For most restaurants, cloud kitchens, and bukkas in Nigeria, delivery apps like Chowdeck and Glovo can be useful for reaching customers. But relying entirely on third-party marketplaces can also mean giving up part of your revenue through per-order commissions and fees.

Many food businesses think the only alternative is hiring their own dispatch riders or managing messy, back-and-forth WhatsApp text chats. Neither is ideal.

A practical approach is to use ahybrid model:

Use third-party delivery marketplaces where they help you reach customers, while also building your own direct ordering channel for customers who already know your restaurant.

This guide explains how to set up an independent online food ordering channel withVado Storeand fulfill direct orders using delivery services or local dispatch riders when necessary.

The Economics: Flat Software Cost vs. Per-Order Commissions

It helps to understand the difference between having your own online storefront and relying entirely on a third-party food marketplace.

When you list your restaurant on a food marketplace, the platform may charge commissions, fees, or other costs associated with orders, depending on the platform and your arrangement.

Vado operates differently.Vado is a SaaS platform where you pay a subscription to run your own digital storefront. Your direct orders through your Vado Store are not subject to a Vado sales commission.

This does not mean you have to stop using delivery marketplaces. It simply means your restaurant can haveits own online ordering presence as well.

How Vado Works With Delivery Services

You don't need to buy motorcycles or employ a full-time delivery team simply because you want to accept direct orders online.

When a customer places a direct order, your restaurant can arrange delivery using the delivery service or local dispatch option that works best for your location and business.

The basic workflow can be:

1. Customer opens your Vado Link

   The customer visits your Vado Store from Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, Facebook, WhatsApp Status, Google, a QR code, NFC, or another marketing channel.

2. Customer browses your products

   They can view your food categories, products, images, descriptions, and prices.

3. Customer adds items to the cart

   Instead of typing every item manually into WhatsApp, the customer can select what they want and build their order.

4. Customer provides the required order information

   The customer can provide the relevant information needed by your restaurant for the order and delivery.

5. The order continues through WhatsApp

   Vado Store supports WhatsApp Order Redirection, allowing your restaurant to continue the ordering conversation through WhatsApp.

6. Your restaurant handles fulfillment

   Once the order is confirmed, your team can prepare the food and arrange delivery, takeaway, or dine-in according to your restaurant's setup.

The important point is thatVado handles the online storefront and structured ordering journey, while your restaurant remains in control of how the order is fulfilled.

Converting Existing Customers Into Direct Repeat Customers

Once your Vado Store is live, you can start directing customers who already know your restaurant to your own online storefront.

This is especially useful for customers who discover your restaurant through social media, referrals, previous orders, or food delivery platforms.

Packaging and QR Codes

You can place your Vado QR code on appropriate physical marketing materials such as:

• Food packaging
• Flyers
• Posters
• Business cards
• Promotional materials

A customer can scan the QR code and open your restaurant's Vado Store.

Social Media

Share your Vado Link wherever your customers already find you.

• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok
• Telegram
• WhatsApp

Instead of always telling customers to “DM for menu,” you can direct them to your online Store first.

WhatsApp Status

Post your daily meals, specials, promotions, or new products on WhatsApp Status and include your Vado Link.

Customers can browse your Store before starting a WhatsApp conversation.

Create Your Restaurant's Online Store With Vado

Building a professional digital storefront for your restaurant doesn't require expensive web development or custom app coding.

WithVado Store, you can upload your food products, organize them into categories, add prices and images, and give customers a mobile-first place to browse your menu and start an order through WhatsApp.

Your restaurant gets a personalizedVado Link.

For example, your restaurant's Vado Link could look like:

restaurantname.vado.ng

You can share this link across your social media profiles, WhatsApp Status, Telegram, digital advertisements, QR codes, NFC cards, packaging, flyers, and other marketing channels.

See a Restaurant Vado Store in Action

If you want to see what a restaurant can look like on Vado, you can explore the restaurant Vado Store demo:

restaurant.vado.ng

This demonstrates the Store experience for a restaurant that wants to showcase products and allow customers to begin the ordering process.

What About a Vado Page?

Vado also providesVado Pagefor businesses that want a professional online presence beyond a product-focused Store.

A restaurant can use a Vado Page to present its business information, branding, services, reviews, galleries, contact information, and other details in one place.

You can see the restaurant Vado Page demo here:

restaurantpage.vado.ng

The distinction is simple:

Vado Page:Your restaurant's professional online presence.

Vado Store:Your restaurant's product-focused online storefront and ordering experience.

Depending on your business, you can use either one or both.

