Show the delivery minimum as soon as a guest selects delivery and the restaurant can identify the applicable zone. Beside the basket subtotal, show how much more in eligible food and drink the guest needs to add. Update that amount whenever the basket or delivery address changes, and replace it with a clear confirmation once the minimum is met.
The goal is to answer three questions before checkout: What is my minimum? What counts toward it? How much more do I need? A guest should not have to add an item, start checkout, and discover a restriction only after entering payment details.
Show the applicable threshold early
Place the minimum near the delivery choice or address field, then repeat it in the basket. For example: Delivery minimum: $25.00 in eligible items. If the guest has not entered an address yet, avoid presenting one zone's amount as a promise for every address. Instead, say that the minimum depends on the delivery address and show the applicable amount after the address is checked.
Keep the threshold separate from the delivery fee. A minimum is the eligible order value needed to place a delivery order; a delivery fee is a charge. If the fee does not count toward the minimum, say so. The same applies to tips and other charges. A guest should not see a $24.00 food subtotal, a $3.00 delivery fee, and wonder why a $25.00 minimum has not been met.
Before choosing the wording, agree on the rule with the people who manage the menu, delivery area, and ordering setup. The restaurant supplies the threshold for each area and decides which basket amounts count. The ordering provider should explain where those rules are configured, when the address is checked, and what the guest sees. Ask whether the display can appear on the menu and in the basket, not just at checkout.
Also settle how discounts affect eligibility. If the minimum uses the item subtotal after discounts, say so in a short explanation available near the progress message. If some products are excluded, make that clear before guests rely on their basket total. The display and the rule that permits checkout must use the same definition.
A restaurant website can help guests understand delivery terms before they start ordering. Check that any general delivery information there agrees with the live ordering flow, especially after a zone or minimum changes. A static page is useful context; the address-specific amount belongs in the ordering flow itself.
Update the remaining amount after basket changes
Use the eligible subtotal, not the grand total, to calculate the progress message. Subtract that subtotal from the applicable minimum. If the result is positive, show the difference in dollars and cents. If it is zero or negative, show a confirmation rather than a negative amount.
For a hypothetical example, assume a $25.00 minimum and an eligible subtotal of $18.40. The basket should say: Add $6.60 in eligible items to reach the $25.00 delivery minimum. If the guest adds an eligible $7.00 item, the subtotal becomes $25.40 and the message changes to Delivery minimum met.
These figures describe basket eligibility, not the cost of providing delivery. Fixed costs, variable operating costs, and exception costs are not included. Delivery fees, tips, taxes, and payment charges are also excluded from the minimum calculation in this example. The rule assumes any item discount is applied before the eligible subtotal is displayed.
Refresh the message after an item is added, removed, or edited. That includes quantity changes, option changes that alter the price, and a discount being applied or removed. If an item is unavailable and drops from the basket, the remaining amount may rise again. The guest needs to see that change before attempting checkout.
Keep the prompt useful without forcing a purchase. A link back to the menu can help someone who wants to add an item; pickup may be another option if the restaurant offers it. Do not make a delivery fee look like the amount needed to reach the minimum. If a guest chooses pickup, remove the delivery-minimum prompt or replace it with the rules that actually apply to pickup.
Ask the provider what happens if the amount changes while the basket is open. For example, if the restaurant updates a minimum, does the guest see the new rule before checkout? The final validation should use the current rule and explain any change in plain language, rather than simply blocking the order.
Explain differences between delivery zones
When minimums differ by area, the address determines which threshold to display. Show the selected delivery address or area alongside the applicable amount, and give the guest an obvious way to change the address. A useful message is: Delivery minimum for this address: $25.00. If the address cannot be matched, ask the guest to correct it or contact the restaurant rather than guessing a minimum.
Consider a separate hypothetical zone change. A guest has $28.00 in eligible items. The first address has a $25.00 minimum, so the basket qualifies. The guest then changes to an address with a $35.00 minimum. The display should change to: Add $7.00 in eligible items to reach the $35.00 delivery minimum. If the guest changes back to the first address, the confirmation should return.
