Shopify for Restaurants: Online Ordering and Delivery Solutions

Running a restaurant has never been more complex. Between managing in-house dining, takeout orders, delivery requests, and online sales, restaurant owners need technology that keeps up with modern customer expectations. That's where Shopify comes in—offering restaurants a powerful, flexible platform to handle online ordering, menu management, and delivery integration all in one place.

While Shopify is traditionally known for e-commerce, forward-thinking restaurants are discovering that its robust infrastructure works exceptionally well for food service operations. From small cafes to multi-location restaurant groups, Shopify provides the tools to own your digital ordering experience without surrendering 30% of every order to third-party delivery apps.

Why Restaurants Are Choosing Shopify Over Traditional Solutions

The restaurant industry has undergone a digital transformation, accelerated by changing consumer habits. Today's diners expect seamless online ordering, multiple pickup and delivery options, and the convenience of ordering from their phones. Third-party platforms like DoorDash and UberEats filled this gap, but at a significant cost to restaurant margins.

The Problem with Third-Party Delivery Apps

Third-party delivery marketplaces charge restaurants between 15% and 30% per order. For a restaurant operating on 5-10% profit margins, these fees can eliminate profitability entirely. Beyond the financial impact:

• You don't own customer data - The platform owns the relationship
• Limited branding - Your restaurant is one of thousands in an app
• Algorithm dependency - Visibility depends on their ranking systems
• Price pressure - Customers compare you directly with competitors

Why Shopify Makes Sense for Restaurants

Shopify offers a fundamentally different model. Instead of paying per-order commissions, you pay a flat monthly fee and own your entire customer experience. Key advantages include:

• Direct customer relationships - Build your email list, track preferences
• Brand control - Full customization of your ordering experience
• Lower costs at scale - Flat fees mean more profit as volume grows
• Flexibility - Integrate any tools, delivery services, or systems you need
• Data ownership - Analytics and customer insights are yours

For restaurants doing significant online ordering volume, the math clearly favors owning your platform rather than renting space on a marketplace.

Setting Up Your Restaurant on Shopify

Getting started with Shopify for your restaurant requires some specific configuration to handle the unique aspects of food ordering. Here's a comprehensive setup guide.

Choosing the Right Shopify Plan

For most restaurants, these are the recommended options:

The $79/month Shopify plan hits the sweet spot for most restaurants, offering lower transaction fees and better analytics than Basic, without the Advanced tier's price tag.

Structuring Your Menu as Products

The key to a great restaurant Shopify store is properly structuring your menu. Each menu item becomes a product, with variants and options handling customizations.

Basic Product Structure

Product: Classic Cheeseburger
- Base Price: $12.99
- Variants: Single, Double (+$3), Triple (+$5)
- Options (using apps):
  - Cheese type: American, Cheddar, Swiss
  - Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle
  - Add-ons: Bacon (+$2), Avocado (+$1.50)

Using Collections for Menu Sections

Organize your menu using Shopify collections:

• Appetizers - Collection of starter items
• Entrees - Main course items
• Lunch Specials - Time-based offerings
• Drinks - Beverages collection
• Desserts - Sweet endings

This structure makes navigation intuitive and mirrors the traditional menu experience customers expect.

Handling Menu Modifiers and Customizations

Food orders require extensive customization options that standard Shopify doesn't handle out of the box. Essential apps for menu customization include:

Product Options by Bold - Add checkboxes, dropdowns, and text fields for:

• Protein preparation (rare, medium, well-done)
• Allergy notes
• Side dish selections
• Sauce choices

Infinite Options - Handle complex modifier logic:

• Required vs optional selections
• Multi-select options
• Conditional options (show bacon add-on only for burgers)

Globo Product Options - Visual option selection:

• Image swatches for visual items
• Price adjustments per option
• Inventory tracking per modifier

Properly configured modifiers prevent order confusion and reduce kitchen errors.

Online Ordering: Building Your Digital Storefront

Your online ordering system needs to be fast, intuitive, and mobile-optimized. Over 70% of food orders now come from mobile devices.

Mobile-First Menu Design

When building your restaurant's Shopify store, prioritize mobile experience:

• Large, tappable buttons - Fingers, not mouse cursors
• Minimal text - Descriptions should be scannable
• High-quality food photography - Images drive appetite and orders
• Sticky cart - Always visible order summary
• Quick reorder - Let returning customers repeat past orders

Theme Selection for Restaurants

While any Shopify theme can work, some are better suited for food ordering:

Recommended themes:

• Taste - Designed specifically for food businesses
• Broadcast - Great for visual menus with large images
• Impulse - Quick add-to-cart functionality
• Prestige - High-end restaurant aesthetic

Many restaurants also use custom themes or heavily modified versions to match their brand identity.

