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Restaurants · head to head

ChowNow vs Yelp Reservations

ChowNow logo

ChowNow

Restaurants

Commission-free online ordering

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yelp Reservations logo

Yelp Reservations

Restaurants

Reservations powered by Yelp

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ChowNow limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available; Yelp Reservations basic Guest Manager plan caps at 500 covers per month; higher volume requires the Plus plan at $279/month (annual) or $349/month (monthly)
  • They diverge on capability: ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Yelp Reservations covers Online reservations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChowNow and Yelp Reservations actually diverge.

Attributes where ChowNow and Yelp Reservations differ
AttributeChowNowYelp Reservations
Starting price$249/month$99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Founded20102004

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ChowNow

  • Branded ordering
  • Website integration
  • Mobile app
  • Customer database
  • Marketing tools
  • Delivery integration
  • DoorDash Drive
  • Google

Only in Yelp Reservations

  • Online reservations
  • Waitlist management
  • Table assignments
  • Yelp integration
  • Guest messaging
  • Analytics
  • Yelp
  • Toast

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ChowNow

  • Point of Salenot Yelp Reservations
  • Order Managementnot Yelp Reservations
  • Inventory Controlnot Yelp Reservations
  • Staff Schedulingnot Yelp Reservations

Yelp Reservations

  • Managing restaurant reservations, waitlists and AI phone call answeringnot ChowNow

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ChowNow

  • Limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available
  • No multi-language support, limiting service to non-English speaking customer bases
  • Multi-location management requires separate dashboard for each location
  • Delivery reliability issues with reported order delays and non-arrivals
  • Limited customer support responsiveness with long phone wait times

Yelp Reservations

  • Basic Guest Manager plan caps at 500 covers per month; higher volume requires the Plus plan at $279/month (annual) or $349/month (monthly)
  • Monthly billing costs more than annual billing at every tier, for example Basic Guest Manager is $159/month billed monthly versus $129/month billed annually

Pricing, plan by plan

ChowNow

$249/month
  • Launch$249/month
    • Commission-free ordering
    • Website and mobile app
    • Basic POS integrations
  • Grow$349/month
    • All Launch features
    • Advanced marketing tools
    • Email and SMS campaigns
  • Elevate$449/month
    • All Grow features
    • Advanced reporting
    • Priority support

Yelp Reservations

$99/month
  • Basic$99/month
    • Reservations
    • Waitlist
  • Plus$299/month
    • Table management
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose ChowNow if

  • You need branded ordering.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want website integration.
ChowNow review

Choose Yelp Reservations if

  • You need online reservations.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want waitlist management.
Yelp Reservations review

Questions people ask

Is ChowNow or Yelp Reservations better?
Neither clearly leads. ChowNow starts at $249/month and Yelp Reservations at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChowNow or Yelp Reservations?
ChowNow starts at $249/month and Yelp Reservations at $99/month.
Does ChowNow or Yelp Reservations run on more platforms?
ChowNow runs on Web, iOS, Android. Yelp Reservations runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is ChowNow best used for?
ChowNow is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what Yelp Reservations is typically brought in for.
What can ChowNow do that Yelp Reservations cannot?
ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Website integration, Mobile app, Customer database. Yelp Reservations covers Online reservations, Waitlist management, Table assignments, Yelp integration. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ChowNow: Is ChowNow truly commission-free?

Yes, ChowNow charges no commission on orders placed through your website, app, or marketplace channels. However, you pay a monthly subscription ($249-$449), payment processing fees (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), and optional delivery fees ($7.98 per order with Flex Delivery).

Source
ChowNow: Does ChowNow integrate with my POS system?

Yes. ChowNow integrates with over 45 POS systems including Toast, Square, Clover, and Revel. Orders are automatically synced to your POS and kitchen printers without manual entry.

Source
ChowNow: Can I use ChowNow with delivery platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats?

ChowNow handles direct orders but also supports order aggregation from third-party delivery platforms including DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub through integrations.

Source
ChowNow: How much does ChowNow cost?

ChowNow plans start at $249/month (Launch), $349/month (Grow), and $449/month (Elevate) when billed monthly. Annual billing saves 8-9%. Additional fees include payment processing (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), setup fees ($119-$499), and optional delivery charges.

Source
ChowNow: What platforms are supported by ChowNow?

ChowNow is available on web, iOS, and Android. Restaurants get a website ordering interface and can offer a branded mobile app. Customers discover restaurants through Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, and the ChowNow Marketplace.

Source
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