Use Your Own Custom Domain

Not every restaurant will want a Vado Link. Some businesses may prefer to use their own domain name as part of their brand.

Vado supports custom domain functionality, allowing eligible businesses to connect a domain they already own to their Vado presence.

For example, instead of using:

restaurantname.vado.ng

a restaurant could use its own domain such as:

• yourrestaurant.com
• yourrestaurant.ng
• yourrestaurant.com.ng
• yourrestaurant.store

The choice is yours. You can use your Vado Link if you want a simple Vado address, or use your own custom domain if having your own branded domain is important to your restaurant.

Turn Your Restaurant Store Into an Installable App (PWA)

One of the standout features of Vado Store is theInstallable App (PWA)experience.

Your restaurant doesn't necessarily need to develop and maintain a separate Android or iPhone application simply to give customers a more app-like way to access your online Store.

On supported devices and browsers, customers can install your Vado Store on their device's home screen.

Imagine a customer who regularly orders from your restaurant.

Instead of searching through old WhatsApp conversations for your menu or looking through Instagram for your latest post, your restaurant Store can be available directly from their phone's home screen.

They open it.

Your restaurant loads.

They browse your menu.

They select their food.

They can then continue their order through WhatsApp.

That is a very different experience from sending a PDF menu every time someone wants to order.

Why Is the Installable App Important for Nigerian Restaurants?

Nigerian customers are already familiar with digital food platforms such as Glovo and Chowdeck. Customers have become accustomed to discovering food businesses through digital platforms, browsing food, and starting orders from their phones.

But your restaurant doesn't necessarily need to build a complex food-delivery platform to provide a digital experience of its own.

With Vado, your restaurant can have itsown online Store with an Installable App experience, without having to build a restaurant app from scratch.

You're not trying to become a food-delivery marketplace.

You're givingyour own restauranta digital storefront that customers can return to.

For restaurants with repeat customers, this can make your digital presence feel much more like a dedicated restaurant application rather than simply another web page.

Use NFC to Share Your Vado Link

QR codes aren't the only way to share your Vado Link.

You can also use anNFC card or tagto open your Vado Link when a compatible phone interacts with it.

NFC can be useful for:

• Business cards
• Promotional materials
• Customer-facing displays
• Other physical marketing situations

The idea is simple: different sharing methods can lead customers to the same online destination.

Instagram → Vado Link → Your Restaurant

WhatsApp → Vado Link → Your Restaurant

TikTok → Vado Link → Your Restaurant

Telegram → Vado Link → Your Restaurant

QR Code → Vado Link → Your Restaurant

NFC → Vado Link → Your Restaurant

Your restaurant doesn't need a different menu for every marketing channel.

Why an Online Store Can Be Better Than Sending Menu Pictures on WhatsApp

Sending menu pictures through WhatsApp is easy, but it can become inconvenient as your menu grows.

Imagine having 40 menu items spread across 10 images.

A customer asks for the menu.

You send all 10 images.

The customer opens them one by one.

Then asks:

“How much is the family pack?”

Then:

“Do you still have this?”

Then:

“Can I order two?”

Your restaurant can reduce some of that unnecessary back-and-forth.

Customers can browse first.

They can see your products and prices.

They can select what interests them.

Then they can continue to WhatsApp when they're ready to order or need to ask a question.

The conversation becomes more focused.

Online Store vs. PDF Menu

PDF menus aren't necessarily bad. They can still be useful for some businesses.

But if your restaurant frequently changes prices, products, or availability, an online Store can be more convenient.

The biggest advantage is havingone current version of your menu.

If you change the price of a meal, you update your online Store.

Customers visiting the same Vado Link or custom domain can then see the updated information.

Keep Your Restaurant Menu Updated

Restaurant menus aren't always static.

You might:

• Change prices
• Add new meals
• Remove products
• Run promotions
• Temporarily run out of an item
• Introduce a new category

Your online Store should reflect what your restaurant is actually offering.

If customers see an old price online and discover a different price when they contact you, you've created confusion before the conversation even starts.

Make updating your online menu part of your normal business routine.

Whenever you change your actual menu, update your online version as well.

Your Online Store Can Also Be the Destination for Your Digital Ads

Once your restaurant has an online Store, you don't have to use it only for people who already know your business.

You can use your Vado Link or custom domain as the destination for your digital marketing campaigns.

For example, you can run targeted advertising throughMeta platforms such as Facebook and Instagramand send interested customers directly to your online Store.

You can also promote your Store through TikTok, Telegram, Google Ads, or other digital marketing platforms where a web link can be used as the destination.

