How do timed collection slots work in Food-Ordering.com?

Timed collection slots allow restaurants to limit the number of orders accepted per time interval during collection hours. For example, a restaurant might allow 10 collection orders per 15-minute slot between 12:00 and 14:00. When a slot reaches its limit, customers selecting that slot see it as unavailable and choose an alternative time. This prevents kitchen pile-ups where multiple collection orders arrive at once. Slot capacity and interval lengths are configured in the admin panel.

Does Food-Ordering.com charge commission on click and collect orders?

No. Food-Ordering.com is a one-off licence with zero commission on any order type — delivery, click and collect, telephone, QR code table ordering, or kiosk. The one-off licence fee covers all order channels. Compare this to aggregator platforms where click and collect orders also attract commission charges.

Click and Collect Ordering System for Restaurants

Why click and collect is the most profitable order channel

Click and collect orders are the most cost-effective order type for food businesses. Customers order and pay online, then collect in person — there are no delivery costs, no driver fees, and no third-party commission if you use your own ordering system. The customer arrives at the kitchen ready to collect; the restaurant has the payment and the order in advance.

Aggregator platforms (Just Eat, Uber Eats, Deliveroo) also offer click and collect — but they still charge commission on collection orders, just as they do on delivery. A collection order placed through Just Eat costs the restaurant the same commission as a delivered order. With Food-Ordering.com's own direct channel, collection orders pay zero commission after the licence purchase.

How timed collection slots work

Food-Ordering.com's collection slot system allows restaurants to control kitchen throughput by limiting the number of orders accepted per time window:

Configure collection hours and time slot intervals (e.g. every 10 minutes, every 15 minutes)
Set maximum orders per slot (e.g. 8 orders per 15-minute interval)
When a slot reaches capacity, it shows as unavailable — customers select the next available time
Customers receive a confirmed collection time, reducing uncertainty and queuing
Slot capacity can be adjusted in the admin panel in real time

This prevents the peak-time collection pile-up that occurs when multiple online orders are placed for the same time without any slot management — a common problem for takeaways running high-volume lunch or dinner services.

Click and collect vs delivery — key differences

Factor	Click & collect	Delivery
Delivery cost to business	None	Driver cost or aggregator delivery fee
Commission (direct channel)	Zero	Zero
Order accuracy	High (customer collects directly)	Driver handling risk
Avg order value	Typically slightly lower	Typically slightly higher
Customer reach	Local — must travel to collect	Wider delivery radius
Kitchen pressure management	Timed slots control throughput	Delivery demand harder to smooth

Collection system features

Pre-payment

Customers pay at time of ordering. No cash handling at collection. Reduces no-shows and walkaway risk.

Order confirmation notifications

Automatic email or SMS confirmation sent to the customer with their collection time and order reference.

Kitchen print / KDS

Collection orders print to the kitchen printer or appear on the kitchen display with the confirmed collection time.

Minimum order threshold

Set a minimum order value for collection orders — removes low-value orders that are not worth kitchen time.

Future order scheduling

Customers can schedule collection orders in advance — the next day, next week — useful for group orders and catering.

Combined delivery & collect

Offer both delivery and click and collect from the same ordering system. Customer selects at checkout.

Frequently asked questions

How do timed collection slots work?

You configure available collection hours, time slot intervals (e.g. every 15 minutes), and maximum orders per slot. When a slot reaches its limit, customers are shown only available slots. This controls kitchen throughput and prevents collection queue pile-ups. Slot capacity is adjustable in real time from the admin panel.

Does Food-Ordering.com charge commission on collection orders?

No. Food-Ordering.com is a one-off licence. Zero commission on all order types — delivery, click and collect, telephone, QR table ordering, kiosk. Unlike aggregator platforms that charge commission even on collection orders, Food-Ordering.com has no per-order cost after the licence purchase.

Add commission-free click and collect to your restaurant

Food-Ordering.com includes click and collect with timed slots, pre-payment, and kitchen integration — one-off licence. Get a quote for your food business.

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