ChowNow delivery: can you run your own drivers?
Updated October 20, 2026
Yes. ChowNow lets you deliver with your own drivers inside zones you draw, and send farther or peak-hour orders to Flex Delivery couriers. ChowNow's own FAQ says "many restaurants use their in-house drivers within a smaller zone" and use Flex Delivery to reach a 10-mile radius. Flex Delivery dispatches Uber Direct or DoorDash Drive couriers at a flat rate; ChowNow recommends $3.99 paid by you and $3.99 by the diner. What ChowNow doesn't show on its site is an app for your own drivers: we found zone, fee and hours settings, but no driver app or live map for in-house drivers.
In short
- Your own drivers: zones drawn as a polygon, a circle (mile radius) or zip codes, each with a minimum subtotal and a fee in dollars or a percentage.
- Flex Delivery: Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive couriers, dispatched automatically; up to 10 miles with Uber, 8 miles with DoorDash Drive.
- Flex price: a flat rate per order with no distance surcharge; recommended split $3.99 for you, $3.99 for your diner.
- Hybrid by design: in-house drivers close by, Flex beyond or at peak.
- No in-house driver app found on ChowNow's site (20 Oct 2026). Plans start at $229 a month on an annual term.
What does ChowNow offer for delivery?
| Option | Who drives | What you set | Cost (read 20 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house delivery zones | Your staff | Polygon, circle (mile radius) or zip-code zones; minimum (and optional maximum) subtotal; fee as $ or % of the order; delivery hours on the menu | Your wages; no ChowNow per-delivery fee |
| Flex Delivery | Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive couriers | On or off when you need it; your hours and zones up to 10 miles (Uber) or 8 miles (DoorDash Drive); how the fee is split | Flat rate, no distance surcharge; recommended $3.99 restaurant + $3.99 diner |
| Both | Mixed | In-house in a smaller zone, Flex for the rest or for peak hours | As above |
ChowNow's plans (profile read on ChowNow's pricing page): Launch $229 a month on an annual term ($249 billed monthly), Grow $319 ($349), Elevate $409 ($449), plus a $119–$499 setup fee and 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction.
What's missing for your own drivers?
- No driver app for in-house drivers on ChowNow's product, pricing or support pages we read.
- No live map of your own drivers for you or the diner; ChowNow's support pages describe zones, fees and hours.
- No assignment step for your own drivers: the order reaches your kitchen, and your team hands it over.
Worked example: 400 delivery orders a month, hybrid
A Thai restaurant on ChowNow Launch (annual) does 400 delivery orders a month at a $32 average: 300 inside a 3-mile zone for its two drivers, 100 farther out through Flex Delivery with the recommended split.
| Line | All Flex | Hybrid (300 own, 100 Flex) |
|---|---|---|
| ChowNow Launch, annual | $229 | $229 |
| Card processing, 400 × ($32 × 2.95% + $0.29) | $493.60 | $493.60 |
| Flex Delivery, restaurant side at $3.99 | 400 × $3.99 = $1,596 | 100 × $3.99 = $399 |
| Flex Delivery, diner side at $3.99 | $1,596 paid by diners | $399 paid by diners |
| Your drivers | none | wages + mileage (calculator) |
| ChowNow + delivery cost to you | $2,318.60 | $1,121.60 + driver cost |
What the numbers say:
- Moving the 300 short trips to your own drivers saves $1,197 a month in Flex fees, so the hybrid pays off if two drivers cost less than that for those shifts. Check with the own delivery cost calculator.
- Card processing ($494) is bigger than the subscription at this volume.
- Your own 300 deliveries still go out without a driver app or a tracking link.
How do I set up my own drivers on ChowNow?
- Open the ChowNow Dashboard → Headquarters → your location → Settings → Location Info → Delivery tab.
- Add a zone with "+ Add Area": set the minimum subtotal (and a maximum if you want), and the fee as a dollar amount or a percentage.
- Draw it as a polygon (drop pins), a circle (mile radius) or a list of zip codes.