Instead of:

Advertisement → WhatsApp → “Please send your menu” → Menu pictures → Questions

you can create a simpler journey:

Advertisement → Your Online Store → Browse Menu → Add to Cart → WhatsApp

You can promote a particular meal, special offer, or restaurant campaign and send interested people directly to the place where they can see what you offer.

Your Vado Link therefore isn't simply a menu address.

It can become the online destination for your restaurant's marketing.

Vado and Food Delivery Marketplaces

Restaurants may already know platforms such as Glovo and Chowdeck, and these platforms can serve a purpose.

But your restaurant having its own online Store is a different proposition.

A food delivery marketplace is a third-party platform where multiple businesses are presented to customers.

Vado gives your restaurantits own digital storefront.

The question therefore doesn't have to be:

“Should I use Vado instead of Glovo or Chowdeck?”

A better question is:

“Should my restaurant also have its own online ordering presence?”

If a customer discovers your restaurant through Instagram, WhatsApp Status, TikTok, Telegram, a QR code, NFC, or an advertisement, you can send that customer directly to your own Vado Store.

You control the products and information displayed there, and customers can continue their order through your WhatsApp.

The cost structure is also different.

Food delivery marketplaces may involve merchant fees, commissions, or other costs depending on the platform and your particular arrangement with it.

Vado is a SaaS platform: you subscribe to Vado to have your own digital business presence and Store.

You can still use food delivery marketplaces where they make sense for your restaurant.

The point is thatyour restaurant doesn't have to depend entirely on somebody else's platform to have an online presence.

How to Share Your Online Restaurant Store

Creating the Store is only half the job.

You need to make your Vado Link or custom domain visible where customers already spend their time.

Instagram

Instead of:

“DM for menu.”

you can say:

View our full menu through the link in our bio.

WhatsApp Status

Post:

Today's menu 👇

Then share your Vado Link.

TikTok

Use your Store link where appropriate in your TikTok profile and promotional content so people who discover your food can find your menu and ordering destination.

Telegram

If your restaurant uses Telegram to communicate with customers or communities, you can share your Vado Link there as well.

WhatsApp Conversations

When someone asks:

“Please send your menu.”

You can respond with your Vado Link instead of sending multiple images.

Business Cards and Flyers

Add your Vado Link, custom domain, or QR code so people can access your restaurant online when they need it.

Food Packaging

Where appropriate, add a QR code or Vado Link to packaging so customers can easily find your Store when they want to order again.

Digital Advertisements

Use your Vado Link or custom domain as the destination for appropriate campaigns and promotions.

The objective is to make your online Storeeasy to find wherever your customers find you.

Vado Store Features That Can Help Your Restaurant

A restaurant Vado Store comes with several features that can support this workflow.

Personalized Store Link

Your restaurant gets a dedicated web address — your Vado Link — that you can share with customers.

Mobile-first Design

Your Store is designed around mobile browsing, which is important when customers are opening your menu from their phones.

WhatsApp Order Redirection

Customers can move from browsing your Store to WhatsApp as part of the ordering process.

QR Code

Customers can access your Store by scanning your restaurant's QR code.

Installable App (PWA)

Customers can install your Store on supported devices and access it from their device's home screen.

Homepage Slider

Use your Store's homepage area to highlight important promotions, meals, or restaurant information.

Visitor Traffic Analytics

See visitor activity on your Store and get insight into people visiting your online restaurant presence.

Custom CSS & JS

For businesses that need additional customization, Vado Store supports custom CSS and JavaScript.

You Don't Need to Turn Your Restaurant Into a Complicated E-commerce Business

If your restaurant already gets customers through WhatsApp, you don't necessarily need to replace WhatsApp with a complicated ordering system.

Vado can work around the behaviour your customers already understand.

Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / Telegram

↓

Vado Link or Custom Domain

↓

Your Restaurant

↓

Customer browses

↓

Customer adds food to cart

↓

Customer chooses an ordering option

↓

WhatsApp Order

Your customers still communicate with your restaurant through WhatsApp.

The difference is that they cansee your menu, choose what they want, and provide their order information before starting the conversation.

Get Your Restaurant Online With Vado

Your restaurant doesn't need to make customers work to find your menu.

If you're still sending multiple food pictures every time someone says:

“Please send your menu.”

there is a simpler way.

Create your restaurant's online presence with Vado.

Use aVado Pageif you want a professional online presence for your restaurant.

Use aVado Storeif you want to showcase your food, categories, prices, and products and give customers a way to build an order before continuing through WhatsApp.

You can share yourVado Linkthrough Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Telegram, WhatsApp, QR codes, NFC, and digital advertising.

