In a world dominated by multinational food apps, independent restaurant owners in Ontario are fighting to keep their hard-earned profits. Every online order can come with high commissions, while complicated technology can add stress and eat into your margins.
At Dine Local, we believe that staying competitive shouldn’t come at the cost of your business’s financial health. We’ve built a platform specifically for independent restaurants, and our features are designed to solve the real problems you face by prioritizing profit, simplicity, and control.
1. Commission-Free Profits & Predictable Pricing
The single biggest drain on an independent restaurant’s profitability is the high commission structure of major delivery apps, which can take $15-$35 out of every $100 order. Dine Local operates on a radically different, commission-free model that benefits everyone.
For Restaurants: Instead of percentage-based cuts, we offer predictable, low monthly pricing. This means 100% of the order value goes directly to your restaurant. This shift from variable, unpredictable commission losses to a flat, manageable expense allows you to accurately forecast costs and protect your profit margins.
For Customers: Because we don’t take commissions, we strongly discourage price markups. Your customers can order with confidence knowing the price they are paying is the same as ordering direct. Crucially, we also charge no extra “service” or “convenience” fees on top of the order total. This commitment to transparency ensures your diners feel good about supporting local without being nickel-and-dimed.
2. Simplicity and Fully Managed Onboarding
Getting online shouldn’t be a complicated, technical burden. We provide a fully managed platform with a simple onboarding process. Our team handles your full menu and website setup and design, getting you online quickly and with minimal effort required from your staff. Our low-risk, affordable monthly fee (often paired with special offers like $0 setup fees and discounts on preconfigured hardware bundles) ensures you can start focusing on sales, not software integration headaches, from day one.
3. Automation and Flawless Delivery
Delivery shouldn’t be a logistical nightmare. We provide a flexible system that adapts to your needs and gives you control over your costs while automating complex tasks.
- Automated Dispatch: We offer full integration with Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive, so you can leverage their massive driver networks for the best pricing and most reliable service. Our system automatically dispatches and manages the delivery process for you.
- White-Labeled Tracking: This partnership is completely white-labeled, meaning your customers get consistent GPS tracking and a clean user experience (UI), regardless of which provider fulfills the order.
- In-House Fleet Support: If you have your own delivery staff, we can support that too! We can process accurate delivery pricing based on your rate card and delivery areas, and even support flexible payment methods, including debit and credit at the door.
4. Own Your Customers: Marketing Power & Data
We believe the relationship you have with your customer is your most valuable asset. Unlike third-party apps that hide or monetize your customer data, Dine Local ensures you own the data from every order.
You receive detailed usage reporting to understand ordering patterns, preferences, and frequency. Furthermore, we offer essential integrations designed to strengthen your brand loyalty:
- Email Marketing: Seamless integration with services like MailChimp™ allows you to easily export customer data for targeted, personalized promotions, loyalty campaigns, and newsletters.
- Search Integration: Full support for listing your menu directly on platforms like Order with Google, meeting customers where they are searching.
- Behavioral Tracking: Our websites and order platform allow seamless integration with the restaurant’s own Google Analytics, enabling you to track customer behavior, conversion funnels, and marketing ROI using standard, powerful web tools.
Strategic Choice 1: Branding That Stays Yours
We understand that a one-size-fits-all approach to online branding simply doesn’t work. We offer a two-pronged approach to help you control your digital presence:
- Dine Local Marketplace Page: This is the fast and affordable way to get online. Your page on the Dine Local marketplace is co-branded, featuring your restaurant’s logo, images, and menu items to reflect your unique brand.
- Website Add-On: For restaurants that want to fully own their brand and digital footprint, our website add-on is the ideal solution. You get your own domain name and a fully branded website featuring event listings, restaurant information, and a beautiful digital menu. This website links directly to your Dine Local order page, giving you full control of your brand while seamlessly integrating our powerful ordering and delivery technology.
Strategic Choice 2: POS Integration Without the Headache
Many platforms promise seamless POS integration, but at what cost? In reality, these integrations often create generic order items in your system, completely invalidating your traditional POS reporting and creating accounting complexity.
That’s why we’ve made a strategic choice to prioritize your bottom line. Our printing and daily reporting tools allow you to manage online orders easily without disrupting your existing POS workflow. For independent restaurants, this approach is a deliberate, customer-centric benefit. It gives you the convenience of online ordering without the complexity of management, which is a far more critical selling point than a feature designed for high-volume chains.
Ready to Simplify and Save?
Dine Local offers a smarter way to manage your online business, putting profits back in your pocket and giving you the power to grow on your own terms. Our focus is on providing a simple, powerful, and profitable solution that allows you to focus on what you do best: running a great restaurant.
To learn more about how Dine Local can help your business thrive, contact us today.