Introduction
It is no longer a surprise that restaurant online ordering systems have emerged as the most preferred way for restaurants to have a digital face for their brand. The system is most popular for two reasons: its low cost and unparalleled convenience.
Building a website or app had never been this easy before. It hardly takes a few minutes for a restaurant to have a digital storefront created from scratch, and it takes just a few hours to get the storefront into action.
Among all the great options out there for online ordering systems that have built a unique reputation in this segment, ChowNow and GloriaFood are standout choices.
With their powerful systems, both platforms are streamlining the entire ordering process for restaurants.
Getting a digital shop for restaurants is a trend that’s growing at a fast pace, and platforms like ChowNow or GloriaFood are ensuring a fast adoption at a reduced cost with great value for money.
Meanwhile, it prompts debate on ChowNow vs. GloriaFood.
Both alternatives are undoubtedly the best ever. But eventually, you would like to start with the best one; how do you come across that ultimate option? Find your answer in this guide.
ChowNow Vs GloriaFood: Business Overview
ChowNow
If you’re looking for a comprehensive online solution for your restaurant, from marketing to order execution, that provides an exceptional experience for both you and your customers, you should look no further than ChowNow.
Founded in 2011, the company is recognised as one of the best-performing in the US for its online ordering solution. The company assists restaurants, cafés, and pizzerias in taking quick orders directly from their websites, allowing them to maintain a direct relationship with their customers.
The brand eliminates heavy reliance on third-party platforms to receive orders. Restaurants themselves can now attract customers online directly on their own website and can readily manage everything involved in the food delivery cycle.
Apart from website creation and marketing assistance, ChowNow even supports the delivery chain of restaurants with its partners, like delivery partner Doordash and integration partners Otter and Cuboh.
The online ordering platform has three main products: “Order Better Network,” “ChowNow Marketplace,” and “ChowNow Direct.” But if you seek a combo solution, this facility is also available.
GloriaFood
GloriaFood is another versatile solution for restaurants or food startups with zero to limited capital to invest in building a website that gets them orders online.
The online ordering and restaurant food delivery platform helps restaurant owners get a well-working and SEO-optimized website for their food brand.
If you seek a pre-built solution for your restaurant that allows you to start taking online orders from day one, you must go with GloriaFood.
The platform offers a complete online food ordering and delivery solution, which is in demand among most restaurants and cafes in the US. But there’s another practical reason for ChowNow’s popularity: its table reservation feature.
Unlike other online ordering systems that support the dine-out or takeaway culture, the platform encourages dine-in facilities alongside online food deliveries.
Simply put, the GloriaFood online ordering system centralizes pick-up, delivery, and dine-in orders for restaurants. As a restaurant manager or owner, you will be able to receive both dine-in and dine-out orders from a single interface.
In addition to the basics, there’s much to discuss about GloriaFood that you’ll come to learn in this article.
ChowNow vs GloriaFood: How to get started?
ChowNow
Like most restaurants, if you are also excited to roll out your first digital storefront with the help of ChowNow, you should learn the proper criteria first.
The online ordering platform has four main solutions and three individual products. It might confuse newcomers, but let us simplify the whole thing for you.
Ideally, you should review the four main solutions of ChowNow because these solutions occupy products offered individually by the online ordering platform. Let’s jump straight to the four solutions provided by ChowNow to restaurants:
Reach New Customers
By starting out with ChowNow’s solution “Reach New Customers,” you get straight access to ChowNow’s mainstream products “Order Better Network” and “ChowNow Marketplace.”
The order better network connects your brand to a larger audience through its industry connections, ensuring that your brand receives traction from the start.
Similarly, the ChowNow Marketplace works like a listing platform where you can list your brand and market your product alongside other restaurant brands listed on the platform. All websites will be listed on the ChowNow application.
However, the website could be owned by a brand or built at ChowNow.
Own Your Ordering
The second interesting solution occupies five main advantages for restaurant clients, namely “website ordering,” “branded mobile apps,” “customer databases,” “marketing and guidelines,” and “membership programs.”
You can opt for this solution if you want ChowNow to get you a website or a branded mobile app built from scratch. However, the service may attract additional charges.
But within this solution, you have access to a customer database, marketing and guidance, and some unique benefits like a membership program.
Simplify Operations
The solution encompasses delivery, dine-in and pickup facilities, and order management. With this, you have access to 24×7 customer support. The delivery, dine-in, and pickup facility provided by ChowNow is meant to provide a simple system to handle all operations related to order placement.
From editing menus, managing orders, and setting ready times, the ChowNow dashboard provides a tech-enabled order management solution in this section. The solution is often served along with other ChowNow solutions as a combo.
Explore Flexible Delivery
The last solution is “Flexible Delivery,” in which you access the “pickup,” “self-delivery,” and “flex delivery” facilities. The pickup facility invites zero charges as customers will be picking up orders from your restaurant.