Adding Scheduling and Time Slots

Unlike standard e-commerce, restaurants need time-based ordering. Customers must select:

• Pickup/delivery date
• Time slot
• Order type (ASAP vs scheduled)

Zapiet is the leading app for this, offering:

• Delivery zones with distance-based fees
• Time slot management with capacity limits
• Lead time requirements (30 min minimum notice)
• Blackout dates for holidays
• Different hours for pickup vs delivery

Without time-slot management, you'll receive orders you can't fulfill, creating customer frustration and kitchen chaos.

QR Code Ordering: Contactless Table Service

QR code ordering transformed during the pandemic and remains popular with diners who prefer browsing and ordering from their phones. Shopify makes implementing QR code ordering straightforward.

How QR Code Ordering Works

1. Customer scans code - Each table has a unique QR code
2. Menu loads - Mobile-optimized menu appears
3. Customer orders - Add items to cart, submit order
4. Kitchen receives order - Goes directly to kitchen display
5. Server delivers - Or customer picks up at counter

This system reduces server interaction, speeds table turns, and captures more accurate orders (no mishearing specials).

Setting Up Table-Specific QR Codes

Create unique QR codes that identify which table an order comes from:

Option 1: URL Parameters Create QR codes linking to: yourrestaurant.com?table=7

Your theme can display the table number on checkout, and it passes through to the order.

Option 2: Dedicated Apps Apps like QR Code Generator Hub or Qr & Barcode Scanner create trackable QR codes with:

• Scan analytics
• Dynamic URLs (update destination without reprinting)
• Custom branding on codes

Option 3: Table-Specific Products Create a "hidden" product for each table that auto-adds to cart when scanning that table's QR code, passing table info to the order.

QR Code Best Practices for Restaurants

• Print durably - Laminate or use weatherproof materials
• Test lighting - Ensure codes scan in your restaurant's ambient light
• Include backup - Add manual URL below code for older phones
• Brand them - Include logo and instructions on QR displays
• Track scans - Monitor usage to identify issues

Delivery Integration: Bringing Food to Customers

Offering delivery expands your market reach but adds logistical complexity. Shopify restaurants have several delivery options.

Option 1: In-House Delivery

Managing your own delivery drivers gives maximum control:

Apps for in-house delivery:

• Local Delivery by Shopify - Route optimization, driver app
• Routific - Advanced routing for multiple drivers
• Onfleet - Full delivery management platform

Pros:

• Keep 100% of delivery fees
• Control customer experience end-to-end
• Build delivery staff relationships with customers

Cons:

• Requires managing drivers
• Vehicle and insurance costs
• Scheduling complexity

Option 2: Third-Party Delivery Partners

Use delivery apps for the logistics while keeping orders on your platform:

DoorDash Drive - Order comes through Shopify, DoorDash provides the driver. You pay per-delivery fee (typically $6-8) rather than commission on food.

Uber Direct - Similar model to DoorDash Drive, access to Uber's driver network for on-demand delivery.

Local Courier Services - Many cities have independent courier services that charge flat fees per delivery.

This hybrid approach gives you customer data ownership and branding while outsourcing the logistically complex delivery operation.

Setting Up Delivery Zones

Define where you deliver and what you charge:

Zone 1: 0-2 miles - Free delivery (min $25 order)
Zone 2: 2-5 miles - $5 delivery fee
Zone 3: 5-8 miles - $8 delivery fee
Beyond 8 miles: Pickup only

Apps like Zapiet handle zone configuration using address validation and distance calculation. Proper zone setup prevents unprofitable long-distance deliveries.

Delivery Time Estimates

Set realistic delivery windows based on:

• Kitchen capacity
• Current order volume
• Driver availability
• Distance

Underpromising and overdelivering builds customer trust. A "30-45 minute" estimate that arrives in 35 minutes beats a "25 minute" promise that takes 40.

Pickup Orders: Streamlining the Takeout Experience

Pickup orders are more profitable than delivery (no driver costs) and increasingly popular with customers who want restaurant food without the delivery fee.

Curbside Pickup Configuration

Implement smooth curbside pickup:

1. Designated parking spots - Number them and mark clearly
2. Arrival notification - Customer checks in via text or app
3. Runner system - Staff brings order to car
4. Order tracking - Let customers see when food is ready

Pickup Time Windows

Manage kitchen flow by controlling pickup time slots:

• 15-minute windows - "Your order will be ready between 6:00-6:15"
• Capacity limits - Maximum orders per window
• Lead time - Minimum 20-30 minutes for food preparation

This prevents the 6pm crush of 50 simultaneous pickup orders overwhelming your kitchen.

