2 October 2026
Can a Restaurant Take Orders Without Zomato or Swiggy?
Short answer
Yes. A restaurant can take orders directly with its own website, a WhatsApp ordering link and an "Order online" link on its Google Business Profile, and keep the 18 to 30 percent commission the aggregators charge. Most restaurants should not leave Zomato and Swiggy — they are where new customers find you — but every repeat customer should be moved to a direct channel, because that is where the margin and the customer relationship are.
Keep the aggregators for discovery, not for regulars
Zomato and Swiggy are very good at one thing: putting your kitchen in front of someone who has never heard of you. They charge for it on every order, including the tenth order from a customer who would happily have ordered from you directly, and they keep the customer's contact details. The working split is simple: new customers arrive through the apps, repeat customers move to you.
What a direct channel needs
Three pieces. A website with your menu, prices and photographs, so there is something to send people to. A WhatsApp ordering link, so placing an order takes one tap and lands in a chat you already answer. And the "Order online" link on your Google Business Profile pointing at your own site, so people who search your name order from you rather than from an app's listing of you. A single-page version of all three costs ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 in India including the first year of hosting.
How customers actually move over
Not by being told the app is expensive. They move when the direct route is easier or better: a card in every aggregator bag with a QR code to your WhatsApp, a small reason to use it (a free add-on, a dish that is only on the direct menu), and a fast reply when they do. Check your aggregator agreement on in-bag material first; what you may put in the bag is set by your contract, not by this post.
Where ONDC fits
ONDC, the government-backed open network, lets your menu appear in several buyer apps at once through one seller app, at commissions reported in single digits rather than the aggregators' 18 to 30 percent. Its order volume is still small next to Zomato and Swiggy, so treat it as an additional, cheaper discovery channel, not as the replacement for your own.
Asked often
Straight answers
Can I run a restaurant delivery business without Zomato and Swiggy?
Yes, but it is harder to find new customers without them. The practical setup is to stay on the aggregators for discovery and move repeat customers to your own website and WhatsApp ordering, where you keep the full order value and the customer's number.
How much commission do Zomato and Swiggy charge restaurants?
Typically 18 to 30 percent of the order value, before GST on the commission, payment fees and any paid promotion. The exact rate depends on your contract, your city and whether the platform also delivers.
What do I need to take orders directly?
A simple website with your menu, a WhatsApp ordering link, and your Google Business Profile's "Order online" link pointing at your own site. That costs roughly ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 in India including the first year of hosting.
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