As your restaurant expands, choosing the right online ordering platform is essential for driving sustainable growth. This system needs to do more than just accept orders — it should manage complex delivery zones, handle peak-hour traffic spikes, and be consistent with your brand image. We know you’ve been contemplating on this and let’s assure you that you’ve come to the right place!

While GloriaFood may be a great starting point for many restaurants, unlimited ordering models and growing restaurant chains often find that its capabilities are somewhat limited. The platform is only truly 'free' if the restaurant is focused on pickup-only orders, as enabling credit/debit card processing for delivery requires an additional $30/month fee. Additionally, expanding eateries require robust features like loyalty programs, multi-zone delivery management, deep POS and third-party integrations, and advanced customer engagement tools.

Your alternative should scale alongside your business and provide advanced functionality at a reasonable price. Otherwise, you could end up dealing with unnecessary complexities - lowered customer satisfaction, frustrated staff, and missed profits.

In this blog, let’s explore the key capabilities and benefits of top GloriaFood alternatives, so you make an informed decision that fits your unique business goals.

Must-Have Online Ordering System Features

Picture this: It’s 6:30 pm at Mario’s Pizza, a bustling family-owned restaurant in Chicago. The dinner rush is in full swing, and delivery orders pour in. Mia, the owner, watches as her staff juggle phone orders, manually enter them into the POS, and struggle to handle walk-ins. Meanwhile, they’re also dealing with customers paying in cash or by card for pickup orders—adding more to the chaos.

With limited staff and high demand, the time spent manually processing payments consumes valuable bandwidth, slowing down operations and leading to mistakes. 

She knows she’s losing business. The sad part is, her story isn’t unique. Across the restaurant industry, owners have started realizing that traditional methods are now costing them money. At the same time, customers are willing to pay even 14% more if you make the ordering experience more convenient for them. Then what’s the holdup? 

While GloriaFood may offer a free model for pickup orders, the reality is that growing restaurants often need more streamlined and automated solutions to manage their busy operations effectively.

You need more than just a basic system - you need a powerful online ordering system that does more than just handle orders. It must be able to give customers the experience they are willing to pay for.

Here are few must-have features of an efficient online ordering system: 

Smart Delivery Management

An efficient delivery management system goes beyond the basics of just delivering products. It optimizes routes, reduces travel time, and ensures faster delivery, which directly enhances customer satisfaction and fosters loyalty. Look for systems that offer multi-zone management through area control, radius settings, and map-based delivery boundaries. This ensures you can efficiently manage delivery logistics across multiple locations while maintaining service quality.

With Restolabs, you can define and adjust delivery zones in real-time, ensuring optimal coverage and resource allocation. 

Dynamic Operation Hours

Your online ordering system should complement your brick-and-mortar restaurant operations. To make sure both work in tandem, you need features such as:

• Automated busy hour management that handles order acceptance based on your schedule
• Order throttling capabilities to prevent overwhelming your kitchen during rush hours
• Instant order notifications to maintain smooth operations to prevent order overload during closing hours

Brand-Forward Customer Experience

Your online ordering system should reflect your brand identity and complement your website design. Make sure it includes the following essential features:

• Custom branding options, including logos, themes, and templates for website ordering
• Multi-lingual support
• Flexible menu configuration
• Integrated loyalty programs and personalized promotions

• Social media ordering integration (via Facebook, for example, like Restolabs)
• QR code ordering 
• Mobile ordering app

Powerful Dashboard Management

Managing restaurant operations can be tough without a dedicated dashboard. Every minute your staff spends hunting for order information is a minute they’re not serving customers. A powerful centralized dashboard turns scattered data into instant insights. So look for a dashboard that provides the following information: 

• Comprehensive order monitoring with instant status updates
• Complete order history with detailed timelines
• Instant access to customer profiles and ordering patterns
• Clear visibility of canceled and overdue orders
• User-friendly interface for quick staff training
• Customizable views for different management needs
• Real-time sales tracking and performance metrics

Seamless Integration Capabilities

Your online ordering system should work seamlessly with other software you already use. Some essential integration capabilities include:

• POS integration
• Multiple payment gateway options
• Loyalty program control
• Feedback and review management systems
• Different Delivery Options and Management 
• Automated menu sync 

While basic systems might offer limited dashboard functionality or standalone operations, advanced solutions that GloriaFood alternatives like Restolabs offer sophisticated features that optimize operations while delivering the frictionless experience customers demand.

