Olo recently announced the Olo App, a new consumer marketplace that allows guests to discover and order from restaurants using Olo’s digital ordering infrastructure.
For restaurant brands already using Olo, the immediate questions are simple:
- What exactly is the Olo App?
- Do restaurants need Olo Accounts (formerly Borderless) to participate?
- Do they need Olo Pay?
- Will this change how first-party ordering works?
At 3Owl, we’re genuinely excited about the announcement. Not because it replaces what restaurant brands already have, but because it introduces something restaurants have historically struggled to build on their own: shared discovery without marketplace commissions.
Here’s what restaurant leaders should understand.
Quick Summary: What the Olo App Means for Restaurants
For operators who want the short version:
- The Olo App is a new discovery marketplace for restaurants using Olo ordering.
- Orders still run through the existing Olo ordering infrastructure.
- No changes are required to your current first-party digital experience.
- Olo Accounts and Olo Pay are not required, though they can help accelerate traction.
- The app sits between brand websites and third-party marketplaces like Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Think of it as a new demand channel layered into the existing digital ecosystem.
What the Olo App Actually Is
For years, Olo has operated primarily as infrastructure.
It powers the ordering engines behind restaurant websites, apps, and digital ordering experiences across hundreds of brands and tens of thousands of locations.
The Olo App introduces something new: consumer discovery.
Instead of guests only interacting with restaurants through individual brand websites or delivery marketplaces, they can now explore restaurants across the Olo network within a single app.
The goal is to combine two things restaurants typically have to choose between:
- Discovery, which third-party marketplaces provide
- Ownership, which first-party ordering protects
If it works as intended, the Olo App creates a middle ground.
Will the Olo App Change First-Party Ordering?
No.
For brands already using Olo, nothing changes about how orders flow today.
Orders will still move through the same infrastructure:
- Your brand website or native app
- Olo’s ordering platform
- POS integrations and kitchen routing
There is no need to redesign your digital ordering experience to participate.
Your website and app remain the primary first-party channel.
The Olo App simply introduces an additional place where guests can discover and order from your brand.
Where the Olo App Fits Between First-Party and Third-Party Ordering
Most restaurant brands currently operate across two digital demand channels.
First-Party Ordering
- Brand website
- Native mobile apps
- Highest margins
- Full brand control
Third-Party Marketplaces
- Uber Eats
- DoorDash
- Discovery and convenience
- High commission costs
The Olo App creates a third category.
You can think of it as a second-party marketplace.
Brand Website / App
↓
Olo App
↓
Uber Eats / DoorDash
It sits strategically between brand-owned experiences and third-party delivery platforms.
The promise is marketplace discovery without the traditional marketplace economics.
The Best Comparison: Shopify and Shop
The closest analogy comes from ecommerce.
Olo is similar to Shopify.
Shopify powers millions of individual storefronts.
But Shopify also created Shop, a consumer app where shoppers can discover brands across the Shopify ecosystem.
Shop doesn’t replace a brand’s website.
Instead, it amplifies discovery across the entire network.
That’s the role the Olo App appears designed to play.
It pools the collective presence of restaurants already operating on Olo to create a discovery engine restaurants couldn’t easily build on their own.
Do Restaurants Need Olo Accounts (Formerly Borderless)?
No.
Olo Accounts are not required to participate in the Olo App.
However, they can help improve the experience for guests using the app.
Olo Accounts allow customers to maintain a shared identity across participating restaurants, which enables things like:
- Passwordless login
- Saved addresses
- Saved preferences
- Faster checkout
For restaurants, this helps reduce friction and improve conversion inside the app.
But again, participation does not require Olo Accounts.
Do Restaurants Need Olo Pay?
No.
Restaurants can appear in the Olo App without using Olo Pay.
That said, Olo Pay can help streamline checkout by allowing payment credentials and transaction intelligence to move seamlessly across the network.
Like Olo Accounts, it’s optional but potentially beneficial.
Why This Will Be Good for Restaurant Brands
Restaurant operators have historically faced a difficult digital tradeoff.
If you want discovery, you rely on third-party marketplaces and accept the commission structure.
If you want margin and brand control, you focus on first-party channels and invest heavily in your own marketing engine.
The Olo App introduces a middle layer.
Discovery powered by the collective presence of restaurants already using Olo.
If adoption grows, it could create incremental demand without forcing brands into traditional marketplace economics.
That’s the part we’re most excited about.
Considerations for Restaurant Leaders
While we’re optimistic about the potential, there are also a few strategic questions brands should watch closely as the Olo App evolves.
Incremental Demand vs Cannibalization
The biggest question will be whether the app creates new orders or simply reroutes existing ones.
Early adoption will likely generate incremental discovery.
Over time, some cannibalization of first-party ordering is possible. That’s not necessarily a negative outcome, but it’s something brands should monitor carefully.
Brand Identity in a Shared App Experience
Olo has indicated brands will be able to control:
- Profile pages
- Imagery
- Menu presentation
- Brand storytelling
That’s encouraging.
However, it’s still a shared marketplace interface, which means some level of standardization is inevitable.
The key question will be how much brand personality can truly come through inside the app.
What We’ll Be Watching Closely
The real story will unfold once the app reaches scale.
A few things we’re paying attention to:
- Consumer adoption of the app
- Marketing initiatives supporting discovery
- How brands can customize their presence
- Whether it generates measurable incremental demand
If Olo invests in consumer awareness and discovery features, the network effect could become meaningful.
Olo App FAQ for Restaurant Brands
Will the Olo App replace a restaurant’s website or mobile app?
No. The Olo App acts as a discovery channel, while brand websites and native apps remain the primary first-party ordering experiences.
Do restaurants need Olo Accounts to appear in the Olo App?
No. Olo Accounts (formerly Borderless) are optional but can improve guest login and personalization across restaurants inside the app.
Do restaurants need Olo Pay to participate?
No. Olo Pay is not required, though it may improve checkout speed and payment intelligence across the network.
Will the Olo App replace Uber Eats or DoorDash?
Not likely. Instead, it introduces a middle category between first-party ordering and third-party marketplaces.
Our Take
At 3Owl, we see the Olo App as a promising addition to the restaurant digital ecosystem.
It doesn’t replace first-party ordering.
It doesn’t eliminate third-party marketplaces.
Instead, it introduces a new layer of discovery built around the restaurants already using Olo’s infrastructure.
For brands already on Olo, the barrier to entry is extremely low.
Which makes the potential upside worth paying attention to.
The Olo App could become something the restaurant industry has needed for a long time:
A discovery network designed to work with restaurants instead of extracting from them.