Bag Stuffers & QR Codes: The Direct-Order Conversion Playbook

By Taylor Brewster · June 2026 · 4 min read

Setting up zero-commission ordering is the easy half. The half that decides whether you actually save money is conversion: getting the customer who found you on DoorDash to order from you next time. Here's the playbook that works.

The math per converted customer

A regular who orders $40 twice a month through a marketplace at 30% all-in costs you $288 a year in fees. Convert them to direct at 0% and that's $288 recovered — per regular, per year. Convert fifty regulars and you've recovered $14,400 annually. This is why the conversion play deserves real effort, not an afterthought sticker.

The bag stuffer that converts

• Physical card in every marketplace bag. Not a coupon-clutter flyer — one card, one message.
• A real offer: "Order direct next time — free queso" beats "10% off" (food costs you ~30 cents on the menu dollar; discounts cost full margin). Make it generous enough to change behavior once; habit does the rest.
• QR code straight to your ordering page. Not your homepage — the menu. Every extra tap loses people.
• Say the why. "Ordering direct saves us 30% in app fees — we'd rather spend it on your food." Guests genuinely respond to this; everyone hates the apps' fees, including the customers paying their share.

Beyond the bag

1. Google Business Profile: set your ordering link to YOUR site, not a marketplace. (Platforms have quietly claimed this button on thousands of listings.)
2. Instagram bio + stories: the link goes to your ordering page, with a highlight explaining the direct-order deal.
3. Table tents and receipts for the dine-in crowd who also orders delivery.
4. Capture and re-market: direct platforms give you the customer's email — a monthly offer to that list is free repeat revenue the apps used to own.