Restaurants may have to use different tactics to drive direct orders. | Illustration by Nico Heins/Firefly
When it comes to delivery, restaurants almost always prefer customers to order directly, rather than through a third party.
Orders placed through a restaurants’ own website or app are better for all involved, or so the thinking goes. Customers get a lower price by avoiding the markups and fees on third-party delivery apps, and restaurants get more data on those transactions and more control over the experience.
But consumers themselves say they are almost equally happy ordering directly or through a third-party app like DoorDash, Uber Eats or Grubhub, suggesting that restaurants may need to do more to entice customers to use their direct channels.
That’s according to a secret shopper study from researcher Intouch Insight, conducted exclusively for Restaurant Business and sister publication Nation’s Restaurant News.
The analysis of transactions from more than 300 consumers found that those who ordered first-party delivery were satisfied about 88% of the time, while those using a third-party app had a satisfaction rate of 90%.
And, notably, first party’s biggest expected benefit—price—was not really a factor.
First-party customers paid an average of $26.28 for their food, while third-party users paid slightly more at $26.72. The difference was 44 cents, or less than 2%.
(Shoppers were instructed to order one entree, a side and a drink. Third-party users could order from anywhere, while first-party customers could choose from a list of 10 quick-service options.)
This pricing parity may not be as surprising as it seems. Third-party delivery apps have been working to make themselves more affordable for a couple of years. Compared to a similar Intouch Insight study conducted last year, third-party service fees declined an average of 82 cents in 2025, for an average total of $5.14.
Fees were actually higher for first-party orders, clocking in at $5.96, on average.
Customers did note price markups on third-party delivery apps. Entrees on the apps were $1.85 more expensive, on average, than they were on the restaurant’s regular menu. Restaurants often hike their prices on third-party delivery apps to help cover the commissions charged by the apps.
But those markups may have been offset a bit by the proliferation of promotions and discounts offered by third-party apps. More than half (52%) of customers who ordered from a third party received a promotion, compared to just 32% of first-party customers.
Ultimately, though, the researchers found that there was little correlation between price and customer satisfaction.
“To a certain extent, once that decision is made that I’m going to order delivery, that relationship with price is almost moot,” said Sarah Beckett, VP of sales and marketing at Intouch Insight. “Essentially, you’ve decided to spend the money already.”
Instead, satisfaction hinged on things like speed, accuracy and food temperature. On those variables, there was little distinction between first and third party.
Customer satisfaction with speed of service was equal at 91% for both first- and third-party orders. The same was true for order accuracy: For both service models, 89% of shoppers said their order was correct.
Third-party apps did slightly better on food temperature, with 90% of customers saying the food arrived at the right temperature, compared to 88% for first party.
First party’s biggest edge was the actual delivery time. Orders placed directly took an average of 30 minutes to arrive, compared to more than 35 minutes for third-party orders.
That could be because third-party transactions were far more likely to have other trips included along the delivery route. This practice, known as batching, occurred in 19% of third-party delivery orders, but just 4% of first-party orders.
Customers who ordered directly were also more likely to have the option to customize their order: 97% were able to do so, vs. 90% for third-party apps.
They also reported more personalization, like a note on the bag, extra sauces or a friendly delivery person. A quarter of first-party orders came with a personal touch, compared to 15% of third-party orders.
The results suggest that if restaurants want to get more customers to order directly, they might consider focusing less on price and more on speed, customization and service. That appears to be where they have the biggest advantage compared to third-party apps right now.
The Intouch Insight study was conducted from April to June between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. Customers were not allowed to use a paid account to get discounts or preferred delivery. Shoppers were spread equally across the U.S.
Intouch Insight will present results from the full study at this year’s FSTEC restaurant technology conference, which will be held Sept. 14-16 in Orlando.
Check out the study here.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