In self-delivery, the restaurant itself will set the cost, as you will be running your own delivery fleet. Alternatively, you can take advantage of ChowNow’s flexible delivery solution. ChowNow partners with one of the top delivery service providers, DoorDash.
GloriaFood
GloriaFood’s online ordering system, on the other hand, is known for its two mainstream solutions: “online food ordering system” and “online food ordering and delivery system.” Restaurants can gain direct access to both services by fulfilling a simple log-in condition.
What exactly are these solutions? Given below is a detailed brief on it. Take a look:
Online Food Ordering System
The online ordering system by GloriaFood is designed to simplify the online ordering ecosystem for customers. Everything a restaurant needs to receive, manage, and execute orders is readily available right on their dashboard.
With its ready-to-use templates, the company can help you create a quick digital interface or storefront for your website. Simply drag and drop your restaurant details, upload your menu, and you will be ready to launch your online ordering journey via GloriaFood. Going ahead, you even access Facebook page integration, which gets the whole thing done in no time.
Restaurant widgets are helpful add-ons that you would appreciate having if you used them later along with your online ordering systems.
Online Food Ordering and Delivery System
GloriaFood provides an online ordering system for delivery, takeaway, and table reservation facilities. This solution centralises all delivery-related facilities for restaurants.
Whether the order is coming from the website, a Facebook page, or the GloriaFood application, if you have your account properly set up, you can start receiving unlimited orders.
The delivery system is unique because, in addition to standard delivery, the GloriaFood app provides “table reservation” and “order ahead” features.
The table reservation feature enables restaurant owners to accept online orders from customers who want to eat their favourite cuisine in-house with a special friend on a special day. It could be a surprise party as well.
Similarly, the “order ahead” feature is built for hungry customers who want to skip their waiting times and want the waiter to serve them food instantly upon their arrival.
ChowNow vs GloriaFood: The Website
ChowNow
ChowNow has a super-responsive website in place to cater to the dynamic needs of restaurant operators. If you seek personalized touches on your branded website and can’t satisfy your appetite with anything available in the inventory of the online ordering platform, the ChowNow website might impress you.
The platform even gives clients the option to link their own existing domain and website with the online ordering system. Still, if you don’t own any existing website or domain, you can simply call ChowNow to get you a brand new version.
However, you do not receive a fully built website from the ground up. ChowNow basically provides a drag-and-drop solution to clients that give them the flexibility to make adjustments to their website as per their own needs and preferences. Built-in social links, order and download buttons, and a clean, focused layout on a custom domain and URL must be noted.
You can add and update menu on the ChowNow built website on your own. But make sure no information provided by you should be incorrect. It should never mislead a customer.
GloriaFood
The website provided by GloriaFood is equally praiseworthy. Users can have a well-built website with a click of a button. Like ChowNow, the GloriaFood website also incorporates drag-and-drop features.
Simply add new sections or remove sections that you don’t like. You can readily change the hero image, which is indeed the front image shown at the top of the website interface.
Since it is a pre-built website template, ready to be used by a restaurant, it is necessary to note that your aspiration of giving any unique or branded touch you want to give to your website might stay unfulfilled.
Still, whatever you get on the GloriaFood website is worth the money. The most notable features are the “table reservation” and “order ahead” features that keep your dine-in restaurant in full motion.
ChowNow Vs GloriaFood: The Mobile App
ChowNow
Be ready to fall in love because the ChowNow local food ordering app is totally enticing. The responsive layout and professional-looking theme distinguishes the ChowNow app from the competition.
Using the app, customers can order amazing food online right from the restaurant they would like to order their feast from. It’s worth noting that no single restaurant receives an exclusive benefit.
In other words, the ChowNow application is a marketplace with many local restaurants listed, competing with each other but forming a market for customers where they could come, explore, and enjoy their favourite cuisine on a particular day or time.
However, the good rating from customers on the Play Store is a sign that the app is building a solid reputation for itself. Aside from the interface, the app also serves as a marketing tool for restaurants, with in-app and out-of-app notifications that keep users engaged with the ChowNow marketplace and its restaurants.
GloriaFood
The GloriaFood mobile app is also not far from gaining our attention. Like ChowNow, GloriaFood also offers a shared app wherein many restaurants can list themselves to form a marketplace where each restaurant would benefit from cross-marketing.
In other words, the application is a typical mobile platform where any restaurant can take advantage of a centralised solution for order placement. It’s available for free to restaurants, but certain conditions must be met to be eligible for the listing.
However, restaurant owners are even provided with the option to own a branded application. The premium service will get you a custom-built restaurant mobile app for Android devices. The app will have your logo, your slogan, and your own background for a complete branded touch.
Any restaurant can purchase this app from within their own account at GloriaFood.
ChowNow Vs GloriaFood: Marketing and Promotional Benefits
ChowNow
ChowNow Marketplace
The ChowNow Marketplace has plenty of opportunities for your restaurant. If your restaurant is a new one in the local city, the app-based marketplace will provide you with visibility. Eligible restaurants will simply be positioning themselves on the app and will benefit from the digital market where eaters exclusively come to taste something interesting from a restaurant that, if your brand has been found to provide, you’ll surely lead the whole game.