Here are the top alternatives to GloriaFood that have all the essential features in a single package. 

Top 4 GloriaFood Competitors For Growing Restaurants

The best online ordering system should allow you to focus on what matters most – growing your business and serving your customers. Take a look at the alternatives that will literally feel like your growth partner: 

1. Restolabs

Restolabs provides a comprehensive online ordering platform that transforms how restaurants manage digital operations. It allows you to launch your online ordering platform and begin accepting orders within a week's time. It’s a growth platform that manages 2,000+ restaurants across 10+ countries, powering everything from advanced delivery management to state-of-the-art customer engagement. 

Restolabs isn’t just another ordering system — it’s a complete digital platform that gives you tools to:

• Streamline team operations through intelligent order throttling and menu inventory management 
• Enhance customer experience with options like seamless quick checkout which doesn't require sign up, making the checkout process 50% faster
• Reduce operational costs by automating manual tasks such as order-taking, sending orders to the kitchen, processing payments, and using QR codes for dine-in ordering, reducing reliance on waitstaff and streamlining order processing. Features include contactless payment, real-time menu updates, and instant order transmission to the kitchen, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Scale your business with multi-location management tools.
• Drive more orders and increase average ticket size by establishing an omnichannel ordering system (receive orders from websites, custom branded mobile apps, social media apps, QR codes).
• Maintain brand identity across all touchpoints, including your own branded URL

Why Restolabs shines: 

• Advanced delivery control
• Offers a 30-day trial period 
• Rich customer engagement features 
• Flexible payment options and payment processing
• Enables Facebook and QR code ordering
• Enables customers to schedule order ahead of time
• Provides catering order management, enabling restaurants to secure orders up to three months ahead, driving additional revenue and improving profitability.
• Sophisticated order throttling and busy hour management

What Restolabs lacks: 

• The current marketing and loyalty program options may benefit from further expansion.

Pricing

2. Menufy by HungerRush

Menufy provides restaurant owners with a customizable online ordering platform, offering a wide range of payment options and menu management tools. Key features include carryout, Google integration, and promotional tools to enhance online presence.

Menufy offers a low entry cost, which can be an attractive option for many restaurants, but some users find the interface and overall user experience to be somewhat dated, with a limited set of features. Choosing Menufy might seem like a comfortable choice, but it could mean missing out on the more innovative, forward-thinking solutions that are leading the industry today.

Where does Menufy shine?

• Landing pages that can be easily updated with graphics, computer-generated images for campaigns, and customized promotional materials to enhance the customer experience.
• Customers can pay using popular methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay, offering a convenient and secure ordering experience.
• Built-in features designed to maximize order value by encouraging customers to add more items to their orders.
• Their menu management allows streamlined updates, optimized offerings, and enhanced customer experience 
• Easily manage multiple locations 

What Menufy lacks?

• Charges a $1.75 convenience fee per order, plus a 12.5% commission for delivery, which can add up for restaurants that rely on third- party delivery services. 
• Menufy functions as a marketplace, much like DoorDash, which could result in restaurants losing control over customer data and their direct relationships with customers.
• Negative reviews on platforms like the BBB highlight issues with customer service and billing.
• Outdated user interface could negatively impact the experience for both restaurant owners and customers.
• A key drawback of Menufy is that it does not offer a product or support for restaurants to manage their own delivery fleet.
• Does not support table reservations, limiting its functionality for restaurants with dine-in services.
• The reports are limited to only order history, payment history, website traffic analytics, and opt-in email signups, which may not provide a complete picture of overall business performance or customer engagement.
• Available only in the U.S., excluding international restaurants.
• No multilingual options for customers, despite support being available in Spanish and Chinese.
• No trial period offered, requiring restaurants to commit upfront without testing the platform.