Order Ready Notifications

Communicate with customers throughout the process:

• Order confirmed - Automatic email/SMS on submission
• Preparing - Kitchen starts order
• Ready for pickup - Food complete, come get it
• Picked up - Completed status

Shopify's order status page and apps like OrderlyPrint or Order Status Tracker enable this communication flow.

Kitchen Management: From Order to Plate

The best online ordering system fails if your kitchen can't efficiently process orders. Kitchen display systems (KDS) bridge the gap between digital orders and physical food preparation.

Kitchen Display System Options

Replace paper tickets with screens showing incoming orders:

Shopify-native options:

• Fresh KDS - Purpose-built for Shopify restaurants
• Orderly - Kitchen display with course management
• KioskBuddy - Display and customer-facing kiosk

Third-party integrations:

• Square Kitchen Display - If also using Square POS
• Toast - Industry-standard restaurant KDS (requires integration)
• Custom displays - Use Shopify's API to build your own

Order Routing

Route orders to the right prep stations:

• Grill station - Burgers, steaks, grilled items
• Fryer station - Fries, fried appetizers
• Cold station - Salads, cold apps
• Bar - Beverages
• Expo - Final assembly and quality check

Proper routing prevents bottlenecks and ensures all components of an order are ready simultaneously.

Timing and Coordination

For complex orders, coordinate timing:

Order: Table 7
- Caesar Salad (Cold Station) - 3 min
- Ribeye Medium (Grill) - 12 min
- Kids Chicken Fingers (Fryer) - 6 min
- Mashed Potatoes (Sides) - 4 min

Fire order: Start Ribeye first, then fire remaining items
to have everything ready at minute 12

Good KDS systems help coordinate this timing automatically.

Managing Order Volume

During rush periods, control incoming order flow:

• Pause online orders - Temporarily disable ordering when overwhelmed
• Extend time estimates - "Currently 60+ minute wait"
• Limit items - Remove complex items during peak times
• Capacity alerts - Notification when approaching limits

Inventory and Menu Management

Real-time inventory management prevents the frustration of ordering an item only to be told it's unavailable.

Out of Stock Handling

Configure how Shopify handles unavailable items:

• Hide from menu - Completely remove unavailable items
• Show as sold out - Display but prevent ordering
• Allow backorder - Take order, make later (rarely used for restaurants)

For daily specials that run out, quick 86ing from the admin panel or dedicated app keeps your menu accurate.

Menu Updates and Specials

Restaurants change menus frequently. Streamline updates with:

• Scheduled publishing - Set lunch menu to go live at 11am
• Bulk editing - Update prices across categories
• Seasonal collections - Summer drinks, holiday specials
• Limited time offers - Auto-expire promotional items

Ingredient-Level Inventory

Advanced inventory tracking connects menu items to ingredients:

Caesar Salad requires:
- Romaine lettuce (1 head)
- Parmesan (2 oz)
- Caesar dressing (3 oz)
- Croutons (1/2 cup)

When romaine = 0, Caesar Salad becomes unavailable

Apps like Stocky or integrations with restaurant inventory systems enable this level of tracking.

Payments and Pricing Strategies

Configure payment options that work for restaurant operations.

Payment Methods

Accept the payments your customers prefer:

• Credit/debit cards - Via Shopify Payments
• Apple Pay / Google Pay - One-tap mobile checkout
• Buy now, pay later - Shop Pay Installments for catering
• Gift cards - Shopify's built-in gift card system

Tipping Configuration

Add tipping options at checkout:

Built-in Shopify tipping: Enable tips at checkout with suggested percentages (15%, 20%, 25%) or custom amounts.

Apps for advanced tipping:

• Split tips between front and back of house
• Automatic tip distribution
• Different tip suggestions for pickup vs delivery

Dynamic Pricing

Implement pricing strategies for different scenarios:

• Lunch vs dinner pricing - Same item, different price by time
• Delivery upcharge - Slightly higher prices to cover delivery costs
• Happy hour - Discounted items during specific windows
• Catering pricing - Volume discounts for large orders

Shopify's automation features and apps like Bold Custom Pricing enable these strategies.

Marketing Your Restaurant's Online Ordering

Having online ordering isn't enough—customers need to know about it and prefer it over alternatives.

