ChowNow review

ChowNow is built around a fairer deal for independent restaurants. It says it does not charge the high commissions of other ordering apps and does not mark up menu prices for diners, which matters if you have noticed that the same burrito costs more on a delivery app than at the counter. You search local restaurants by cuisine, name or deal, see a map of places open now or running a promotion, and choose takeout, delivery or curbside pickup. Checkout uses Apple Pay or a saved card, and reorder buttons speed up repeat orders. Support is available 24/7 by chat, SMS, phone or email. ChowNow lists cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Austin and Charlotte. The trade-off is selection: only restaurants that sign up appear, chains are rare, and there is no membership to cut delivery fees. It works best for pickup from local favorites.

Who it is for

Diners who want to order from independent restaurants without marked-up menu prices.

Price

Free app with no membership; you pay the restaurant's menu prices.

Or marked-up menu prices for you.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• Takeout, delivery and curbside pickup from local restaurants
• No marked-up menu prices for diners
• Map of restaurants open now or running a promotion
• Apple Pay and saved cards with quick reorder
• Support by chat, SMS, phone or email 24/7

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No membership to buy
• Strength: Menu prices are not marked up
• Strength: Human support around the clock
• Weakness: Fewer restaurants than the big marketplaces
• Weakness: Coverage focused on larger US cities
• Weakness: No membership perks such as fee waivers

Key facts

• Membership: None
• Menu pricing: No markups, per ChowNow
• Order types: Takeout, delivery, curbside
• Support: Chat, SMS, phone or email, 24/7
• Example cities: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Austin

Where it ranks

ChowNow is No. 8 in our Best Food Delivery Apps verdict.