The positive rating and thousands of downloads on the app are a plus, as it provides you with peace of mind that your brand’s loyalty won’t be affected.
Order Better Network
The Order Better Network is a ChowNow solution in which restaurant operators take advantage of the ChowNow link. The online ordering platform positions your brand across the web so that awareness spreads like wildfire. The brand claims that with its one-of-a-kind platform, you can be anywhere at once on the internet. After all, connections in any industry are more valuable than anything else, and the ChowNow network does this job with utmost precision.
And ChowNow provides this additional benefit at an excellent price. You can get this as an individual product or as a free offer from ChowNow’s solution.
ChowNow Direct
ChowNow Direct is another interesting marketing option provided by ChowNow that boosts your online presence. The solution integrates everything in one place, from branded apps to custom marketing to member benefits and much more. In other words, it is a one-stop solution that exposes you to all the great benefits an online ordering system should be providing.
Above all, print marketing is quite noteworthy, as the brand promises to give you custom-printed signage, handouts, and more interesting stuff at a single price that’ll be unchanged after on-time investing.
Built-in social links
Built-in social links are another powerful feature of ChowNow. These links will be available on ChowNow’s website and application 24×7, allowing customers to share their experience and cuisine with family and friends directly via their social media accounts.
There are shareable links hidden on the website of every restaurant that empower sales in their business through referrals. Suppose if someone really liked the pan cakes at your restaurant, they wouldn’t take a while to share them with their girlfriend or boyfriend or any other family member or friend. These little things make sense when it comes to marketing a restaurant and its food products.
GloriaFood
Facebook Ordering
The world’s giant social media platform, Facebook, carries vast potential for every business that seeks instant growth. Your restaurant can also reap some predictable benefits by creating a Facebook page. GloriaFood’s online ordering system is also leveraging the potential of Facebook and features smart links that optimise the online ordering experience for customers.
All customers on your Facebook page will be able to place an order directly from your restaurant through this link. GloriaFood does not charge a fee or commission to provide users with access to this service. The page will provide direct access to your restaurant’s menu, and along with this, you are even granted the opportunity to run promotions.
Promotion Engines
Platform has well tried to empower your promotional activities on every footstep. Your website will have built-in restaurant promotion banners, and with their help, you can create more loyal customers for your business. You can create incentives for new customers, bring combo offers, or launch discounted food items.
The brand has provided an intuitive promotion editor. Simply select the best template and provide the information that will be the highlight of your promotional offers.
Free Adwords Generator
Text work alone can take much of your time. Especially when it comes to websites, these texts determine the ranking of your website. GloriaFood doesn’t provide any assurance that your website will rank in the top position of the search engine. But it does assist you by finding the keywords that can bring in potential clicks and conversions by inserting them into your brand and product’s description. In addition, you can also ask the platform to run paid campaigns for you.
Videos and Instructional Materials
Videos and helpful tutorials are the special highlights of GloriaFood’s marketing support for restaurant clients. The platform assist you itself how to make the online ordering system work for you. Similarly, you can get some additional helpful blogs and Q&A on most typical topics at GloriaFood.
Real-time Reporting
The real-time reporting feature is, however, enabled in both ChowNow and GloriaFood, and both are working superbly in this area.
ChowNow Vs GloriaFood: The Pricing
ChowNow
The comprehensive pack, which will provide you access to every benefit and feature offered by ChowNow to customers, is priced at $199/month. However, users can also opt for 1-year to 2-year subscription plan charged at $139/mo and $129/mo respectively. If your company’s margin is low, you can pass on 12% delivery charges to customers. Credit card fees of 2.95% plus $0.20 will be charged. So make sure you have done all the math before switching to ChowNow.
GloriaFood
GloriaFood is very clear about its pricing. Most services offered by the company are free. But it also has premium plans, which we’ll discuss in more detail later.
The free plan of GloriaFood consists of a free website ordering widget. The brand provides free orders with Facebook smart links, free mobile ordering, order ahead reservations, table reservations, QR code menus, and a variety of other useful services to restaurants.
But there’s a catch. The brand will not assist you in any way. You will automatically consent to the do-it-yourself approach if you opt for GloriaFood’s free services.
Optional Paid Services
You can also use GloriaFood premium plans. If you think that these services can add any value to your restaurant, you can opt for advanced promotion marketing at a monthly cost of $19. A sales-optimized website will be available for $9 per month. Similarly, the cost of a branded mobile app is $59 per month. Online or credit card payment services invite additional charges.
Conclusion
The debate on ChowNow vs. GloriaFood has revealed potential opportunities for restaurants on both online ordering platforms. ChowNow is a more professional yet a bit more costly alternative for restaurants. On the other hand, GloriaFood is providing free services, but the do-it-yourself approach could be a negative thing for some as it will not expose you to any personalized branding benefit.
However, premium plans are also available that add value to your restaurant business, and trying them out makes sense.