This example assumes both addresses are inside a delivery area and that the eligible items do not change. It does not establish how a particular system identifies zones. Ask how your provider handles overlapping areas, address corrections, and an address outside every area. Also ask whether a zone change updates the minimum and any delivery fee together, with each shown as a separate figure.
Guests may browse before providing an address. That can be convenient, but it means the restaurant cannot always show the final threshold immediately. Give them a clear prompt to enter an address, then update the basket as soon as the zone is known. Avoid a generic minimum that could leave a guest believing the basket qualifies when a different zone rule applies.
Test cents, wording, and accessibility
Run display checks with a controlled basket before making a rule available to guests. The following hypothetical cases use a $25.00 minimum, or 2,500 cents. Eligible subtotal means the amount after item discounts; fees, tips, taxes, and payment charges do not count. The expected remaining amount is the larger of zero or 2,500 cents minus the eligible subtotal.
| Case | Eligible subtotal | Remaining | Expected display |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty basket | 0 cents | 2,500 cents | Add $25.00 to reach the minimum |
| One cent short | 2,499 cents | 1 cent | Add $0.01 to reach the minimum |
| Exactly met | 2,500 cents | 0 cents | Delivery minimum met |
| One cent over | 2,501 cents | 0 cents | Delivery minimum met |
| Discount applied | 2,450 cents | 50 cents | Add $0.50 to reach the minimum |
For the discount case, assume eligible items cost 2,600 cents before a 150-cent discount. The resulting 2,450-cent subtotal is 50 cents short. Remove the discount in a separate check and confirm that the message changes to minimum met. These cases check communication of an assumed rule; they do not determine what your minimum should be.
Check the figures at each visible step: menu or basket, checkout, and any message explaining why the order cannot proceed. A one-cent gap should not be rounded away on the screen while the checkout still blocks the order. Likewise, do not show a negative remaining amount when the basket exceeds the threshold.
Review the message on a small phone screen as well as a larger display. The threshold, subtotal, and remaining amount should be readable without relying on color alone. Ask someone using a keyboard or screen reader to check that the status is understandable and that a changed amount is announced or otherwise easy to find. Confirm that text remains legible when enlarged and that buttons such as changing the address have clear labels.
Use a simulation or a provider's safe test environment for these checks. It should not create a real card payment, guest message, or courier dispatch. If those safeguards are unavailable, agree on a safe test method with the provider before proceeding. A live service pilot is different: it uses real orders and requires staff to monitor the display, handle guest questions, and record any mismatches for correction.
Choose the display and confirm the setup
Use the early, address-specific threshold and a basket-level remaining amount when your delivery rule varies by zone. That combination gives the guest the current rule and a practical next step. If every address has the same minimum, the wording can be simpler, but the basket still needs to update after discounts and item changes.
Write down the rule, the messages, and the expected outcomes for the cent-level cases before asking a provider to configure them. Include who can change a zone, where the change appears, and who checks it. Compare the ordering flow with the general delivery information on your site whenever the rule changes. The online ordering buying guide can help frame the wider software decision without losing sight of this specific checkout requirement.
Next, use the checklist above to assess your current flow. Then ask Fleksa about restaurant online ordering, including whether the display behavior you need and the relevant setup are available in your US location.
Frequently asked questions
Should the delivery minimum appear before checkout?
Yes. Show the applicable amount once the delivery address or zone is known, and keep the remaining amount visible in the basket. If the address is not known yet, explain that the minimum depends on it.
Does the delivery fee count toward the minimum?
That depends on the restaurant's configured rule. State what counts and show the delivery fee separately. If only eligible items count, do not use the fee to calculate the remaining amount.
What should happen when a guest changes addresses?
Recheck the delivery area and show the new minimum and remaining amount before checkout. If the new address is outside the delivery area or cannot be matched, explain that and offer a way to correct the address or contact the restaurant.
