The core difference: own vs rent
Flipdish is sold as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription. You pay a monthly fee to use the platform — typically £149–£299/month depending on the plan — and if you stop paying, you lose access. The software is hosted on Flipdish's servers, you cannot self-host, and Flipdish owns the infrastructure your ordering system runs on.
Food-Ordering.com is a one-off perpetual software licence. You pay once — from £2,500 for online ordering — and own the software outright. No monthly platform fees. You can self-host on your own server or use optional managed hosting for approximately £10/month. You are not dependent on Food-Ordering.com's continued operation after purchase.
5-year cost comparison
Flipdish (Essentials plan, ~£149/month)
Food-Ordering.com (Online Ordering licence)
At Flipdish's entry-level pricing, a restaurant spends approximately £8,940 over five years. Food-Ordering.com including all optional services costs approximately £3,460 over five years — and the software is owned outright at the end. The gap widens further at Flipdish's higher tiers.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Food-Ordering.com | Flipdish |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-off licence | Monthly SaaS |
| Monthly fee | None (after licence) | £149–£299+/month |
| Commission per order | None | None (but card processing fees apply) |
| Self-hosting | Yes — own server | No |
| White-label / reseller | Yes | Limited |
| Kiosk ordering | Yes | Yes |
| Table ordering (QR) | Yes | Yes |
| Multilingual | 144 languages | Limited |
| Kitchen Display Screen | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated app (iOS/Android) | Web-based ordering | Yes |
| Source code access | Available | No |
| Free for charities/NHS | Yes | No |
Flipdish advantage:
Flipdish offers a dedicated branded app in the iOS and Android app stores — your customers can download "Your Restaurant" as an app. If a dedicated app with loyalty programme and push notifications via a native app is a priority, Flipdish delivers this. It also comes with managed onboarding and account management included in the subscription.
Food-Ordering.com advantage:
Dramatically lower lifetime cost. Complete ownership — you are not paying rent indefinitely and you have no single-vendor dependency. Self-hosting means your data stays on your infrastructure. The white-label capability means it can be rebranded fully for resellers and agency clients. Free for registered charities and NHS.
Frequently asked questions
Does Flipdish charge commission on orders?
Flipdish does not charge per-order commission on its standard plans. It charges a monthly platform fee plus payment processing fees when orders are paid through Flipdish's payment system. Food-Ordering.com charges no monthly fees and no per-order fees after the licence purchase.
Can I own ordering software outright rather than renting it?
Yes — Food-Ordering.com is sold as a perpetual software licence. You pay once and own the software with no ongoing platform fees. This contrasts with Flipdish where monthly payments continue indefinitely.
Stop renting — own your ordering system
A one-off Food-Ordering.com licence typically pays for itself within 12–18 months compared to a Flipdish subscription. Get a quote in 5 minutes.
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