For many restaurants and food businesses, platforms like Slice, DoorDash, and Toast provide a quick and convenient way to start taking online orders. These services promise seamless integration, built-in customer reach, and ease of use. However, what many business owners don’t realize at first is the hidden costs that come with these platforms—both financially and in terms of long-term growth potential.

While these online ordering services may seem like a good fit initially, many restaurants eventually struggle with steep transaction fees, limited branding control, and reduced direct engagement with their customers. That’s when they start looking for a better solution that provides flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ownership of their business operations.

Enter the Ellipsis eCommerce Website, a comprehensive solution designed to help small businesses take complete control of their online presence. This article will compare the costs, limitations, and long-term financial impact of using an online menu platform versus having a dedicated eCommerce website.

Initial and Ongoing Costs: A Clear Comparison

1. Setup Fees & Monthly Costs

• Ellipsis eCommerce Website: The Ellipsis program starts at $159/month, covering a fully managed website with domain and DNS management, business-class hosting, custom-designed pages, and 24/7 support. There are no hidden fees, allowing businesses to plan their budget effectively.
• Slice and Similar Platforms: Most third-party ordering platforms operate on a per-order commission model, taking anywhere between 10% to 30% per order. While they might not charge an upfront setup fee, these commissions can add up quickly, especially as your sales grow.

2. Feature Inclusion & Additional Costs

• Ellipsis Website: The base package includes powerful features such as SEO optimization, website analytics, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and email marketing integration. Businesses also have the flexibility to add custom features, ensuring they only pay for what they truly need.
• Online Ordering Platforms: While these services offer basic ordering functionality, many advanced marketing tools—such as customer retargeting, email promotions, and analytics—come at additional costs, which may not be fully transparent upfront.

Long-Term Financial Considerations

The biggest financial downside of online ordering platforms is their costs as your business grows. The more orders you process, the more commission you pay, making it difficult to scale without eating into your profits.

1. Scaling Costs

• Ellipsis Website: The monthly cost remains predictable, even as your business grows. You can expand functionality with additional modules—such as online booking, events management, or memberships—without worrying about rising per-transaction costs.
• Online Menu Platforms: These services become increasingly expensive as your order volume increases. The more successful your restaurant becomes, the more you pay fees, reducing the actual revenue in your pocket.

2. Direct Sales vs. Commission-Based Earnings

Ellipsis Website: You retain 100% of your revenue from every sale. No mediator takes a cut, allowing you to maximize your profits.

Slice, DoorDash, and Similar Platforms: Their commission-based model means that as your revenue grows, so do your costs. Even a modest 15% commission can add up to thousands of dollars lost in potential revenue over time.

To understand the real cost of not having your business website, check out this detailed breakdown: The True Cost of Not Having a Small Business Website.

Beyond Costs: The Value of Branding, Data Control & Direct Customer Engagement

Aside from the financial aspect, using a third-party online ordering system comes with significant limitations in branding, customer relationships, and data ownership.

1. Branding & Customer Relationship

Ellipsis Website: A fully branded website gives your restaurant a unique identity, allowing you to design a customer experience that reflects your brand personality. You can build a strong, recognizable brand with features like loyalty programs, email marketing, and promotional banners.

Online Ordering Platforms: These platforms prioritize their brand over yours. Customers ordering from your restaurant might never visit your website, as their entire experience happens within the third-party app.

2. Data Ownership & Marketing Control

Ellipsis Website: You own all your customer data, including email addresses, order history, and preferences. This gives you complete control over your marketing efforts, allowing you to engage customers with targeted promotions and loyalty programs.

Slice, DoorDash, and Similar Platforms: These platforms keep customer data themselves, often preventing you from directly reaching your customers outside their app. This limits your ability to re-engage and build long-term customer loyalty.

3. Comprehensive Business Management Beyond Just Ordering

The Ellipsis eCommerce website isn’t just a food ordering system—it’s a complete business management tool with additional features like:

• Memberships & Subscriptions (great for loyalty programs)
• Appointment Booking (for catering or private dining)
• Event Management (perfect for promotions, live music nights, or pop-up events)
• Donations & Fundraising (for community involvement)
• Custom Payment Integrations (supporting multiple gateways like PayPal and Stripe)

Online ordering platforms, on the other hand, focus solely on food delivery and lack the versatility to support your business in other key areas.

Real-World Example: How Switching to an Ellipsis Website Can Save Thousands

Let’s consider a small restaurant making $50,000 in monthly online sales.

Using DoorDash or Slice with a 15% commission would mean losing $7,500 per month in fees!

Over a year, that’s $90,000 in lost revenue—money that could be reinvested into marketing, new menu items, or improving customer experience.

With an Ellipsis website at $159/month, you keep 100% of your revenue while benefiting from a professional, feature-rich website.

This example highlights the true cost of relying on third-party platforms. What seems like a “low-cost” solution at first can become an expensive burden over time.

Conclusion

While platforms like Slice and DoorDash provide a quick way to start online ordering, their commission-based model and branding limitations can hurt businesses in the long run. Restaurants that want to scale profitably, own their customer relationships, and maintain full control over branding should consider investing in an Ellipsis eCommerce Website.

With predictable costs, no commissions, and powerful business tools, an Ellipsis website is not just an ordering platform—it’s a complete digital solution designed to help your business thrive.

Are you ready to take control of your online presence and keep more of your hard-earned revenue? Get started with Ellipsis today!