Restaurant ordering app: take orders on your phone, customers order without a download
No tablet to buy and no missed orders. The app runs on your existing phone and keeps ringing until someone accepts the order.
- ✓ 0% commission: versus 30% listed by Uber Eats and DoorDash for orders they deliver
- ✓ Free menu migration: send a menu export, screenshots or your ordering link and we move it
- ✓ Month to month: no lock-in contract, cancel any time
- ✓ Stripe card payments: standard Stripe fees, and Chefzi takes 0% of the order
Set up the app for my venue Or work out what the apps cost you →
Free setup and onboarding · Free menu migration · Month to month
Restaurants and takeaways across the UK, US, Germany, Europe, Australia and Belgium use Chefzi
Updated 27 October 2026. All prices are from the vendors' own Australian pages, read that day. On this page: Apps compared · Native app or web app? · How to choose · Devices and printers · Roll-out plan · FAQ
Many ordering systems ask you to rent or buy a dedicated tablet. Chefzi runs on the Android phone or tablet you already own. The Chefzi app is on Google Play now, and the Apple App Store version is coming soon. New orders ring until someone accepts or rejects them, so nothing gets missed in a busy kitchen.
- Accept or reject with a ready time
- Auto-print dockets to a compatible printer
- Mark items sold out in one tap
- If the device drops offline, we alert you by SMS and then by phone call
Customers don't need to download anything. They order in the browser from your site, your Google listing or a table QR code.
An app for your staff, a web page for your customers
The Chefzi app is for your restaurant staff, not your customers. It's on Google Play now (the Apple App Store version is coming soon), runs on the Android phone or tablet you already own and rings until each order is accepted. There's no Chefzi customer app or white-label app. Customers order through your web ordering page or a table QR code, with nothing to download: your ordering page works in any phone browser and can be saved to the home screen. That matters, because most people won't install an app for one takeaway, but they'll happily tap a link from Google.
What staff see
- A loud alert for each new order, with pickup or delivery time
- Items, options and customer notes, including allergies
- Accept with a prep time, so the customer knows when it's ready
- One-tap sold-out items and ready times you set per order
Three kinds of "restaurant ordering app" in Australia
| Type | Examples | Who it serves | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace or order-ahead apps | Uber Eats, DoorDash, Hey You | Diners browsing many venues | Reach, but the app sits between you and the customer and usually charges per order |
| Dine-in order-and-pay apps | me&u | Guests at the table | Check the fees for venues and diners on the provider's own pricing |
| Your own ordering page plus a staff app (Chefzi) | Chefzi | Your regulars, from your link, Google and QR codes | 0% commission; you promote your own link |
Why most venues skip a native customer app
A customer has to find, download and log in to a native app before the first order. A web ordering page opens straight from Google, Instagram or a table QR code, works on any phone, and can be saved to the home screen. The money goes on the food, not on app store builds.
Hardware: what you actually need
- Any Android phone or tablet you already own. There's no hardware to buy.
- Optional: a compatible printer for auto-printed dockets.
- A charger at the pass, and notifications and sound turned on.
What it costs
The Chefzi app is included in every plan: A$17 a month ex GST (cash or pay at the counter) or A$36 a month ex GST (online card payments), with 0% commission, unlimited orders and no setup fee, month to month (pricing). Card payments go through Stripe at standard Stripe fees. Compare it with app commission in the commission calculator.
Next: how the ordering page works, the takeaway ordering system, commission-free ordering and the full feature list.
Order-taking app vs customer app
"Restaurant ordering app" means two things. The order-taking app is what your staff use to receive and accept orders. A customer app is what diners use to order. Chefzi gives you the first, and for the second uses a mobile web ordering page, so customers can order without downloading anything. Branded native customer apps cost extra on most platforms (Bopple lists a white-label app bundle at $399 a month) and only pay off for groups with very loyal, frequent customers.
What the Chefzi order-taking app does
- Rings until each order is accepted or rejected
- Accept with a ready time, which the customer sees
- One-tap sold-out items
- Auto-printed dockets on a compatible printer
- SMS and then a phone call if your device goes offline
Delivery zones, promo codes and table QR codes are covered in the rest of Chefzi's features.
Setting up the app
- Install the Chefzi app from Google Play on the Android phone or tablet you already own (the Apple App Store version is coming soon)
- Log in and turn on notifications and sound
- Place a test order from your ordering page
- Plug the device in at the pass, so it never runs flat mid-service
Restaurant ordering apps in Australia compared
| Option | What you pay (published) | Order-taking app | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| GloriaFood | Free core ordering | iOS and Android app | Closing in 2027 (gloriafood.com says 30 April 2027). See GloriaFood alternatives. |
| Square Online | Free plan, 2.2% per online transaction | Orders go to Square POS or KDS | Best if you already run Square POS. See Chefzi vs Square Online. |
| Bopple | $49 a month + 1.64% + $0.10 per order (ex GST) | Orders Manager app | The per-order fee grows with sales. See Bopple pricing compared. |
| Uber Eats / DoorDash tablets | Commission up to 30% per order | Their merchant app | Marketplace orders only. The customer belongs to the app. |
| Chefzi | Flat monthly fee, 0% commission (A$17 or A$36 a month ex GST) | Chefzi app on your own phone or tablet | No marketplace. You bring your own customers. |
Prices are from each provider's Australian page, read 27 October 2026. Card processing is extra unless stated.