Email Marketing for Restaurants

Build your customer list and drive repeat orders:

Welcome series:

1. Welcome email with first-order discount
2. How to order guide
3. Chef's recommendation

Ongoing campaigns:

• Weekly specials announcement
• New menu item launches
• Exclusive online-only offers
• Birthday/anniversary rewards

Shopify Email or integrations with Klaviyo/Mailchimp power restaurant email marketing.

SMS Marketing

Text messages have higher open rates than email:

• Order confirmations - Immediate confirmation
• Ready notifications - "Your order is ready for pickup"
• Flash promotions - "Today only: Free dessert with any entree"

Apps like Postscript or SMSBump integrate SMS marketing with Shopify.

Loyalty Programs

Reward repeat customers:

• Points per dollar - Earn points, redeem for food
• Punch cards - Buy 10, get 1 free
• Tier programs - Bronze, Silver, Gold status
• Referral rewards - Get a friend to order, both earn credit

Smile.io and LoyaltyLion are popular loyalty apps that integrate seamlessly with Shopify.

Local SEO

Ensure local customers find your online ordering:

• Google Business Profile - Link to your ordering site
• Order links - Add ordering button on Google listing
• Local keywords - "Thai food delivery [city name]"
• Review management - Respond to Google/Yelp reviews

Measuring Success: Restaurant Analytics

Track the metrics that matter for restaurant online operations.

Key Performance Indicators

Order metrics:

• Average order value (AOV)
• Orders per day/week
• Peak ordering times
• Popular items

Customer metrics:

• New vs returning customers
• Order frequency
• Lifetime value
• Cart abandonment rate

Operational metrics:

• Order-to-ready time
• Delivery time accuracy
• Kitchen error rate
• Refund/comp percentage

Using Shopify Analytics

Shopify's built-in analytics provide:

• Sales by product (your bestsellers)
• Sales by time (when customers order)
• Customer acquisition reports
• Traffic sources (where orders come from)

Third-Party Analytics

For deeper insights:

• Google Analytics 4 - Full customer journey tracking
• Segment - Unified customer data platform
• Heap - Automatic event tracking
• Restaurant-specific platforms - Toast, Square analytics

Common Challenges and Solutions

Restaurants encounter specific issues when using Shopify. Here's how to handle them.

Challenge: Complex Modifiers

Problem: Standard Shopify doesn't handle "add bacon" or "no onions" well.

Solution: Install Product Options apps that allow unlimited modifiers, required selections, and price adjustments per option.

Challenge: Time-Based Ordering

Problem: Customers ordering at 3am for immediate delivery.

Solution: Use Zapiet or similar apps to enforce ordering hours, require future scheduling, and set blackout periods.

Challenge: Kitchen Overload

Problem: Too many orders during peak times overwhelm the kitchen.

Solution: Implement time-slot capacity limits, extend quoted times during busy periods, and use order throttling when necessary.

Challenge: Delivery Logistics

Problem: Managing delivery drivers and routes efficiently.

Solution: Use Local Delivery app for route optimization or outsource to DoorDash Drive/Uber Direct while keeping orders on your platform.

Challenge: Menu Freshness

Problem: Keeping online menu in sync with actual availability.

Solution: Quick 86 buttons, automated inventory tracking, and integration with POS systems for real-time updates.

The Future of Restaurant Technology

The restaurant industry continues evolving, and Shopify is adding features to support it.

Emerging Trends

• Voice ordering - Integration with smart speakers
• AI personalization - "Order your usual?"
• Ghost kitchens - Delivery-only operations
• Subscription meals - Weekly meal prep services
• Automated fulfillment - Robot food prep and delivery

Shopify's Restaurant Roadmap

Shopify continues investing in commerce features relevant to restaurants:

• Improved local fulfillment options
• Better inventory management
• Enhanced mobile ordering experience
• Tighter POS integration

Getting Started: Your Action Plan

Ready to launch your restaurant on Shopify? Follow this implementation roadmap:

Week 1: Foundation

• Sign up for Shopify plan
• Choose and customize theme
• Structure menu as products
• Install essential apps (product options, scheduling)

Week 2: Configuration

• Set up delivery zones and fees
• Configure pickup time slots
• Implement payment and tipping
• Create QR codes for tables

Week 3: Integration

• Connect kitchen display system
• Set up delivery partner integration
• Configure email/SMS notifications
• Test complete order flow

Week 4: Launch

• Soft launch with limited hours
• Train staff on new systems
• Gather feedback and iterate
• Full launch with marketing push

Taking control of your restaurant's online ordering with Shopify means keeping more of every dollar, owning customer relationships, and building a scalable digital operation that grows with your business.

Ready to build your restaurant's online ordering system? Start your Shopify free trial and take control of your digital restaurant experience.