ONDC for Restaurants: What It Is and Whether to Join
ONDC — the Open Network for Digital Commerce — is a government-backed attempt to unbundle e-commerce. Instead of a platform that owns both the customers and the sellers, ONDC is a protocol that lets a buyer on any participating app order from a seller registered through any other. For restaurants, the appeal is straightforward: materially lower commission than the established aggregators.
Summary
This guide explains what ONDC is, how it separates the buyer app, seller app and logistics roles that a conventional aggregator bundles together, and how its commission compares with Swiggy and Zomato.
It covers how a restaurant joins ONDC and gives an honest assessment of where the network fits alongside existing delivery channels today.
How the model differs
On a conventional aggregator, one company owns the app the customer uses, the listing you appear in, and the delivery. That bundle is what the commission pays for, and it is why the rate is what it is.
ONDC separates those roles. A buyer app brings the customer, a seller app represents you, and logistics providers handle delivery, each as a distinct participant. Because they compete independently rather than being bundled, the total take is generally lower than a single aggregator charging for all three.
What this means commercially
The commission difference is real and is the main reason restaurants look at ONDC. The honest counterweight is the discovery column: the established platforms have the customers, and a lower rate on very few orders is worth less than a higher rate on many.
| Conventional aggregator | ONDC | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | Typically 20-30% | Generally lower — varies by participant |
| Customer relationship | Owned by the platform | More accessible to the seller |
| Discovery | Strong, single large app | Spread across multiple buyer apps |
| Delivery | Bundled | Separate logistics participants |
| Maturity | Established | Still developing |
How a restaurant joins
The seller app matters more than the rest of the decision. It determines your fees, the quality of your catalogue tooling, and how much support you get when something goes wrong, and those vary considerably between participants.
- Choose a seller app — this is the participant that lists you on the network and is your main relationship
- Complete onboarding with them, providing the same documents any platform requires: FSSAI, GST, PAN and bank details
- Set up your catalogue with items, prices and availability
- Decide on logistics — whether you deliver yourself or use a network logistics provider
- Go live, after which your listing becomes visible across participating buyer apps
An honest assessment
ONDC is worth understanding and, for most restaurants already doing delivery, worth trying — the incremental effort is modest once your documents and catalogue exist, and the commission difference is genuine.
It is not, today, a replacement for the established platforms. Order volumes through the network are lower, the experience varies by buyer app, and support when an order goes wrong is less consolidated than dealing with a single aggregator. Treating it as an additional channel rather than a substitution is the realistic posture.
The network changes quickly. Anything you read about ONDC — including this page — is worth re-checking against a seller app before you make a decision on it.
Where it fits alongside everything else
Think of your delivery channels as a set with different costs of acquisition. Aggregators are expensive but bring people who have never heard of you. ONDC sits in between. A direct channel of your own is cheapest but only reaches people who already know you.
The sensible structure uses all three for what each is good at: aggregators for discovery, ONDC as a lower-cost additional surface, and a direct channel with its own customer app for the repeat customers the other two delivered. Restaurants that rely entirely on one channel are exposed to whatever that channel decides to do next.
Frequently asked questions
What is ONDC for restaurants?
ONDC is a government-backed open protocol that separates the roles a conventional aggregator bundles together — the buyer app, the seller app and logistics are independent participants. For restaurants this generally means lower total commission than Swiggy or Zomato.
How much commission does ONDC charge restaurants?
Generally lower than the 20-30% typical of conventional aggregators, though the exact figure depends on your seller app and logistics provider rather than being set by the network. Confirm current rates directly with a seller app.
How do I list my restaurant on ONDC?
Through a seller app, which handles your listing on the network. Onboarding requires the same documents as any platform — FSSAI, GST, PAN and bank details — plus a catalogue and a decision on whether you deliver yourself or use a network logistics provider.
Should restaurants leave Swiggy and Zomato for ONDC?
Not today. Order volumes through ONDC are lower and the experience varies by buyer app, so a lower commission rate on few orders is worth less than a higher rate on many. Treat it as an additional channel alongside the established platforms rather than a replacement.
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