Online Ordering and Restaurant Website: Toast vs Square Online vs Olo for Fast-Casual
Every online order routed through your own website instead of DoorDash or UberEats saves you 25–30% in platform commission. A $10,000/month shift from third-party delivery to direct online ordering saves $2,500–$3,000 per month — $30,000–$36,000 annually. In 2026, building a commission-free direct ordering channel via Toast, Square Online, or Olo is the most actionable margin improvement available to fast-casual operators. Here is how to choose the right platform.
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The Quick Answer
Use Toast Online Ordering if you are already on Toast POS — the integration is seamless, the setup takes hours, and the commission is zero per order (you pay only 2.49% + $0.15 credit card processing). Use Square Online if you are on Square POS or want a full website plus ordering in one free-to-launch package. Use Olo if you are scaling to multiple locations and need advanced delivery management, loyalty integration, and enterprise-grade customization. For a single-location fast-casual operator, Toast or Square Online is the right starting point — both are free to launch and charge no per-order commission.
Toast Online Ordering: Best for Toast POS Users
Toast Online Ordering is included at no extra monthly cost for restaurants on Toast's Starter, Point of Sale, or Build Your Own plans. Orders placed on your Toast Online page flow directly to your kitchen display system (KDS) as though they were placed at the counter — no manual entry, no tablet monitoring a separate app. Setup: your menu from Toast POS automatically populates your online ordering page, with hours and modifier options synced. You can set order-ahead windows (15 minutes to 7 days), apply different pricing for online orders (delivery markup support), and integrate with DoorDash Drive for restaurant-dispatched delivery. Google integration: Toast integrates with Google's 'Order Online' button — when customers find you on Google Maps, they see a direct 'Order Online' link that routes to your commission-free Toast page rather than a delivery platform. This is high-value local SEO — many customers click 'Order Online' directly from Google Maps without ever visiting a delivery app. Credit card processing fee: 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction (standard plan).
Square Online: Best for Square POS Users and Lean Budgets
Square Online offers a free website and online ordering tier — you pay zero monthly fee and only 2.9% + $0.30 in credit card processing per transaction. The free tier includes your own ordering website with your domain, menu sync from Square POS, pickup and local delivery order management, and Instagram Shopping integration. Upgrade to Square Online Plus ($29/month) for: abandoned cart recovery, custom domain with no Square branding, and QR code ordering (table-side digital ordering, useful for counter-service concepts with limited staff). Square Online's food-specific templates are clean and mobile-first — most fast-casual founders can have a professional-looking ordering site live within 2–3 hours. Limitation: Square Online's design customization is more restricted than a dedicated website builder. For a fast-casual brand that wants a fully custom website experience alongside ordering, pair Square Online with a Squarespace or Framer marketing site (link your 'Order Online' button to your Square Online URL).
Olo: The Enterprise Platform for Growing Fast-Casual Concepts
Olo powers online ordering for over 700 restaurant brands including Shake Shack, Five Guys, and Wingstop. It is not designed for single-location independents — minimum contracts typically start at $250–$500/month and require a sales conversation. Where Olo earns its fee: multi-channel order aggregation (pulls DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub, and your direct ordering into one dashboard and one KDS queue), loyalty program integration (Punchh, LevelUp), guest marketing automation (re-engagement email/SMS campaigns triggered by order behavior), and enterprise-grade reporting by location, daypart, and channel. If you are opening your second or third fast-casual location and managing 500+ online orders per month, Olo's aggregation and marketing tools justify the cost. For a first location, the overhead is unnecessary — start with Toast or Square and migrate to Olo at scale.
Google 'Order Online' Integration: The Local SEO Multiplier
Google Maps and Google Search are where most customers begin their restaurant discovery journey. When your Google Business Profile is claimed and your online ordering system is integrated, Google displays an 'Order Online' button directly in your search result and Maps listing — giving customers a one-click path to your commission-free ordering page without visiting DoorDash. Both Toast and Square Online offer native Google ordering integration. To activate: connect your Toast or Square account in your Google Business Profile settings (Manage Profile > Food Ordering). Once live, your ordering page receives traffic from customers actively searching '[your cuisine] near me' or your restaurant name — the highest-intent traffic available to your business. Local SEO optimization for this channel: ensure your Google Business Profile has your current hours, menu uploaded, and 20+ positive reviews — profiles with complete information rank higher in the local pack and convert more 'Order Online' clicks to actual orders.
Building a Direct Ordering Customer Base: The 90-Day Strategy
Launching direct online ordering is not a field of dreams situation — you need to actively redirect customers from third-party platforms to your direct channel. A 90-day direct ordering growth strategy: Week 1: launch Toast or Square Online ordering page, activate Google ordering integration, add your direct URL to your Instagram bio and all social profiles. Weeks 2–8: include a printed card in every delivery bag with your direct ordering link and a first-order incentive ('Order direct at [URL] — get free chips on your next order, skip the delivery app markup'). Weeks 4–12: run a loyalty punch card program (digital via Toast Loyalty or Square Loyalty at $25–$45/month) that rewards direct ordering but not third-party ordering. Week 12: measure the direct-to-third-party order ratio. Target: 20–30% of online orders through your direct channel by day 90. At 25% direct ordering on $30,000/month online revenue, you save $7,500/month in platform commissions.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Toast POS
Restaurant POS with built-in commission-free online ordering, Google integration, and kitchen display system sync
Square for Restaurants
Free online ordering website with Square POS integration — zero monthly fee, Google ordering support
Olo
Enterprise online ordering and delivery management for multi-location fast-casual brands
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much does Toast online ordering cost?
Toast Online Ordering is included in Toast's POS plans with no additional monthly fee. You pay only credit card processing at 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction (on the standard plan). Some advanced features (loyalty, gift cards, catering module) have separate monthly fees of $25–$100 each. Toast's base POS plan starts at $0/month (Starter, with 2 terminal limit) to $69/month (Point of Sale) — online ordering is included in both.
Can I use a different POS and still have commission-free online ordering?
Yes. Olo works with most major restaurant POS systems. Square Online works independently of any POS. If you use a legacy POS like Aloha or Micros, Olo is likely your best commission-free online ordering option. For new fast-casual restaurants selecting their first POS, choosing Toast or Square for the bundled online ordering integration simplifies your tech stack and reduces integration costs.
Do I still need to be on DoorDash and UberEats if I have direct online ordering?
Yes, at least initially. Third-party delivery platforms provide discovery — millions of customers browse DoorDash and UberEats to find new restaurants. Your direct ordering channel captures customers who already know you and prefer to skip platform fees. Use delivery platforms for discovery and customer acquisition; use direct ordering for retention and margin improvement. Many fast-casual operators run both in parallel indefinitely.