ChowNow alternative · US · 2026
Menuthere vs ChowNow
ChowNow starts at $229 a month on an annual term ($249 billed monthly), plus a $119–$499 setup fee and 2.95% + $0.29 on every card order. Menuthere is free to start, Lite is $17 a month and Pro $39 a month, with 0% commission and no setup fee. ChowNow includes a branded app, email and text marketing and POS links. Menuthere costs much less, and you set it up yourself.
Quick verdict
Menuthere
Recommended- Free plan with 50 orders a month, no card needed
- Lite $17 a month, Pro $39 a month, month to month
- 0% commission and no setup fee
- Card payments on your own Stripe account (Lite and up)
- WhatsApp ordering, loyalty and your own riders app on Pro
Best for: independent restaurants that want their own ordering website and QR table ordering at a low fixed price, and are happy to set it up themselves.
ChowNow
- Branded iOS and Android apps on every plan, built and published by ChowNow
- Email and text marketing, loyalty and 20+ POS integrations
- DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub orders in one dashboard
- From $229 a month on an annual term, $249 billed monthly
- $119–$499 setup fee and 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction
- 5% fee on every catering order through your direct channel
- No refunds on service or product fees
Best for: independent US restaurants that want a team to set up their ordering, branded app and marketing, and that need orders in their POS or delivery apps in one place.
ChowNow vs Menuthere, feature by feature
ChowNow figures come from its own pricing, product and policy pages, read 19 October 2026.
| Feature | Menuthere | ChowNow |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly priceKey | Free, $17, $39 or $99 | From $229 (annual) or $249 (monthly) |
| Setup feeKey | None | $119–$499 |
| Commission on orders | 0% | 0% on your website and app (with Profit Protector) |
| Card processingKey | Your own Stripe account (2.9% + 30¢ in the US) | 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction, through ChowNow |
| Catering orders | No | Yes, with a 5% fee per catering order |
| ContractKey | Month to month, no contract | Annual term or billed monthly; no refunds |
| How you sign up | Self-serve; Free needs no card | Through ChowNow's team |
| Ordering website | Yes (own domain on Lite) | Yes |
| QR table ordering for dine-in | Yes | Yes |
| Branded iOS and Android appKey | Branded App plan, $99 a month | Every plan (+ $99 a year Apple fee) |
| Loyalty rewards | Pro | Yes |
| Email and text marketing automation | No | Yes |
| WhatsApp ordering and order updates | Pro | Not published |
| Delivery | Your own zones and fees; Uber Direct on your own account; riders app on Pro | Own drivers, or Flex Delivery at $7.98 an order (Uber Direct, DoorDash Drive) |
| Delivery-app orders in the same dashboard | No | DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub |
| Connects to an outside POS | No | 20+ POS integrations |
| Kitchen printer | Prints kitchen tickets on a thermal printer | $250–$420 from ChowNow |
= not published on ChowNow's website
Pricing side by side
What each plan costs a month, and the fees on top. Menuthere charges 0% commission on every plan; your own Stripe account charges its own card fee.
Menuthere
- Free (50 orders a month)$0
- Lite (unlimited orders, own domain)$17/mo
- Pro (WhatsApp, loyalty, riders app)$39/mo
- Branded App (your own app)$99/mo
ChowNow
- Launch$229/mo annual, $249 monthly
- Grow$319/mo annual, $349 monthly
- Elevate$409/mo annual, $449 monthly
- Setup fee + card processing$119–$499 + 2.95% + $0.29
List prices from each company's website, read 19 October 2026; ChowNow lists its plans as "starting at". Sales tax may apply. ChowNow also lists a $99 yearly Apple developer fee for the branded app, $250–$420 for a printer, $7.98 per Flex Delivery order and a 5% fee on catering orders. Menuthere's yearly billing costs 10 months: Lite $170 a year, Pro $390 a year.
Where each one wins
ChowNow and Menuthere both charge no commission on orders from your own website. They differ on price, on fees, and on how much is done for you.
Where ChowNow wins
- A branded iOS and Android app on every plan, built, published and maintained by ChowNow. On Menuthere, your own app is the Branded App plan at $99 a month.
- Email and text marketing, loyalty and printed flyers are part of its marketing tools. Menuthere has loyalty on Pro but no email or text marketing automation.
- Orders go into 20+ POS systems, and DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub orders come into one dashboard. Menuthere doesn't connect to outside POS systems or delivery apps.
- Catering ordering, and Flex Delivery drivers from Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive at a flat $7.98 an order that you can split with the diner.
- Fraud and chargeback protection and 24/7 phone and chat support.
Where Menuthere wins
- Price: Lite is $17 a month and Pro $39 a month. ChowNow's cheapest plan is $229 a month on an annual term.
- No setup fee. ChowNow charges $119–$499 to set up.
- Card payments go to your own Stripe account at Stripe's rate (2.9% + 30¢ in the US), not 2.95% + $0.29 through ChowNow.
- Start today with no sales call and no card: the Free plan takes 50 orders a month.
- WhatsApp ordering and order updates on your own number on Pro.
Moving from ChowNow to Menuthere
Import your menu
Upload a photo or PDF of your menu and Menuthere's AI import builds it, with sizes and add-ons you can check and edit.
Set up ordering and payments
On Lite, connect your own Stripe account for card payments and draw delivery zones on a map. Print kitchen tickets on a thermal printer, and use Uber Direct on your own account if you need drivers.
Move your links, then cancel
Point your domain to Menuthere, update your Google Business Profile and print new QR codes. ChowNow's refund policy says service runs to the end of the monthly cycle in which you cancel, with no refunds.
The bottom line
Pick ChowNow if you want a team to set up your ordering website and branded app, you use email and text marketing, and you need orders in your POS or your delivery-app orders in one dashboard. Budget for at least $229 a month on an annual term, a setup fee and 2.95% + $0.29 on each card order.
Pick Menuthere if you want your own ordering website and QR table ordering at a low fixed price, and you're happy to set it up yourself. Lite is $17 a month, Pro is $39 a month with WhatsApp ordering and loyalty, and there is 0% commission and no setup fee. If you want your own app in the stores, the Branded App plan is $99 a month.
Menuthere doesn't have email or text marketing, catering ordering, POS or delivery-app integrations, or a kitchen display screen. If you rely on those, ChowNow or another system on our ChowNow alternatives list will fit better.
Keep readingChowNow alternativesMenuthere vs Owner.comBest online ordering systems in the USAMenuthere pricing
Common questions
Also compare:All comparisons
Sources (8) · Checked 19 October 2026
- ChowNow (official): ChowNow pricing plans, read 19 October 2026
- ChowNow (official): ChowNow for Restaurants: FAQs on Features, Pricing, Delivery, and More, 6 July 2026
- ChowNow (official): ChowNow refund policy, read 19 October 2026
- ChowNow (official): ChowNow Branded Mobile Apps, read 19 October 2026
- ChowNow (official): ChowNow Flex Delivery, read 19 October 2026
- ChowNow (official): ChowNow Order Aggregation, read 19 October 2026
- Stripe (official): Stripe pricing (US: 2.9% + 30¢ per online card payment), read 19 October 2026
- Menuthere (official): Menuthere pricing, read 19 October 2026
Your own ordering website, from $0
Join 1,306 restaurants taking orders on their own website and QR codes, with 0% commission on every plan and no setup fee.