Preoday alternative: what happened to Preoday, and what a single-site restaurant can use instead

Everything about Preoday and QikServe on this page comes from QikServe's and The Access Group's own public pages, checked on 22 October 2026 and listed in the sources table. They can change their products and prices at any time. Chefzi isn't affiliated with either company.

What happened to Preoday

Preoday built branded online ordering and mobile ordering for restaurants and food brands. Three dates explain where it is now:

So if you search for Preoday now, you end up at QikServe. If your ordering site or app was set up under Preoday, your contract, support and billing are now with The Access Group. Check your paperwork for the current notice period before you plan a switch.

What QikServe offers now

QikServe's pages describe a digital ordering platform with several products that can be taken on their own or together:

• Online Ordering: web, mobile and QR ordering for collection, delivery and ordering at the table, with multi-language, multi-currency and multi-store options.
• Open Check: guests order several rounds from their phone and pay when they're ready.
• Pay at Table: guests scan, view the bill, split it, tip and pay.
• Kiosk: self-service screens, only for deployments of 11 or more licences, with a minimum of 10 screens.
• Around them: links to EPOS, stock and payments, and a kitchen display system on the wider Access Hospitality product list.

Its click-and-collect page adds some useful detail. Guests choose a collection slot, and you can cap the number of orders per slot, which closes automatically when it fills. The same page says the product doesn't connect with delivery marketplaces such as Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats.

What QikServe publishes on price

The pricing page lists prices per licence (per site) per month, excluding VAT:

The small print matters as much as the table:

• POS Connect: the page says Online Ordering needs POS Connect for integrated sites, plus a third-party payment connection if you don't use QikServe Payments. Open Check and Pay at Table include POS Connect. For kiosks it's an extra cost.
• Hardware: it isn't included. Screens and tablets come through Access's hardware partners, bought outright or on a subscription.
• Quotes: the page says your cost depends on the products, the number of sites and your contract terms, and tells you to ask for a current quote.

The price of POS Connect and QikServe Payments' card rates weren't shown on the pages we checked, so we haven't guessed them.

Who QikServe suits, and who it doesn't

QikServe is a sensible choice if:

• you run several sites and want ordering, pay at table and kiosks managed from one dashboard;
• orders need to drop straight into your EPOS and stock system;
• you already use other Access Hospitality software and want one supplier.

It's probably more than you need if you're a single takeaway or a small restaurant whose real goal is to stop paying marketplace commission on regular customers. In that case you don't need a till integration. You need an ordering page under your own name, a reliable way to hear new orders, and a way to bring people back.

Chefzi as a Preoday alternative

Chefzi only does online ordering and the tools around it. It doesn't try to be a till.

What you get with Chefzi:

• Your ordering site for delivery and collection, mobile-friendly, with the menu as text that search engines can read. It can run on your own domain, or you can embed on the website you already have.
• The Chefzi app rings until a member of staff accepts or rejects the order. If the device goes offline, Chefzi sends an SMS and then makes a phone call. There's no expensive equipment to buy.
• Menu options that can be required, with a minimum and maximum per group, so the ticket is complete.
• Delivery zones, each with its own fee, minimum order and time, and separate hours for collection and delivery.
• Payments: cash on delivery and collection on both plans, and card payments through your own Stripe account on the £29 plan.
• In the dining room: table reservations and QR table ordering.
• Marketing: promo codes, automated offer emails, and email and SMS campaigns you send yourself to customers who've agreed to hear from you.
• Managed help: optional services for your Google profile, so you can rank higher on Google in your local area, plus social post design and paid ads on Facebook, Instagram and Google.

What Chefzi doesn't do: no till or EPOS connection, no kiosks, no customer app for diners to install, no loyalty scheme and no courier integrations. The full list is on what Chefzi does not do.

A rough cost check for one site

These are list prices only, before VAT and before card fees on either side. They're an illustration, not a quote.

On QikServe you'd also need to price POS Connect and payments if they apply to your set-up. On Chefzi, the only per-order cost is Stripe's fee on card orders. Either way, a direct ordering page usually costs far less per order than a delivery app, where commission averages up to 25% per order. Put your own numbers into the commission calculator.

How to switch without losing orders

1. Read your agreement. Find the notice period and end date in your Preoday or QikServe agreement with The Access Group. Don't cancel before the new system is tested.
2. Save what you'll need. Keep a copy of your menu, prices, opening hours, delivery areas and fees. If you can download your customer list, store it securely and only market to people who agreed to hear from you.
3. Set up the new menu. Rebuild your categories, items and option groups in Chefzi. Use required groups where the kitchen needs an answer, such as size or sauce.
4. Set up the kitchen device. Install the Chefzi app on the phone or tablet that will live by the pass, and turn the volume up.
5. Test like a customer. Place a collection order and a delivery order from a phone. Pay one by card and one in cash, then accept and complete both.
6. Switch every link on the same day. That means your website button, your Google Business Profile, Instagram, Facebook and any QR codes on menus or bags.
7. Run both for a short overlap, with someone watching both devices. Then give notice on the old system.

If the product you used was dine-in order and pay, see the Orderbee alternative. If you're comparing more than two options, our guide to the best online ordering systems in the UK sets out published prices side by side. The Flipdish alternative, Slerp alternative and Touch2Success alternative pages cover other platforms owners often weigh up. More are in the alternatives hub.

Try Chefzi on one site

Early Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deal: new sign-ups get 3 months free, with no setup fee. The deal ends at 23:59 on 1 December 2026.

After the free period, Chefzi is £19 a month for cash or no-card ordering, or £29 a month with online card payments through Stripe, per location, excluding VAT. Standard Stripe fees apply. There's no setup fee, no commission and no contract term. See Chefzi pricing.

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Frequently asked questions

What happened to Preoday?

QikServe acquired Preoday in January 2020, and The Access Group announced that it had acquired QikServe in September 2024. On 22 October 2026, preoday.com redirected to the QikServe product page on The Access Group's website, which says the products now sit within Access Hospitality.

How much does QikServe online ordering cost?

The Access Group's QikServe pricing page, checked on 22 October 2026, lists Online Ordering at £109 per licence (site) per month, excluding VAT, for 1 to 10 sites. Larger estates are priced on request. The page says integrated sites need POS Connect, and a payment connection if you don't use QikServe Payments, and that hardware isn't included.

Is QikServe a good fit for a single takeaway?

It can be, since Online Ordering is available from one site. It is built for operators who want ordering linked to an EPOS, stock and payments, plus options like pay at table and kiosks. If you only need a branded ordering page and a way to receive orders, a simpler flat-fee system may cost less.

Can Chefzi connect to my till like QikServe does?

No. Chefzi is not a till system and doesn't connect to one. Orders arrive in the Chefzi app on a phone or tablet you already own. If your operation depends on orders flowing straight into an EPOS, stay with an integrated platform.

What does Chefzi cost compared with QikServe?

After the free period, Chefzi is £19 a month per location for cash or no-card ordering, or £29 a month with online card payments through your own Stripe account, excluding VAT. Standard Stripe fees apply. There's no setup fee, no commission and no contract term.

Sources