menu and customer list is it?

Ask if you can use your own domain, export your menu and take your customer list with you. Chefzi: your own domain name for the ordering site is included in the plan. Ask any supplier, including Chefzi, for its exact export terms in writing.

10. What does it not do?

Every system has gaps. Chefzi: no kiosk, no CRM, no courier integrations, no cap on how many orders can arrive in one time slot and no half-and-half pizza builder. See the full list on Chefzi facts.

11. Can I try it without a card, and what happens when the trial ends?

Some trials ask for a card and charge on day 30. Chefzi: the first month is free, with no credit card needed to start.

12. Who do I call, and when do they answer?

Ask for the support hours and the contact details, and test them before you sign. Chefzi: the landline is 020 3411 8110 and the mobile is +44 7878 777576, or message us on WhatsApp.

How to use this list

1. Send the twelve questions by email to every supplier you are considering, so the answers are in writing.
2. Put the answers in one table next to the published prices. The food ordering systems compared guide has nine providers' prices to start from.
3. Place a real test order on any trial and print the kitchen ticket.
4. Leave your old system running until the new one has taken a full weekend of orders. See moving from GloriaFood if that is your starting point.

For the selection criteria in more depth, see how to choose a takeaway ordering system and the best online ordering systems in the UK, and for reliability in particular, the most reliable online ordering system guide.

Sources

• Chefzi facts, pricing and terms, chefzi.co.uk, read 12 Nov 2026.