Toast is a powerful all-in-one POS, and its built-in online ordering works well for many restaurants. But “all-in-one” isn’t the right fit for everyone. If you want online ordering with a flat fee, stronger diner marketing, or full ownership of your customer data, there are focused platforms worth a look, and you may not need to replace Toast at all.

Why restaurants add an alternative to Toast for online ordering

Restaurants typically look beyond Toast’s native ordering for three reasons: they want a flat, predictable cost instead of per-order pricing as volume grows; they want purpose-built diner marketing (email, SMS, loyalty) attached to their ordering data; or they want ordering that reaches diners beyond their own website, on Google, Yelp, and Apple Maps. None of these are knocks on Toast; they’re signs your ordering layer has different priorities than your POS. Our guide to choosing an online ordering platform covers the full evaluation criteria.

The 5 best alternatives to Toast for online ordering

  1. ChowNow — Best for independent restaurants that want commission-free ordering plus built-in diner reach. ChowNow’s direct online ordering runs on a flat monthly fee, and every order comes with the diner’s full contact data, yours to keep, forever. The Discovery Network also lists your menu across Google, Yelp, and Apple Maps at no commission. De Babel used this model to drive $1.1M in commission-free sales.
  2. Square Online — Best if you already run Square POS. Ordering syncs natively with Square hardware and payments; a natural pick inside that ecosystem (the same logic that makes Square vs. Toast a POS decision, not an ordering one).
  3. BentoBox — Best for design-forward websites with ordering attached. Strong templates and hospitality-focused site tools; ordering is part of a broader web package.
  4. Popmenu — Best for interactive menus and review-driven marketing. Menu pages double as SEO assets; AI marketing tools are built in.
  5. GloriaFood — Best free starting point. A no-cost ordering widget for very small operations; expect to add paid modules as you grow, where flat-fee platforms like ChowNow already include marketing and data tools from day one.

Can you keep Toast POS and use a different online ordering platform?

Yes. Your POS and your online ordering platform don’t have to be the same company. ChowNow integrates with Toast, alongside its 20+ integrations, so direct orders flow straight into the POS workflow your kitchen already runs, so there’s no tablet juggling, or re-keying. For many restaurants the best setup is exactly this pairing: Toast handling operations, a dedicated ordering platform handling commission-free orders, diner data, and marketing on top.

FAQ

What are the best online ordering platforms that integrate with Toast or Square POS?

ChowNow integrates with both Toast and Square, making it the strongest pick if POS compatibility is your deciding factor. Square Online is native to Square; BentoBox and Popmenu offer POS connections that vary by system, so confirm your specific setup during a demo.

Who owns the customer data with each option?

With ChowNow, the restaurant owns 100% of diner data, names, emails, order history, on every channel. Owner.com is also built around a no-commission, owned-data model, so if you’re weighing the two, the differentiators come down to feature depth (diner marketing suite, POS integrations, Discovery Network reach) and pricing structure rather than data ownership itself. Most POS-native ordering keeps data accessible inside that ecosystem, which works fine until you want to market across channels. If repeat-visit marketing is core to your growth plan, read why owning your online ordering matters.

How does a flat-fee model like ChowNow’s compare to free or commission-based options like GloriaFood?

GloriaFood’s free tier is a reasonable starting point for very low order volume, but most operators add paid modules as they scale, at which point the total cost can approach a flat-fee platform anyway. ChowNow’s flat monthly fee includes diner marketing, loyalty, and Discovery Network reach from the start, so the cost stays predictable as order volume grows instead of climbing with it.

How hard is it to switch or add a platform?

Easier than most operators expect: menu build, POS connection, and ordering links on your site and listings, typically live within a few weeks. Pricing is published on our pricing page.

Keep the POS you love. Make the ordering layer work harder. See how ChowNow fits alongside Toast.Want to see what commission-free ordering could save your restaurant?