If you run an independent pizzeria and you’re not set up for online ordering yet (or you are, but it’s not working the way it should) this is the guide to fix that.
This isn’t a pitch or product tour. It’s a step-by-step breakdown of what to do, in order, and why each piece matters.
Online orders average $55+ per ticket. Phone orders average under $25.
Every order you shift to your direct online channel is roughly $30 more in your pocket. At any meaningful volume, that’s the difference between treading water and actually growing.
How to set up online ordering correctly.
Grab a free copy of the Pizzeria Profit Plan worksheet here.
Step 1: Understand your current order mix
Before you set anything up, pull your last 30 days of sales and answer these questions:
- What percentage of orders are coming in by phone?
- By walk-in?
- Through a third-party app?
- Through your own website?
Most independent shops are sitting at 70% phone, 20% online (mostly third-party), and 10% walk-in. If this sounds like you, you’re leaving significant money on the table because your infrastructure isn’t set up to capture it.
Step 2: Choose a platform built for independents
The wrong online ordering channel costs you margin, locks up your customer data, and creates operational headaches. The right one works quietly in the background and compounds over time.
What to look for:
- Flat fee over percentage commission
- At any meaningful order volume, a percentage deal destroys your margins
- You own the customer data
- Email addresses, order history, preferences
- POS integration
- Orders should flow to your prep screen, not a separate tablet
- ETA control
- You need to be able to throttle order flow during a rush without going offline
- Mobile-first checkout
- Most of your customers are ordering on their phones
Slice is built specifically for independent pizzerias and handles all of the above. See how it works:
→ Slice Online Ordering — https://slice.com/products/online-pizza-ordering-system/
Step 3: Get your menu right before you go live
Online menus require a different kind of architecture.
- Descriptions matter.
- Customers ordering by phone know what they want. Customers browsing online see everything. Write descriptions that sell, not just identify.
- ‘Hand-tossed, 12-inch, four cheeses’ converts better than ‘Margherita pizza.’
- Customers ordering by phone know what they want. Customers browsing online see everything. Write descriptions that sell, not just identify.
- Photos are not optional.
- Photos increase conversion. You don’t need a professional shoot, but a decent phone photo in good light is better than nothing.
- Modifiers and upsells.
- Every online order is an upsell opportunity. Are your modifiers set up? Can a customer add extra cheese, switch to a GF crust, or add garlic knots in the same checkout?
- If not, you’re leaving average order value on the table.
- Every online order is an upsell opportunity. Are your modifiers set up? Can a customer add extra cheese, switch to a GF crust, or add garlic knots in the same checkout?
- Keep it clean.
- Categories, clear naming, logical flow. A messy menu creates drop-off.
Step 4: Set your ETAs before you open the doors
Estimated delivery and pickup times are promises. Customers plan around them. If you’re not sure what realistic ETAs look like for your shop, use your busiest shift as the baseline, not your lightest.
Industry average delivery time is 56 minutes. Pickup averages 32 minutes. Shops that beat those numbers get better reviews and more repeat orders.
Critical
Have a plan for rush hours that doesn’t involve turning off online ordering.
Pausing orders during a rush can cost $4,380+ in lost revenue. Instead, pad your ETAs. Longer wait times are a natural throttle, and customers who really want your pizza will wait. Customers who see a closed sign will go elsewhere.
Step 5: Put the link everywhere
Make sure customers can actually find your online menu. Most shops drop the ball here. Put your link everywhere.
- Google Business Profile
- This is the first place customers look. Your ordering link must be here and current.
- Instagram bio
- A direct link, not a link to your homepage
- Receipt tape
- Print it at the bottom of every receipt
- Pizza boxes
- A simple ‘Order online at [link]’ sticker or printed on the box
- Your website homepage
- Not buried three clicks deep
A customer who has ordered from you once should never have to work to find you online again.
Step 6: Don’t pause during rushes
One more time, because it matters: do not turn off online ordering during a rush.
The average online order at a Slice shop during peak hours is $73. Those are your most valuable orders of the day. A busy signal or a ‘closed’ online presence sends those customers to whoever is available, and they may not come back.
Adjust your ETAs. Staff for the volume. But stay online.
What to expect in the first 60 days
Most shops that follow these steps see meaningful movement within 60–90 days. You’re not replacing a behavior overnight. You’re nudging it consistently.
The benchmark to track: what percentage of your orders are coming through your direct online channel? Watch that number monthly. If it’s growing, the system is working.
If you want a more detailed breakdown of what online ordering is worth for a shop your size, check out the Complete Guide to Online Ordering for Pizzerias.