Show every known guest charge in the cart, before the guest reaches the final payment step. Give each charge its own name and show a running total. If a delivery address is needed to calculate a fee, say so beside the estimate and update the total as soon as the address is entered.
A guest should not have to reach for a card to discover that a meal costs more than the menu prices suggested. A clear checkout also gives staff a straightforward answer when someone calls about a charge.
List the charges a guest may encounter
Start with the item subtotal: the menu items, quantities and selected extras in the basket. Then separate any additional charges rather than folding them into a single unexplained amount.
- Restaurant charges: A service or packaging charge set for the order. Use a label that tells the guest what the charge is called and, where useful, a short explanation of when it applies.
- Fulfillment charges: A delivery fee or another charge that depends on how the order gets to the guest. Make clear whether it applies to delivery, pickup or a particular order condition.
- Payment-related charges: Any amount the guest is asked to pay because of the payment method. Ask the provider how this appears and when it can be calculated.
- Tax and optional tip: Show these separately from fees. A tip is not a service charge, and an optional tip should not look mandatory.
Also identify conditions that change a charge: a delivery area, an order minimum, a promotion or a waived fee. Decide what staff should say if a guest asks why a charge appears. If the explanation takes several sentences, the checkout label may need work.
Not every restaurant uses every charge. The point is to map the charges that actually apply to your ordering setup, including exceptions. Ask your provider which labels, descriptions and fee rules you can configure. Have a qualified adviser review questions about how your charges and terms should be treated.
Put estimates in the cart and update them before payment
The cart is the first useful place for a guest to review the cost of the order. Show known charges there, along with a total that reflects those charges. Repeat the breakdown on the review screen immediately before the guest commits to payment.
Delivery is often the point where an early total needs an explanation. If the fee depends on the address, show the item subtotal and any known charges first. Next to delivery, say that the fee will be calculated after the guest enters an address. Once the address is available, show the delivery fee and updated total before asking the guest to complete payment.
If the address changes, recalculate and make the changed amount visible. Do the same when the guest switches from delivery to pickup. A total that changes quietly between screens can leave a guest unsure what they agreed to pay.
The following hypothetical delivery basket shows one way to present the review screen after the address has been entered. Amounts are in cents so the addition is easy to check.
| Line | Amount | What the guest should understand |
|---|---|---|
| Items | 2,450 cents | Food and selected extras |
| Service charge | 125 cents | A fixed charge in this example |
| Delivery fee | 399 cents | The charge for the entered address |
| Estimated tax | 196 cents | An illustrative amount, shown separately |
| Total | 3,170 cents | The sum before any optional tip |
The total is 2,450 + 125 + 399 + 196 = 3,170 cents, or $31.70. The example includes a fixed service charge and a delivery charge that may vary by address. It excludes an optional tip and any exception costs, such as a charge triggered by a minimum-order rule. The tax amount is illustrative, not a calculation rule or rate.
Before the address is entered, the restaurant should not present 3,170 cents as a known total. It can show the known lines and explain that delivery and any other address-dependent amounts will be added or updated after the address is provided. If the system can show a reliable estimate earlier, label it as an estimate rather than a final amount.
Make the cart and confirmation agree
A clear review screen is only part of the job. The order confirmation and the record your staff sees should use recognizable names for the same charges. A guest who sees “delivery fee” in the cart should not have to guess whether a differently named line on the confirmation represents the same amount.
Compare each stage of an order: cart, address entry, final review, confirmation and the restaurant's order view. Check the item quantities and modifiers as well as the fees. Note where a charge first appears and whether the total is recalculated when the basket changes.
For each sample order, answer these questions:
- Does the cart show every charge that can already be calculated?
- Are unresolved charges identified before the guest moves on?
- Does the review screen show the current lines and total before payment?
- Do the confirmation and staff order view reflect the same final amounts?
- If a promotion or tip changes the total, is that change visible and understandable?
If a line or total differs, trace the change instead of assuming it is a display problem. An address change, a removed item or an expired offer may have changed the order. Ask the provider whether the guest is shown the reason and has a chance to review the new total before committing.
A confirmation is not a substitute for disclosure before payment. It is the record guests use afterward, so it should help them connect what they saw at checkout with what they were charged.
Check pickup, delivery and fee exceptions
Use a small set of simulated baskets before changing a live checkout. The goal is to inspect the display and calculations, not to send a real order. Use a demonstration or test environment, and confirm with the provider that the scenarios cannot trigger a real card payment, guest message or courier dispatch.
Start with pickup. Confirm that a delivery-only fee does not remain in the total after the guest selects pickup. If a service charge still applies, check that its label and amount remain visible. Then switch the same basket to delivery and enter an address supported by the test setup. Check when the delivery fee appears and whether the total updates.
Next, try an order just below and just above any minimum your restaurant uses. Does the screen prevent checkout, add a charge or give another instruction? Whatever the rule, the guest should be able to see the effect before payment. Ask whether the minimum is based on the item subtotal or another amount, and make sure the display matches the configured rule.
For a waived-fee offer, check both an eligible and an ineligible basket. The eligible guest should be able to tell that the fee is waived and see the resulting total. An ineligible guest should not see a discount that never applies. Remove an item or change the fulfillment method to see whether the offer and total update together.
Also check a basket with an optional tip and one without it. The total should reflect the guest's selection, while the tip remains distinct from restaurant and delivery charges. Run these checks on a phone as well as a larger screen: a fee explanation that is easy to spot on a desktop may be easy to miss on a small display.
After simulated checks, a separate live service pilot can help staff observe the real workflow under agreed conditions. Plan it with the provider and staff, including how orders will be identified and handled. Do not use real guests, payments or courier dispatches as part of a practice simulation.
Choose a checkout your staff can explain
When comparing providers, bring your actual charge list and ask to see a representative guest journey. Request a demonstration of the cart before an address is entered, the updated delivery total, the final review and the confirmation. Ask which fee names and explanations you can edit, how waived charges appear, and what happens when a guest changes from delivery to pickup.
Look at the ordering flow from the guest's entry point, too. A restaurant website should make the path to ordering easy to find, while the checkout should give the guest room to review the cost before committing. For broader setup questions, use the online ordering guide; keep the fee-display decision focused on what the guest sees at each step.
Next, review Fleksa's restaurant online ordering page. If it looks relevant, ask for a demonstration using your pickup and delivery rules, including how fees appear before payment and on the confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Should a service charge appear before payment?
Show it as soon as its amount is known, ideally in the cart, and repeat it in the final review. Give it a distinct label rather than combining it with delivery or tip.
What if the delivery fee depends on the address?
Explain in the cart that the fee depends on the address. Once the guest enters one, show the calculated fee and updated total before the guest completes payment.
Should an optional tip be included in the first total?
Show the total without an optional tip unless the guest has selected one. If the guest adds or changes a tip, show it as a separate line and update the total before payment.
