Frequently Asked Questions: Taking Food Orders with Google and ChowNow

Jul 1, 2019

Food Ordering With Google

Every month, Google connects millions of people with local businesses across the US. As the most visited website in the world, we recognize the significant opportunity to monetize these Google searches and turn them into orders at your restaurant — in an instant.

That’s why we’re excited to share ChowNow’s newest ordering channel in partnership with Google. Google now empowers customers searching Google for your restaurant by name, or even searching key terms like “pizza near me” or “Thai Kansas City,” to discover your restaurant and place an order in just a few taps.

Not only can these hungry searchers place a ChowNow food order from within Google Search results—they can also order directly from the restaurant within Google Maps, or place a voice order using the Google Assistant.

Read through the FAQ below to learn more about Google Food Ordering and how it works for your restaurant.


Frequently Asked Questions


1. How do I start receiving orders through Google?

ChowNow restaurant partners can opt in and out of Google food ordering at any time by speaking with the Restaurant Success Team or emailing support@chownow.com.

For restaurants that are new to ChowNow: you’ll be set up with this ordering channel during onboarding as long as you have a Google My Business account. Your Google My Business account doesn’t need to be claimed. If you don’t use ChowNow yet, get started by scheduling a demo.

Here are two resources to help you get a Google My Business account set up for your restaurant: About Google My Business and Getting Started with Google My Business.


 2. How much does ChowNow charge for Google Food Ordering?

For orders that come from Google, ChowNow charges 10% of the order subtotal, before tax and tip and not including credit card processing fees. These transactions will be visible on your ChowNow disbursement reports. 

To help you recoup these costs, ChowNow has developed a feature for restaurant partners called Profit Protector. Profit Protector gives your restaurant the ability to adjust the prices specifically on your menu as it appears on your Business Profile on Google to approximately 10% more.

3. What’s Profit Protector?

Profit Protector is a feature that’s automatically increases the prices of items on your menu, solely as it appears on your Google Business Profile, in order to offset the 10% fee that ChowNow charges. This way, you can grow your customer base and order volume without sacrificing your margins.

4. How does the Profit Protector feature work, and how can I get it set up?

The Profit Protector formula to increase menu prices is one-size-fits-all to start, and has been structured to ensure there is pricing consistency. It will work as follows and will apply to item prices only:

  • For items up to $4, no boost would be applied.
  • For items greater than $4, but up to $10, a flat $1 would be added.
  • For items greater than $10, 10% of the price would be added, “rounded” up to have the same decimal value. E.g, for a $21.99 item, the resulting price would be $24.99.

If you’re a current ChowNow restaurant partner, email support@chownow.com or schedule a call with your Restaurant Success Manager to get Profit Protector set up. If you’re not on ChowNow yet, get in touch with one of our online ordering specialists.

5. What’s the difference between the way I used to get orders from Google, and the new Google food ordering experience?

A few years ago Google launched a program called Place Actions that allows customers searching on Google to place food orders from a restaurant’s Google Knowledge Panel. When customers click the ordering link, they’re taken to an external ordering site where they place the order. The restaurant pays fees in accordance with the linked online ordering company’s normal fee structure.

Google’s new food ordering tool is an entirely different experience — one that allows the customer to complete the transaction without ever having to leave Google. The blue ‘Order Online’ button is made prominent to customers in their Google Search results and when using Google Maps. Customers can also please repeat orders on voice command with Google Assistant.

How It Works: Food Ordering With Google, Powered by ChowNow


Not a ChowNow restaurant partner yet? Sign up and get Food Ordering With Google free for a limited time. 

Schedule a Demo

6. How do I turn other online ordering services on or off to control which providers show up on Google?

Google has a form to let you de-list specific food ordering providers on your Business Profile. Just go here to fill it out!


7. Can I opt out if I’m not ready for additional orders through Google?

No problem. Please email support@chownow.com and we’ll update your ChowNow account accordingly.

8. How do I opt back in when I’m ready to reach more customers through Google ordering?

Easy! Just email support@chownow.com and we’ll update your ChowNow account accordingly.

We’re excited to welcome Cuboh to the ChowNow family.  Learn More