ChowNowvs
Toast POS
Toast POS: Full POS system with integrated online ordering, better for restaurants already on Toast or those wanting unified POS and ordering in one platform.
ChowNow
Commission-free online ordering
As of 30 August 2026, ChowNow starts at $249/month. ChowNow is an online ordering system that allows restaurants to take orders directly through their own branded website and app without paying marketplace commis. Softwr lists it under Restaurants. ChowNow is made by ChowNow Inc., launched in 2011, available on Web, iOS, Android.
Overview
What ChowNow does
ChowNow is an online ordering system that allows restaurants to take orders directly through their own branded website and app without paying marketplace commissions. It focuses on helping restaurants own their customer relationships and data while providing delivery through partnerships.
What people use it for
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about 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
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of ChowNow
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- ChowNowvsSpotOn
SpotOn: Restaurant management platform offering POS and online ordering, competing directly on all-in-one operational solutions for independent restaurants.
- ChowNowvsOlo
Olo: Enterprise digital ordering platform with 400+ integrations, designed for large multi-location restaurant brands seeking scalable ordering infrastructure.
- ChowNowvsBBentoBox
BentoBox: Restaurant website and online ordering platform focused on design-forward presence and direct customer ordering without third-party marketplace exposure.
Pricing
What ChowNow costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Launch
$249 /mo
- Commission-free ordering
- Website and mobile app
- Basic POS integrations
Grow
$349 /mo
- All Launch features
- Advanced marketing tools
- Email and SMS campaigns
- Loyalty programs
Elevate
$449 /mo
- All Grow features
- Advanced reporting
- Priority support
Capabilities
Features
Branded ordering
Website integration
Mobile app
Customer database
Marketing tools
Delivery integration
DoorDash Drive
Integration with DoorDash Drive
Google
Integration with Google
Facebook
Integration with Facebook
Instagram
Integration with Instagram
Web support
Available on web
Ios support
Available on ios
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
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).
SourceDoes 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.
SourceCan 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.
SourceHow 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.
SourceWhat 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.
SourceBehind it
Who makes ChowNow
- Company
- ChowNow Inc.
- Based in
- Los Angeles, California
- Founders
- Christopher Webb, Eric Jaffe
Timeline
ChowNow over time
Keep looking
Where to go from ChowNow
- ChowNow alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- ChowNow pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- ChowNow badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Restaurants softwareThe full category
- Best Restaurants softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Restaurants software for
Compare ChowNow with
- Lunchbox
- Flipdish
- Slice
- BentoBox
- Toast POS
- SpotOn
- Olo
- Deliverect
- Otter
- Owner.com
- CAKE POS
- Popmenu
- Plate IQ
- Postmates
- Resy
- Rezku POS
- SevenRooms
- Slice
Other Restaurants software
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Pricing on request12 researched notesBranded ordering websites, apps and self service kiosks for takeaways and restaurant groups in Europe
Pricing on request12 researched notesOnline ordering, POS and group purchasing built only for independent pizzerias
Pricing on request12 researched notesMiddleware connecting delivery marketplaces to restaurant point of sale systems across Europe and beyond
Pricing on request11 researched notesDelivery order consolidation and menu management across marketplaces, owned by CloudKitchens
Pricing on request12 researched notesOnline ordering, POS and group purchasing built only for independent pizzerias
Pricing on request12 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for ChowNow, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on ChowNow
ChowNow alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
ChowNow pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare ChowNow
Put it head to head with anything we hold
ChowNow badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
Best Restaurants software alternatives
Indian food delivery marketplace with Instamart quick commerce grocery built in
Free to download; delivery and platform fees per order, optional paid membership
Indian food delivery and restaurant discovery app, now operating under parent brand Eternal
Free to download; delivery and platform fees per order, optional paid membership
European takeaway marketplace, merged with Grubhub as Just Eat Takeaway.com
Free to download; delivery and service fees per order, set by restaurant and market
UK-headquartered food delivery marketplace connecting restaurants, riders and diners
Free to download; delivery and service fees per order, optional subscription for reduced feesMiddleware connecting delivery marketplaces to restaurant point of sale systems across Europe and beyond
quoteFirst party ordering websites, apps and loyalty for growing multi unit restaurant brands
quoteDelivery order consolidation and menu management across marketplaces, owned by CloudKitchens
quote
Back of house inventory, invoice processing and costing built first for beverage led venues
quote