Native customer app or mobile web ordering?
| Mobile web ordering page | Branded native app | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer has to download | No | Yes |
| Works from Google, Instagram and QR codes | Directly | Usually through a web fallback |
| Extra cost | Usually included | Often a paid add-on, plus app store accounts |
| Push notifications | Limited | Yes |
| Best for | Most independents | Groups with very frequent regulars |
Start with a fast mobile web page. Consider a native app only once you have regulars ordering every week.
How to choose a restaurant ordering app
- Total monthly cost at your volume: subscription plus any per-order fee plus card fees. Try the commission calculator.
- Contract: month to month or a fixed term? Read the exit clause.
- Alerts that can't be missed: loud, repeating alerts and an offline warning.
- Menu control from the app: sold-out items and pausing orders on busy nights.
- Fulfilment: pickup, delivery zones, scheduled orders and table QR ordering.
- Customer data: do you get the names and contacts?
- Australian support hours that match your trading hours.
Choosing a till as well? Read the restaurant POS buyer's guide. Chefzi POS and the kitchen display are included in the same plan as online ordering.
Devices and printers
- Any recent Android phone or tablet works. The Chefzi app is on Google Play now, and the Apple App Store version is coming soon. A tablet is easier to read at the pass.
- Keep it on charge and on Wi-Fi, with mobile data as a back-up.
- A compatible thermal printer saves rewriting dockets. Test it before your first service.
- Turn off battery saving for the app, so alerts aren't delayed.
A one-week roll-out plan
- Day 1: send us your menu and set pickup times and delivery zones.
- Day 2: install the app, then place and accept test orders.
- Day 3: add the link to your Google Business Profile and Instagram bio (see adding Google's order button).
- Days 4–7: put a QR card in every bag and on the counter, and tell regulars.
Moving from another system? Read the guide to choosing an online ordering system.
What commission costs on an illustrative A$10,000 month
| A$10,000 a month in app orders for your venue | Commission |
|---|---|
| Uber Eats, they deliver (30%) | A$3,000 |
| DoorDash, pickup (15%) | A$1,500 |
| 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.
Guides
- How to move your regulars off Uber Eats and DoorDash (without losing them): Practical, fair ways Australian takeaways move repeat customers from delivery apps to their own ordering page: bag inserts, pricing, Google, QR codes and first-order offers.
- Food safety for takeaway and delivery orders in Australia: What FSANZ Standard 3.2.2A means for takeaways, plus practical temperature, packaging, allergen and driver tips for pickup and delivery orders.
Get your commission-free ordering page
Tell us where to reach you. We'll build your menu for free and send you a test link.
We only use your details to contact you about Chefzi. There's no lock-in contract.
Frequently asked questions
Do customers need to download an app?
No. They order in their phone's browser, from your web ordering page or a table QR code.
Is the Chefzi app for customers?
No. The Chefzi app is the restaurant and staff app for taking orders. It's on Google Play now, and the Apple App Store version is coming soon. Chefzi doesn't offer a customer or white-label app.
What is a table ordering system?
A system that lets diners order from their table, usually by scanning a QR code linked to that table number. Orders go straight to the kitchen tagged with the table.
How do I make a QR code for restaurant table ordering?
Create a unique ordering link for each table in your ordering system, generate a QR code for each one, test-scan it, then print it on a durable table stand or sticker.
What is the best restaurant ordering app in Australia?
It depends on your set-up. Square Online suits venues already on Square POS. Bopple suits venues that want many integrations. Chefzi suits independents that want a flat fee with no commission. Compare total monthly cost at your own volume.
Is there a free restaurant ordering app?
GloriaFood is free but closing in 2027. Square Online has a free plan with 2.2% per online transaction. "Free" apps usually charge per order instead.
Do I need a tablet for a restaurant order taking app?
No. Chefzi runs on an Android phone or tablet you already own. A tablet is easier to read in a busy kitchen.
Can I use one app for pickup, delivery and table orders?
Yes. Pickup, delivery and table QR orders arrive in the same Chefzi app.
Should I build my own restaurant app?
Rarely. A custom native app costs far more than a monthly subscription, and most customers won't download it. A mobile web ordering page covers most venues.
Do customers need to download an app to order?
No. Customers order from a web page that opens from Google, your website, social links or a QR code. Only your staff use the Chefzi app.
What device do I need for a restaurant ordering app?
Any Android phone or tablet you already own. The Chefzi app is on Google Play now, and the Apple App Store version is coming soon. A compatible printer is optional, for auto-printed dockets.
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