- Set delivery hours on the Menus → Hours tab.
- Turn on Flex Delivery for the area beyond your zone or for peak hours, and choose how to split the fee.
- Price your zone fee from your real cost per mile with the delivery fee calculator.
When is ChowNow the better choice?
- You want couriers and your drivers in one setup with a flat, predictable courier fee and no distance surcharge.
- You want a branded iOS and Android ordering app built and maintained for you; ChowNow includes one on every plan, per its pricing.
- You need POS and marketplace integrations and have the budget for $229 a month or more.
How Menuthere compares
Menuthere gives your own drivers an app and your customers a live map, for less. On the Pro plan ($39 a month, 0% commission):
- drivers use the Menuthere Delivery App on iPhone and Android; you assign an order and they get a New Delivery Assignment push with the drop address;
- the customer's order page shows the driver's name, an arrival estimate, a live map and a Call button (how it works);
- delivery zones, radius and fees work on every plan; fees by distance from Lite;
- outside India, connect your own Uber Direct account for courier deliveries (Uber bills that account; while it's on, checkout shows Uber's live fee).
What it doesn't do: you assign each order by hand (no auto-dispatch, route optimisation, batching or photo proof of delivery), and there's no branded app on Pro (that's the Branded App plan).
Menuthere Pro can also send WhatsApp order updates from your own number. In the US, Meta doesn't deliver WhatsApp marketing messages to +1 numbers, so WhatsApp sends order updates (utility messages, about US$0.0034 each) but not promotions; use email for offers.
See Menuthere vs ChowNow and ChowNow alternatives.
Comparing driver tools side by side? See the best restaurant delivery management software, scored.
Track your own drivers live with no per-delivery fee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own drivers with ChowNow?
Yes. ChowNow lets you set delivery zones, fees and hours for in-house delivery, and its Flex Delivery FAQ says many restaurants use in-house drivers within a smaller zone and Flex Delivery beyond it. We found no ChowNow app for in-house drivers.
How much does ChowNow Flex Delivery cost?
ChowNow describes a flat rate per order with no distance surcharge and recommends splitting it 50/50: $3.99 for you and $3.99 for your diner. Flex Delivery uses Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive couriers.
How far does ChowNow deliver?
Up to a 10-mile radius for locations where Uber is an eligible Flex Delivery provider, and up to 8 miles with DoorDash Drive. Your own zones can be any polygon, circle or set of zip codes you draw.
Does ChowNow have a delivery driver app?
Not for your own drivers, as far as we found on 20 October 2026. Flex Delivery couriers use Uber's and DoorDash's own apps.
Sources (3)
- ChowNow, Flex Delivery: https://get.chownow.com/products/flex-delivery/ (read 20 Oct 2026): "Run Flex Delivery alone or alongside your in-house drivers"; "we recommend $3.99 for you and $3.99 for your diner"; FAQ "A flat rate of $3.99 per order — no per-distance surcharge, no percentage commission… We recommend splitting it 50/50 ($3.99 for you, $3.99 for your diners)"; "Many restaurants use their in-house drivers within a smaller zone and use Flex Delivery to extend reach to the full 10-mile radius, or to cover peak hours"; 10-mile radius where Uber is eligible, 8 miles with DoorDash Drive; "automatically dispatched across Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive".
- ChowNow Restaurant Support, "How do I change my delivery zones, fees, or hours?": https://get.chownow.com/restaurant-support/how-to-change-delivery-zones-fees-hours/ (read 20 Oct 2026): Headquarters → location → Settings → Location Info → Delivery; "+ Add Area"; minimum subtotal and optional max; fee "a specific $ amount, or a % of the order"; Polygon, Circle ("a mile radius"), Zip Code.
- Worked example: 32 × 0.0295 + 0.29 = 1.234; × 400 = 493.60; 400 × 3.99 = 1,596; 100 × 3.99 = 399; 229 + 493.60 + 1,596 = 2,318.60; 229 + 493.60 + 399 = 1,121.60; 1,596 − 399 = 1,197.