Blog / August 22, 2026
ChowNow alternativeA ChowNow alternative with 0% commission
ChowNow and Ser.vi both do 0% commission on direct orders. ChowNow typically bills the restaurant a monthly subscription. Ser.vi online ordering is free to you — no monthly fee, no contract. Marketing is separate. The POS is $0 a month — the customer pays a convenience fee at checkout — and you get POS and QR on the same menu.
Ser.vi vs ChowNow
Same 0% commission idea. Different bill, and Ser.vi includes the POS.
| Ser.vi | ChowNow | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on direct orders | 0% | 0% on direct (their claim) |
| Who pays the platform | Customer convenience fee at checkout | Restaurant monthly subscription |
| Monthly POS software fee | $0 subscription | Not a POS — you keep paying one |
| QR self-service | Table & counter | Varies / add-on |
| Integrated POS | ✓ Same menu | Usually a separate POS |
| Customer data | ✓ Yours | ✓ Yours on direct orders |
| Contract | OO: none. POS: unless financing | Varies by plan |
What you get with direct ordering
An online ordering system built so restaurants keep the order — and the customer.
0% commission
Direct online orders through Ser.vi have 0% commission. Delivery apps typically charge 25–35%.
You own the customer
Every order can capture customer info with opt-in permission. Build your list instead of renting it from a marketplace.
Your branded storefront
Customers order from your storefront — not a generic marketplace listing. A branded mobile app is available with optional marketing plans. Marketing is separate.
Delivery without giving up the order
Add delivery on demand. Ser.vi can take delivery orders and automatically send DoorDash drivers to pick them up.
QR self-service
QR code order and pay at the table or counter, connected to the same menu as online and POS.
Optional marketing plans
Save & Promote $249/mo, Grow & Retain $449/mo, Inspire & Connect $749/mo — SEO, ads, email, and a branded app.
Fair take: ChowNow is not DoorDash
ChowNow is a real direct-ordering product. They are not a 25–35% marketplace. If you are leaving DoorDash for a branded site with 0% commission, ChowNow is in the same category as Ser.vi. We are not inventing their monthly prices here — they publish subscription plans that change.
The fork is who pays, and what else is included. ChowNow typically bills the restaurant every month for ordering and marketing, plus card processing. Ser.vi POS software is $0 a month. A small convenience fee at checkout, paid by the customer, covers platform and card processing. Optional marketing plans are Save & Promote $249/mo, Grow & Retain $449/mo, and Inspire & Connect $749/mo if you want ads, SEO, and a branded app.
Ser.vi also runs the POS and QR self-service on the same menu. If you already like ChowNow for ordering but still pay Toast or Square every month, that is two bills. Ser.vi is one menu: counter, tabs, QR, and online.
What ChowNow usually does not include
Ordering layer vs a full restaurant system
Integrated POS on the same menu
Ser.vi POS has $0 monthly subscription. Hardware is separate and offered on terms — ask about payment options. Counter, table tabs, and online share one menu. See the Toast POS alternative.
Still works with DoorDash drivers
Leaving ChowNow does not mean giving up delivery. Ser.vi can take the order at 0% commission and send a DoorDash driver to pick it up. Read the DoorDash alternative guide.
Own the order. Keep the relationship.
Online ordering has no contract. The POS has no contract unless you want hardware financing. Online ordering runs on your compatible tablet and printers; the POS runs on our hardware. See pricing.
Direct online orders
0% commission vs delivery apps that typically charge 25–35%.
Customer convenience fee
A small fee at checkout, paid by the customer, covers platform and card processing. $0 monthly POS subscription.
Marketing when you want it
Optional Save & Promote $249/mo, Grow & Retain $449/mo, Inspire & Connect $749/mo.
Setup
Ser.vi guarantees a 1 week setup from the time all required information is received.
“I'm busier than ever. Customers love the ordering and the app. Customers come in and say they have an online order and we just hand it to them. It's fast and easy since it's already paid.”
Gaetano Gisone
Rosa's Pizzeria
Questions restaurants ask
- Is Ser.vi a ChowNow alternative?
- Yes. Both Ser.vi and ChowNow offer 0% commission on direct online orders. The difference is how you pay: ChowNow typically charges the restaurant a monthly subscription plus card processing. Ser.vi POS has $0 monthly subscription. A small convenience fee is added at checkout and paid by the customer.
- Does ChowNow charge commission?
- ChowNow markets 0% commission on direct orders from your website or branded app. They charge a monthly subscription instead, and standard payment processing. Some of their discovery or marketplace channels can still carry a platform fee. We are not quoting their rate card here — those plans change.
- Is online ordering really zero commission with Ser.vi?
- Yes. Online ordering is free to you at 0% commission — you keep the order total. There is no monthly fee and no contract. Marketing is separate. Delivery apps typically charge 25–35% commission and keep the customer data.
- Does Ser.vi include a POS and QR ordering?
- Yes. Ser.vi is an integrated restaurant POS with $0 monthly software fee, QR self-service at the table or counter, and zero-commission online ordering on the same menu. ChowNow is primarily an online ordering and marketing layer and usually connects to a POS you already pay for.
- Is there a contract?
- Online ordering has no contract — you can cancel any time. The POS also has no contract unless you want hardware financing. If you do, the hardware comes with a term agreement. If you don't need financing, there's no POS contract either.
- How much does Ser.vi cost?
- Online ordering is free to you at 0% commission — no monthly fee, no contract. Marketing is separate. The POS is nothing out of pocket: a 3.0% + 20¢ convenience fee that your customer pays at checkout. Optional marketing plans are Save & Promote $249/mo, Grow & Retain $449/mo, and Inspire & Connect $749/mo.
See direct ordering on your menu
Free personalized demo. No commitment, no credit card. Online ordering has no contract.
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