When restaurant owners start looking for the cheapest food delivery app, they quickly discover a frustrating truth: most “cheap” delivery platforms aren’t cheap at all. They either take commissions, charge high monthly fees, lock you into their payment processors, or limit how much control you have over your own customer base.
But what if the most affordable delivery system isn’t actually a third-party app?
What if you could run your own food delivery platform, avoid commissions entirely, own your customer data, choose your own payment gateways, and brand everything under your own business?
That’s exactly what WooFood delivers — and it’s why many restaurant owners are switching from traditional delivery apps to their own self-hosted ordering system.
Why Third-Party Delivery Apps Aren’t Really the “Cheapest”
When Americans search for the cheapest food delivery app, they usually find options like DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub. These platforms are convenient for customers, but extremely expensive for restaurants.
Here’s the reality:
- Commission fees range from 15% to 30% per order, depending on visibility and delivery tiers.
- Payout delays can hurt cash flow.
- Customer data belongs to the app, not the restaurant.
- Menu and pricing control are limited, forcing you to adapt to their system.
Even “restaurant-focused platforms” that appear low-cost, such as GloriaFood, often introduce monthly upgrades, limited payment gateway support, or push you into their internal ecosystem.
So while they may look cheap up front, long-term costs can quickly erase your profit margins.
The Most Cost-Effective Alternative: Your Own Ordering Platform with WooFood
WooFood isn’t a third-party delivery app.
It’s a complete food delivery and ordering system built on WordPress + WooCommerce, letting you turn your own website into a full delivery platform.
By building on your existing website, WooFood allows you to remove commissions entirely and control every part of your ordering experience.
Here’s why WooFood is considered the cheapest long-term food delivery solution for restaurants:
✔ No commissions — ever
WooFood doesn’t charge per order. You keep 100% of every sale.
✔ Choose any payment gateway
This is one of WooFood’s biggest advantages over competitors like GloriaFood or app-based systems.
Using WooCommerce, you can integrate:
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Authorize.net
- Square
- Local bank gateways
- Cash on delivery
- Apple Pay / Google Pay
- And hundreds of other options
You are not locked into someone else’s rates or restrictions.
✔ You own the website, the data, the database — everything
Your customers, orders, and analytics are stored on your WordPress site.
You never lose access, and no third-party controls your business.
✔ Delivery zones with advanced rules
WooFood lets you define:
- Distance-based delivery fees
- Zone-specific fees
- Minimum order amounts
- Pickup-only zones
- Multiple delivery radius ranges
This level of customization is almost never offered by traditional apps.
✔ Real-time order management
Restaurants get:
- Live order notifications
- Accept/decline controls
- Automatic order updates
- Delivery time estimations
Kitchen staff can manage orders smoothly during peak hours.
✔ Automatic order printing
WooFood supports auto-printing on both Windows and macOS, making it perfect for busy kitchens.
✔ Multi-location support
Run multiple branches? No problem.
WooFood supports:
- Separate menus
- Separate zones
- Branch-specific operating hours
- Branch-specific printing
- Unified or separated reporting
✔ Opening hours, holidays & scheduling
Create advanced scheduling rules for:
- Pickup hours
- Delivery hours
- Holidays
- Special closure days
- Pre-order scheduling
✔ Works with any WooCommerce-compatible theme
Full branding control — your site, your design, your identity.
Why WooFood Is Perfect for Restaurants Wanting a Mobile App
Many owners searching for the cheapest food delivery app specifically want to offer a mobile app experience without spending tens of thousands of dollars.
WooFood fits this need perfectly.
✔ Fully compatible as a mobile web app
WooFood works smoothly as a Progressive Web App (PWA), allowing customers to:
- Install your “app” on their home screen
- Receive push-style interaction
- Enjoy app-like navigation
- Access lightning-fast ordering
This is the modern alternative to expensive custom app development.
✔ Easy to convert into a full iOS/Android app
Because WooFood is built on WordPress and WooCommerce, it can be quickly turned into a mobile app using popular wrappers or services.
This means:
- No huge development cost
- Your ordering system stays synced
- Updates reflect instantly
- Your branding remains consistent
For restaurants on a budget, this is the most cost-effective way to get a real mobile presence.
Why WooFood Beats Traditional “Cheap” Apps
Here’s a simple truth:
Third-party apps profit from your orders. WooFood helps you profit from your orders.
Compared to typical delivery apps:
| Feature | Delivery Apps | WooFood |
|---|---|---|
| Commissions | 15–30% | 0% |
| Payment Gateways | Restricted | Unlimited |
| Data Ownership | App owns customer data | YOU own everything |
| Branding | App-first | Restaurant-first |
| Mobile App Option | Expensive | Easy and affordable |
| Delivery Zones | Limited | Highly configurable |
| Multi-Location | Extra cost | Built-in |
| Order Printing | Limited | Automatic |
| Website Ownership | No | Yes |
WooFood wins in every category that matters for long-term growth, profitability, and customer control.
Final Thoughts: The Cheapest Food Delivery App Is the One You Control
If your goal is to find the cheapest food delivery app for your restaurant in the United States, the smartest financial decision isn’t to use a traditional app at all — it’s to run your own.
With WooFood, you avoid commissions, get total control, offer your own branded mobile experience, and pay only a one-time plugin cost — not endless monthly or per-order fees.
It’s the most affordable, scalable, feature-rich solution for restaurants that want independence and profitability.