Excessive price markups on popular delivery platforms have become almost inevitable, even when I’m simply trying to order dinner. Apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash often add eye‑catching fees and inflated menu costs, as the commissions they charge restaurants are usually passed on to the consumer, making a chicken Caesar salad wrap more expensive than it is in‑store. While these services once seemed convenient, they now feel like a poor value.
Olo, a fresh food‑delivery app that launched nationwide today on Android and iOS, hopes to change that perception. “Restaurants are paying 20 to 30 percent commissions to the marketplaces and are offsetting that by increasing the price,” says Noah Glass, Olo’s founder and CEO. The app’s main selling point is that it does not rely on such markups.
On Olo, restaurants list the same prices they display in their physical locations, and the platform adds a flat 5 percent service fee. A delivery charge still applies, but the overall cost remains more transparent. Glass envisions Olo as a middle ground for customers who want the convenience of an ordering app without the unpredictable fees and inflated menu items. The launch includes 250 restaurant brands, with plans to add more over time.
Another frustration Olo tackles is the flood of advertisements that dominate other delivery apps. Sponsored listings often obscure search results, making it hard to find what you really want. Olo presents a clean list of nearby restaurants that are available on the platform, along with suggestions based on past orders.
The name Olo may be new to consumers, but many have likely used the company’s technology behind the scenes. Glass has been involved in digital ordering for more than twenty years. In 2005 he founded Mobo, a service that let coffee‑shop patrons place orders via text messages—well before the iPhone existed. Mobo eventually rebranded as Olo and shifted to providing backend software that helps restaurants manage digital menus. Today Olo claims to facilitate over 3.5 million orders each day across desktop sites, smartphones, and even kiosk touchscreens.
Convincing diners to abandon the delivery apps they have used for years will be a challenge, but Glass’s deep ties to the restaurant industry give him a foothold as an insurgent challenger. He is targeting a core weakness of the big players: inflated prices.
The next time I order a chicken Caesar salad wrap for dinner, I’ll check Olo first to see if it’s cheaper. A good deal is a good deal, even when I’m lounging on the couch.