Online ordering for cafés
Australian café culture runs on coffee orders, and order-ahead coffee for commuters is a big win for busy cafés.
Set up your café menu
- Milk choices (full cream, skim, oat, almond, soy) and extra shots
- Cup sizes
- All-day breakfast
- Pastries and cabinet food
Running busy nights
Order-ahead coffee with a ready time cuts the morning queue.
Online ordering options for cafés
Cafés mostly need order-ahead for the morning rush and QR ordering at tables. Delivery matters less. Published prices in Australia (read 27 October 2026):
| Provider | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ywait | From A$15 a month | Order-ahead and QR, Square integration |
| mypreorder | Free Starter (250 orders a month); Growth A$79 a month | Pre-order focus |
| YQme | From A$3 a week plus transaction fees | Pay-as-you-go |
| Square Online | Free plan at 2.2%; QR ordering from Plus at A$36 a month | Best if you use Square POS |
| Chefzi | Flat monthly fee, 0% commission | Pickup, delivery and table QR together |
Setting up for the coffee rush
- Put milk types, sizes, shots and syrups as options with prices.
- Set a short default ready time (5–10 minutes) and raise it when the queue builds.
- Put a table QR code on each table: see QR code ordering.
- Offer scheduled orders so office workers can pre-order before they leave.
What the apps take
An illustrative example at A$5,000 a month in app sales:
| A$5,000 a month in app orders for a café venue | Commission |
|---|---|
| Uber Eats, they deliver (30%) | A$1,500 |
| DoorDash, pickup (15%) | A$750 |
| Chefzi (0%) | A$0 plus a flat monthly fee |
Published Australian rates from the Uber Eats and DoorDash merchant pricing pages, checked 27 October 2026. Excludes GST and card processing. Your own agreement may differ.
Related: Online ordering system · QR code ordering · Takeaway ordering · Pricing
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge for alternative milks?
Yes. Each milk option can carry its own price.
Do cafés need a POS-integrated ordering system?
Not always. If your POS is Square, Square Online or Ywait sync orders. If not, a standalone system with an app that rings for each order works fine for most small cafés.
What does Chefzi cost for cafés?
A$17 a month ex GST for cash or pay-at-counter orders, or A$36 a month ex GST with online card payments through Stripe. 0% commission and unlimited orders.
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