Spartan’s Grill now generates more delivery revenue through its own website than through Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub — individually. Over a recent 12-month reporting period, direct website orders brought in $38,663.75 across 1,138 orders, edging out Uber Eats ($35,383.73) and outperforming DoorDash by more than 40%. Every one of those direct orders came in commission-free.
That result didn’t come from turning off delivery apps. It came from running Orders.co POS and Kiosk in-house, launching a branded ordering website and mobile app, and steadily shifting regular customers toward ordering direct, while third-party platforms kept doing what they do best: bringing in new faces.
“What stood out immediately was how much the whole system freed us up to actually focus on our customers. That is what running a restaurant is supposed to feel like.”
Third-party dependency, front-of-house pressure, and time-consuming chargebacks
Result
Website became the #1 delivery channel; 16% of total revenue is now commission-free
Reporting Period
~12 months of sales data
The Challenge: Delivery Apps Were Winning the Customer Relationship
Before Orders.co, Spartan’s Grill faced the same squeeze most independent operators describe: third-party marketplaces drove real order volume, but at 15–30% commission on every ticket, that volume came at a steep cost. The restaurant had no meaningful direct ordering channel, which meant the platforms — not the restaurant — owned the customer relationship, the data, and a significant slice of the margin.
Two operational problems compounded the revenue issue. Front-of-house staff were stretched thin managing walk-in ordering during peak hours, and chargebacks from delivery platforms were eating up management time. As owner Johnny Miller puts it, handling disputes “used to be a time-consuming headache.”
Miller had worked with POS systems and integrations before, so his expectations were calibrated by experience — and previous solutions hadn’t delivered the unified control he was looking for across dine-in and online channels.
The Solution: One System Across Dine-In, Online, and Kiosk
Spartan’s Grill implemented the Orders.co POS and Kiosk stack, alongside a full direct-ordering buildout:
Orders.co POS became the operational core, connecting dine-in and online orders in a single system. “The integration gives us full control across both our online and dine-in operations in a way that previous solutions simply could not match,” Miller says. “Everything is connected, everything is visible.”
The self-service kiosk changed how customers order on the floor. Guests browse the full menu at their own pace and either place the order themselves or approach a server already knowing what they want. The effect: less pressure on front-of-house staff and more focused, attentive service. Miller calls it “an invaluable addition.”
A custom ordering website and branded app gave regulars a direct, commission-free way to order — supported by branded flyers and marketing built by the Orders.co team to actively move customers off third-party platforms.
Dispute management turned chargebacks from a recurring headache into a one-text task. “All it takes is a text or a call, and the team jumps on it immediately,” Miller says. “The effort on our end is minimal, and the results speak for themselves.”
The Results: Direct Ordering Outperforms Every Delivery App
Over the reporting period, Spartan’s Grill’s sales broke down as follows:
Channel
Sales
Orders
% of Total Revenue
POS (Dine-in)
$134,585.60
7,107
55%
Website Direct Orders
$38,663.75
1,138
16%
Uber Eats
$35,383.73
1,035
14%
DoorDash
$27,513.70
877
11%
Grubhub
$8,342.37
233
3%
Total
$244,489.15
10,390
100%
The website isn’t just the top delivery channel by revenue — it also processed more orders than any single third-party platform, with 1,138 direct orders against Uber Eats’ 1,035.
By the Numbers
#1 delivery channel: Direct website orders outperformed every third-party platform in both revenue and order count.
16% of total revenue is now commission-free. On the $71,239.80 that still flows through third-party platforms, estimated commissions run $10,700–$21,400 at typical 15–30% rates — money the direct channel keeps in the business.
35% of all online orders now come in direct, out of 3,283 total online orders across all platforms.
Comparable ticket sizes: direct orders average $33.98 versus $34.19 on Uber Eats — customers aren’t spending less when they order direct; the restaurant is simply keeping more of it.
“Our direct ordering website is now our single biggest delivery channel, outperforming every third-party provider we work with,” Miller says. “That revenue stays with us.”
Before and After Orders.co
Before
After
Direct ordering
No meaningful direct channel
#1 delivery channel by revenue and orders
Customer data
Owned by third-party platforms
Collected on every direct order
Dine-in ordering
Full front-of-house workload
Kiosk absorbs peak pressure
Chargebacks
Time-consuming manual process
One call or text to the Orders.co team
Systems
Disconnected online and dine-in tools
One connected POS across all channels
Why This Worked: Apps for Discovery, Direct for Loyalty
Spartan’s Grill didn’t abandon Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub — those platforms still contribute 28% of revenue and remain a steady source of new customers. What changed is where repeat business lands. New customers discover the restaurant on marketplaces; regulars order directly through the website and app, where there’s no commission, and the restaurant maintains the customer relationship.
That’s the pattern behind the numbers: third-party platforms as an acquisition channel, direct ordering as the retention and margin channel. The kiosk and POS tie it together operationally, so staff manage everything from one connected system instead of juggling disconnected tools.
“What stood out immediately was how much the whole system freed us up to actually focus on our customers,” Miller says. “That
is what running a restaurant is supposed to feel like.”
“The hardware, the software, the customer service. All of it is 100%.”
Johnny Miller
The Takeaway for Independent Operators
Spartan’s Grill’s results show that a direct ordering channel can realistically outperform established third-party platforms — not eventually, but within a normal reporting year — when it’s supported by the right infrastructure: a connected POS, a fast branded website and app, in-store touchpoints like kiosks, and marketing that consistently points customers to the direct channel.
For Miller, the verdict is simple: “The hardware, the software, the customer service. All of it is 100%. If you are looking for a system that delivers on every level and a team that stays with you long after the setup is done, Orders.co is the answer.”
Want to see what a direct-first setup would look like for your restaurant? Schedule a Demo
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Spartan’s Grill make its website its biggest delivery channel?
Spartan’s Grill combined an Orders.co direct-ordering website and branded app with consistent marketing — flyers, in-store signage, and digital promotion — that encouraged repeat customers to order directly instead of through delivery apps. Over a 12-month period, the website generated $38,663.75 across 1,138 orders, more than any single third-party platform.
Did Spartan’s Grill stop using Uber Eats and DoorDash?
No. Third-party platforms still account for 28% of Spartan’s Grill’s revenue and continue bringing in new customers. The strategy treats delivery apps as a discovery channel for first-time diners while moving repeat orders to the commission-free direct website.
How much does the restaurant save with commission-free direct ordering?
Third-party delivery platforms typically charge 15–30% commission per order. Spartan’s Grill’s $38,663 in direct website sales translates to an estimated $5,800–$11,600 in commissions avoided during the reporting period — revenue that stays in the business.
What does the Orders.co self-service kiosk do in a restaurant?
The kiosk lets walk-in customers browse the full menu at their own pace and place orders directly, or approach staff already knowing what they want. At Spartan’s Grill, it reduced pressure on front-of-house staff during busy periods and made service more focused and attentive.
How does Orders.co dispute management work?
When a chargeback or dispute comes in from a third-party platform, the restaurant contacts the Orders.co team by phone or text, and the team handles the dispute. Spartan’s Grill describes the effort on their end as minimal, replacing a time-consuming manual process.
Can Orders.co POS handle both dine-in and online orders?
Yes. Orders.co POS connects dine-in, direct website, branded app, and third-party delivery orders in one system, so restaurants manage every channel from a single place instead of juggling separate tools and tablets.
