How to turn delivery app customers into direct regulars

A guest who finds you on a marketplace is a win. A guest who keeps ordering through that marketplace is a cost you keep paying.

This guide is for restaurants on Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat. It covers why conversion matters, what you give up on the apps, and how to run direct delivery that guests actually prefer.

Marketplaces vs direct

When a customer orders through Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat, the app takes the margin and owns the relationship. You cook the food. They keep the rest.

	On a marketplace	Direct on Storekit
The guest	Name and contact details stay with the app.	Contactable, exportable, and still yours if you leave.
The margin	A percentage of every basket. Large discounts to earn campaign visibility. Paid placement on top.	No commission. Control over the full promotional mix, timings and terms. Offers, reminders and win-backs go to guests who already know your food.
The brand	Ranked by what you pay and the discounts you run. One tile among hundreds.	From the menu to the tracking page, the guest sees you, not an app.
The experience	Limited branding and control, with other restaurants suggested alongside yours. Feedback stays in the platform.	Faster checkout, the same couriers and live tracking. Five-star reviews are published straight to your Google Business Profile, which drives all your other channels.
The next order	The app decides who your guest sees next, and suggests they try somewhere similar.	You send the offer, the reminder and the win-back.
The terms	Prices, promotions and placement on their rules.	Your prices, your delivery fees, your promotions. Change them whenever you like.

The first order is the expensive one. That's fine - finding new guests has a cost.

The problem is every order after it. You lose a share of every basket that could reward your guest or grow your profit instead.

We encourage most operators to run both, but to be smart about it. Use the aggregators for discovery and Storekit for the regulars.

See how Manjaros saves £7.60 per direct order.

Why conversion matters

Marketplaces are good for one thing: visibility. They put your brand in front of hungry people who aren't yet loyal to you. They're an acquisition channel, not the place your regulars live.

The catch is that marketplace guests are loyal too. Most order from the same few venues, time and time again.

Every guest you move brings you direct margin and data you own. No commission on their orders, and a contactable record you can market to.

How to convert marketplace guests

Use all of your existing touchpoints to make guests aware, then give them a reason to stay.

• Promote the channel. Use QR codes and direct-only promotional codes on flyers, in-store signage and outreach, directing guests to your Storekit page.
• Make direct the better deal. No price markup, a voucher, a complimentary item or a free delivery threshold they can only get when they order from you.
• Put the order button everywhere. Make your direct channels impossible to miss - Google Business Profile, your website, social posts, flyers and packaging.
• Follow up. Now you can contact them. Thank first-time direct guests, and incentivise the ones who go quiet.
• Ask for feedback, and respond. Happy guests leave great reviews that help the next ones find you. Feedback helps you grow, and gives you a chance to win unhappy guests back with a reason to try again.

How to optimise your direct delivery

Direct has to feel as easy as the app, and look better.

• Have the best menu. Use Storekit's design tools and enhanced menu features to give your guests the best experience when they order direct.
• Use a courier network. Uber Direct and others are easily connected from your dashboard, with live tracking for guests, just like on the apps. The Uber Direct setup guide walks through it.
  Stores > Settings > Integrations
• Set smart delivery zones. Minimum orders and free delivery thresholds per zone, priced by distance, so you stay in control of delivery fees.
  Stores > Settings > Delivery Zones
• Keep your timings honest. Set realistic prep times and order caps.
• Always give a five-star experience. Treat your direct guests as VIPs. Not only will they keep coming back, they'll tell friends and strangers through their reviews.