If you prefer to use your own branded domain, you can also connect acustom domain nameto your Vado presence.

You can also give repeat customers anInstallable App (PWA)experience so your restaurant Store can be accessible from their device's home screen on supported devices and browsers.

Need Help Setting It Up?

You don't have to figure everything out alone.

If you need help creating your Vado Page or Store, adding your products, organizing your menu, setting up your Vado Link, connecting your custom domain, or getting your restaurant ready to share online,we'll assist you in setting it up for free.

And if you're a new Vado user, we're making it even easier to get started.

VADO50 — New User Offer

VADO50 gives you 50% off your Vado subscription.

VADO50 is anew user offercreated to help businesses get started with Vado.

Use the promo codeVADO50when subscribing and receive50% off your Vado subscription.

Free Setup Support:Need assistance getting your restaurant online? We'll help you upload your products, organize your categories, configure your Store, and get your WhatsApp ordering workflow readyat no extra cost.

Ready to get started? Create your Vado Page or Store, use VADO50 for 50% off, and we'll assist you with the setup for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take direct food orders online without building a website?

Yes. You don't necessarily need to build a traditional website just to put your restaurant's menu and ordering process online. Vado Store provides a dedicated online storefront for your products, prices, and ordering workflow.

Can I share my restaurant Store on WhatsApp?

Yes. You can share your Vado Link directly in WhatsApp conversations and on WhatsApp Status.

Can I put my restaurant Store on Instagram?

Yes. You can put your Vado Link in your Instagram bio and use it in relevant promotional content.

Can I use TikTok and Telegram to promote my restaurant Store?

Yes. You can share your Vado Link through TikTok, Telegram, and other platforms where you can use a web link.

Can customers order through WhatsApp from my Vado Store?

Yes. Vado Store supports WhatsApp Order Redirection, allowing customers to move from the Store into WhatsApp as part of the ordering process.

Can customers choose delivery, takeaway, or dine-in?

Vado Store supports ordering options such asOrder for Delivery, Take Away, and Dine In, depending on the restaurant's configuration.

Can I create a QR code for my restaurant Store?

Yes. Vado Store includes a QR code feature that can make your Vado Link easier to access from physical marketing materials.

Can a restaurant use NFC with Vado?

Yes. NFC can be another way of opening your Vado Link when the NFC tag or card is configured appropriately and the customer's device supports the required NFC functionality.

Can I use my own domain instead of a Vado Link?

Yes. Vado supports custom domain functionality, so businesses that prefer their own branded domain can connect a domain they own to their Vado presence.

What does a Vado Link look like?

A Vado Link can use your chosen business name as part of the address. For example:

restaurantname.vado.ng

Can customers install my restaurant Store like an app?

Yes. Vado Store includes anInstallable App (PWA)feature that allows customers to install the Store on supported devices and browsers.

Should I use a Vado Page or Vado Store for my restaurant?

If your primary goal is a professional online presence, aVado Pagemay be more appropriate.

If your primary goal is an online menu and product-based ordering experience, aVado Storeis the more relevant option.

You can also use both depending on your restaurant's needs.

Do I need to stop using WhatsApp if I create an online Store?

No.

Vado can work alongside WhatsApp. Customers can browse your Store, select their products, and then continue their order through WhatsApp.

Do I need Glovo or Chowdeck if I use Vado?

Not necessarily. Vado and food delivery marketplaces serve different purposes.

You can use delivery marketplaces where they make sense for your restaurant while also maintaining your own Vado Store and Vado Link for customers who discover your business directly.

Can I advertise my Vado Store?

Yes. Your Vado Link or custom domain can be used as a web destination for appropriate digital marketing campaigns, including targeted advertising on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, and Google Ads.

Final Thoughts

Your restaurant may already have an Instagram account, WhatsApp number, loyal customers, and even accounts on food delivery platforms.

The problem may simply be that there is no easy place between:

“I saw your food.”

and

“I want to order.”

An online Store can become that bridge.

Instead of repeatedly sending menu pictures, give customers one place to browse your food, check prices, select what they want, and find out how to order.

With Vado, that destination can be yourVado Store, connected to yourVado Linkand your WhatsApp.

You can share it through social media, QR codes, NFC, and digital advertising, while giving repeat customers the option of anInstallable App (PWA)experience.

If you prefer your own brand's web address, you can connect acustom domaininstead of using a Vado Link.

Your food gets attention. Your online Store gives customers information. Your cart makes selection easier. WhatsApp continues the conversation.

That's a simpler way to take your restaurant online.

Ready to get started? Create your Vado Page or Store, use VADO50 for 50% off, and we'll assist you in the setup process for free.