As someone who’s been deep in the restaurant trenches—balancing food costs, staff schedules, and customer expectations—I've tried it all when it comes to restaurant tech platforms. And after using both Grubhub and Owner.com, the difference between them wasn’t just noticeable… it was transformative.
So whether you’re tired of getting buried in commission fees or ready to level-up your direct orders, here’s what I learned comparing these two platforms—and which one I ultimately chose for my business.
If you want brand recognition… Grubhub
There’s no denying it—Grubhub is a household name. With over 20 years in the game, it’s one of the original delivery platforms customers recognize. That built-in traffic can definitely help newer restaurants get some visibility in a crowded market.
But here’s what I learned: name recognition doesn’t always translate to profits. Grubhub's massive marketplace is saturated, and unless you're constantly running promos (that cost you even more), your listing often gets lost in the noise.
Owner.com, on the other hand, is growing fast—and differently. Instead of trying to win in a crowded marketplace, Owner.com helps you build your own customer base through Google search, SEO, and direct channels. You’re not renting eyeballs from a platform. You’re owning the relationship.
If you want to attract new customers… Owner.com
Grubhub’s app makes it easy for hungry users to stumble across your restaurant. It works well for short-term discovery—but there’s a catch. Those customers often don’t remember you—they remember Grubhub.
Owner.com takes a different approach by helping your restaurant appear directly in Google searches with an AI-powered, SEO-optimized website. My own site went from buried to top-of-page in under a month. When customers found us, it was on our site, with our branding, and they came back again and again.
And those tools work—Owner.com websites convert nearly 2x more visitors into customers, and average SEO traffic grows 30% in the first 28 days.
If you’re looking to grow profits, not just orders… Owner.com
Here’s the hard truth: I was doing more volume on Grubhub than ever before, but barely seeing any of it on my bottom line. After coughing up 25–35% commissions, plus added fees for promos, we were spinning our wheels just to break even.
Switching to Owner.com was a financial lifeboat. No commissions. Just a flat $499/month. That predictable cost meant every new order was actually profitable—and we grew our direct online revenue by 30% in the first year, with gains every year after.
Some restaurants are seeing savings of $2K/month or more. I’ll take that over “free to join” but death by a thousand cuts any day.
If you want to build a real brand… Owner.com
Grubhub gives you a generic listing. Owner.com gives you an entire branded ecosystem.
With Owner.com, I got a custom website, a mobile app (yep, just for our restaurant), and integrated tools like loyalty rewards, text & email marketing, smart upsells, and full customer data ownership. Everything is optimized to drive sales, not just look pretty.
And it works: Customers who download the app reorder at 2x the rate of regular customers. The loyalty program brings them back again and again. And every message we send? It comes directly from us—not some third-party platform.
The final verdict… Owner.com is the clear winner
When I stacked the two side-by-side, Owner.com didn’t just “compete” with Grubhub—it offered a completely different, future-focused model.
It helped me:
- Grow our revenue (not just order count)
- Own my customer relationships
- Escape commissions
- Build a real, lasting brand
With month-to-month flexibility, award-winning support, and a $1B+ valuation backed by serious investors, it’s clear that Owner.com is building the next era of restaurant tech—and it’s built for us, not for them.
If you're ready to stop renting customers and start building a business that lasts, Owner.com is the obvious choice.
