To find unintended price differences, compare the same order across each channel and break the total into its parts. Check the base item, every selected option and any guest-facing fee. Then compare each difference with the price policy you intended to apply.
Matching prices are not the only acceptable result. You may choose a higher marketplace price or a different delivery fee. The problem is a difference nobody meant to create, cannot explain, or has not communicated to the guest.
Choose baskets that reveal the differences
Start with a list of places where guests can order: your direct ordering page, marketplace listings, phone orders and any other active channel. If a channel has separate menus for pickup and delivery, treat those as separate checks. A delivery basket can include charges that do not apply to pickup, so do not compare the two as though they were identical transactions.
Build a small set of representative baskets rather than checking only one plain item. Include a popular main, a paid modifier and a side or drink. Add another basket for an item with sizes, substitutions or multiple paid options. If your menu changes by time of day, check a relevant basket during each menu period.
Write down exactly what the guest selects. “Burger and fries” is too vague if one channel offers different patty sizes or includes fries in a combo. Record the item name, size, quantity, options and fulfillment method. If an equivalent option is unavailable on one channel, mark the basket as not directly comparable instead of forcing a match.
Ask the menu manager for current intended prices and portion rules. Ask the person responsible for each ordering account for access to the guest-facing menu and its settings. The shift lead can identify common guest customizations that a simple price list might miss. If an outside provider manages a listing, establish who can request and approve changes.
Check the guest view, not just the menu editor. Choose the same location and, where relevant, the same service time. Note whether the price appears on the item page, changes after an option is selected or appears only in the cart. Stop before submitting an order: a practice check should not create a real payment, guest message or courier dispatch.
Compare the itemized basket, not just the total
For each channel, capture the same components in the same order: base item, paid options, sides, discounts and guest-facing fees. Keep tax separate from the menu comparison, and do not count tips as menu prices. Note which amounts are estimates and whether the guest sees them before checkout.
The following hypothetical pickup audit uses one main, one paid option and one side. The owner intends the marketplace main to cost $1 more than the direct main. The marketplace also displays a $1.50 guest fee. The intended option price is $2 on both channels.
| Basket component | Direct pickup | Marketplace pickup | Difference to review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main item | $12.00 | $13.00 | $1.00 intended increase |
| Paid option | $2.00 | $2.50 | $0.50 unintended increase |
| Side | $3.00 | $3.00 | None |
| Guest fee | $0.00 | $1.50 | $1.50 channel fee |
| Total before tax and tip | $17.00 | $20.00 | $3.00 higher on marketplace |
The table explains the full $3 difference: $1 in deliberate item pricing, $1.50 in a guest fee and a $0.50 option charge that needs correction. If the option is corrected and the other amounts stay the same, the marketplace total becomes $19.50 before tax and tip. The channels would still differ by $2.50, and that would be consistent with the stated policy.
These are guest-facing basket amounts, not a measure of restaurant profit or all-in operating cost. The example excludes fixed costs, restaurant-side variable costs such as food and processing, and exception costs such as refunds or failed orders. A guest fee is not necessarily money the restaurant receives. Compare channel economics separately using actual statements and quotes; the guide to comparing direct and marketplace contribution offers a starting point.
Promotions need their own line. A discount can make the final total look correct while an underlying item price remains wrong. Record the promotion’s conditions and expiration, then compare the basket without it where the channel allows. For delivery, record the delivery charge separately and check whether the address, order size or service time changes it.
Separate policy decisions from mistakes
Once the numbers are side by side, give each difference a status: intended, unintended or unresolved. An intended difference should have an owner and a reason, such as a channel-specific price decision. Unintended differences are candidates for correction. Unresolved differences need more information before anyone changes a live menu.
Look first for ordinary setup problems. An option may have retained an old price after the main item changed. A size may be mapped to the wrong listing, or a combo may include a side on one channel but not another. A seasonal menu might still be visible at one location. Fees can also change the guest total without changing the item price at all.
In the example above, the $0.50 option difference is not proof of a particular setup error. The manager should inspect that option in the marketplace menu and confirm the intended price before editing it. If the option represents a different portion, the two selections may not be equivalent after all. If the fee is controlled outside the restaurant’s settings, ask the provider how it is calculated and displayed rather than assuming the restaurant can remove it.
Document decisions in plain language: “Marketplace main is $1 higher for pickup; paid option is the same price on both channels.” That gives staff a rule they can apply to future changes. It also prevents someone from “fixing” a deliberate difference simply because two numbers do not match.
Review what a guest can reasonably see. A channel-specific price may be intentional but still prompt questions if the fee appears late in the ordering flow. Give staff a short, accurate explanation of the restaurant’s policy. Avoid describing a charge as a restaurant charge unless you know who sets and receives it.
If you are assessing a new ordering setup, ask how menu edits, option prices and service fees are configured, and whether changes must be made separately for each location or channel. The online ordering buying guide can help frame the wider software decision without replacing this item-by-item check.
Assign approval and verify every correction
Give one person responsibility for the price policy and final approval. That might be the owner at a single location or a menu manager for a group. Each channel should also have a named person who can make or request an edit. The approver and editor can be the same person, but both responsibilities need to be clear.
Keep a simple audit record with the location, date, channel, basket selections, observed amounts, intended amounts and status. Add the reason for any approved difference and the person responsible for the next action. A screenshot or written cart breakdown can help the team revisit what the guest saw, especially when a fee depends on the order.
Before changing a price, confirm the scope. Does the correction apply to one option, every size, one location or all locations? Could it affect a combo or another menu period? Ask an outside menu manager or provider what else the edit will change if you cannot tell from the settings. For contract or tax treatment questions, consult an appropriately qualified adviser.
After the edit is published, repeat the same simulated basket in the guest view. Check both the corrected line and the total, then stop before submitting. Record the result and close the task only when the approved amount appears. If the change is not visible, note the time and follow up with the person or provider responsible; do not assume the update has reached every channel.
Run the audit after a menu price change, promotion change or new channel launch, and schedule a recurring check that fits your menu turnover. Rotate through less common modifiers as well as the popular basket. A compact, repeatable check is more useful than a large spreadsheet nobody maintains.
Next step: Choose one pickup basket today, compare it across your active channels and assign an owner to each unexplained difference. Then ask Fleksa about restaurant online ordering, including current US availability and how your menu would be managed alongside your restaurant website.
Frequently asked questions
Should restaurant prices match on every channel?
Not necessarily. Set a deliberate policy for each channel and fulfillment method, then check that the guest-facing prices and fees reflect it.
How often should I check online menu prices?
Check after price, promotion or channel changes, and set a recurring schedule based on how often your menu changes. Include modifiers and less common items over time.
Can I audit a basket without placing an order?
Usually you can compare the displayed menu and cart before submission. Stop short of any action that would create a payment, guest message or courier dispatch. If a charge is not visible until later, ask the channel provider how to verify it safely.
