How to Set Up Pickup and Delivery Options in Restaurant Menu

Offering online ordering is about more than letting customers submit food orders. Restaurants also need to define how customers receive their food and how payment is handled.

These are two separate parts of the ordering process, and understanding the distinction is key to building a smooth and predictable workflow.

With WordPress Restaurant Menu and Ordering System, restaurants can configure both pickup and delivery options, as well as control whether customers pay online or pay when they receive their order.

Pickup and Delivery Are Different From Payment Options

One of the most common sources of confusion is assuming that delivery settings and payment settings are connected.

They are not.

Delivery settings determine how customers receive their food.

Payment settings determine when customers pay for their order.

A customer might:

• Pick up their order and pay online
• Pick up their order and pay at pickup
• Receive delivery and pay online
• Receive delivery and pay upon arrival

These options are configured independently, allowing restaurants to design workflows that match their real operations.

Enabling Pickup and Delivery Choices

When the Include Delivery Option setting is enabled, customers can choose how they would like to receive their order.

This is the setting that adds the delivery method selector to the ordering form.

Depending on your configuration, the form may display:

• Pickup
• Delivery

Or customized labels such as:

• Pick Up In Store
• Home Delivery

This flexibility allows restaurants to match customer expectations and real-world service models.

For full configuration options and setup behavior, see the Ordering documentation.

Controlling When Customers Pay

Payment behavior is controlled separately from delivery selection.

When the Pay In Store option is enabled, customers can choose whether they pay immediately online or pay later when receiving their food.

This is what creates the payment method selector on the ordering form.

For example:

• Pickup orders can offer Pay Online or Pay at Pickup
• Delivery orders can offer Pay Online or Pay on Delivery

This separation ensures that payment timing reflects how your restaurant actually operates.

What Happens After the Order Is Submitted?

A typical ordering workflow looks like this:

1. Customer places an order
2. Customer selects delivery method (pickup or delivery)
3. Customer selects payment method
4. Restaurant receives the order
5. Order is processed in the admin system
6. Kitchen prepares the food
7. Order is fulfilled via pickup or delivery
8. Customer receives their food

Once orders are received, restaurants manage fulfillment and lifecycle status inside the order management interface. Full details on managing orders can be found here.

To ensure customers and staff receive updates at the right time, the system also supports automated notifications throughout the ordering process. Notification behavior and configuration are explained here.

Customize Labels to Match Your Restaurant

Every restaurant operates differently, and the system allows you to reflect that in the ordering interface.

You can rename delivery options such as:

• Pickup → Curbside Pickup
• Delivery → Local Delivery
• Pickup → Collect In Store
• Delivery → Delivered To Your Door

The same applies to payment labels, ensuring customers clearly understand what each option means before placing an order.

Build a Clear Ordering Experience

Customers are more likely to complete an order when the process is simple and predictable.

Separating delivery selection from payment selection ensures clarity while giving restaurants full operational flexibility.

Final Thought

The most effective ordering systems reflect how a restaurant actually operates in the real world.

Understanding the difference between delivery method and payment method is the foundation of a reliable ordering experience.

Whether you offer pickup, delivery, pay-on-arrival, or online payment, Restaurant Menu gives you the flexibility to build a workflow that matches your business.