Pricing:  

Menufy offers order-based pricing and follows a no subscription model.

3. MenuDrive by Lavu

MenuDrive by Lavu provides an online ordering platform with features aimed at simplifying restaurant operations. It offers customizable storefront templates, email marketing tools, and options to create promotional materials like coupons and flyers. The platform also assists with menu management for online ordering and supports delivery and pick-up services.

MenuDrive allows business owners to maintain control over customer relationships and data, unlike third-party platforms that often take a share of customer interactions.It includes analytics and reporting tools to provide insights into sales, customer behavior, and trends for informed decision-making. The platform also supports multi-location management, making it suitable for growing restaurant chains. All these features work seamlessly when integrated with the Lavu POS system.

Pros: 

• Fully integrates with Lavu POS 
• Direct order flow to kitchen and POS system.
• Compatible with UberEats, DoorDash, and GrubHub for delivery.
• Includes sales tracking, email marketing, and coupons.
• Handle multiple locations with detailed performance reports.

Cons: 

• While MenuDrive can potentially integrate with other popular POS systems, it may have limitations, making it more efficient and cohesive when used with LAVU systems.
• Industry review sites indicate that customers find the setup costs of this tool to be expensive and less affordable.
• The platform’s user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are considered less modern, potentially affecting ease of use for both restaurant owners and customers.
• MenuDrive can be more expensive than alternatives like Restolabs, especially with third-party delivery commissions and integration fees, adding to overall operational costs.

Pricing: 

Menudrive starts their offer at $149 per month.

4. Cloudwaitress

CloudWaitress is a reliable online ordering platform designed to streamline restaurant operations with comprehensive features. It offers seamless POS integration with both cloud and offline modes, ensuring uninterrupted service even during internet outages. The platform integrates third-party delivery services like UberEats, DoorDash, and Grubhub, centralizing orders into one system for better efficiency. CloudWaitress provides a customizable ordering website, giving restaurants full control over branding and design. It also allows advanced customer account management, flexible payment integration, and intuitive menu customization for a tailored ordering experience. Additionally, the platform offers comprehensive support and real-time order management across devices.

Pros: 

• Reliable POS integration with cloud and offline modes
• Full branding and design control for ordering sites
• Comprehensive support with rapid response times

Cons: 

• No free-trial is offered 
• Their largest market focus is primarily Oceania region (Australia and New Zealand), which may limit accessibility and support for businesses in other regions.
• The Free plan limits you to just 100 orders, and any orders beyond that quickly result in additional fees. As your business scales and grows, relying on this plan can become costly, as the need for more advanced features and higher order volumes will naturally drive up expenses
• Missing some key features like advanced analytics, which are expected to be added in the future.
• The promo engine is less advanced compared to competitors, though improvements are being made.
• Limited design tools and customization options for users who want more control.
• Restricted flexibility for rescheduling delivery or pickup times.

Pricing:

Restolabs — the Best GloriaFood Competitor

Restolabs stands out as the most efficient choice for managing your restaurant's online ordering needs. Whether you have 3 locations or 10, Restolabs can create a branded ordering site that streamlines brand image among customers, while simplifying workflows for your staff. Their user experience features seamlessly integrated online and offline operations, ensuring businesses stay on trend.

With easy-to-use dashboards, users can monitor important metrics like revenue, expenses, and lifetime sales anytime, anywhere. Plus, a 30-day free trial is available, allowing users to explore the platform's full capabilities without any financial commitment, offering a risk-free opportunity to experience all the tools and features before making a decision.

You also can start seeing the result of choosing Restolabs in your profitability, just like Wedgewood Pizza—who touted choosing Restolabs as the “best business decision we’ve ever made.” 

Over 2,000 restaurants from 10+ countries have trusted Restolabs to manage their online ordering website. Want to unlock quicker growth and take your restaurant to the next level?Sign up for a demo today and see how Restolabs can transform your operations and profitability.