How Delivery Routing Rules Work: Distance, Order Value, Availability, Cost
How delivery routing rules decide between in-house drivers and third-party providers, the four inputs that matter, and how PAR operators set them up with Cartwheel.
Routing rules decide, order by order, whether a delivery goes to an in-house driver or a third-party provider. Four inputs drive most decisions: distance, order value, driver availability and cost. Since September 2025, enterprise and mid-market restaurants on PAR can set these rules in Cartwheel and manage first-party and third-party delivery from one system.
Why routing rules matter now
Guests are returning to restaurants’ own ordering channels. PAR Technology’s 2025 Annual Industry Report found that mobile and first-party ordering rose 21.3% year over year and loyalty transactions grew 30%, while third-party delivery declined 5.7%.
More first-party orders mean more delivery decisions per shift. A manager can choose a driver for ten orders an hour. At peak volume across dozens of stores, those decisions need rules.
The four inputs
| Input | What it measures | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | Miles or minutes from store to guest | Keep nearby orders in-house, send distant orders to a third-party provider |
| Order value | Ticket size of the order | Keep large and catering orders with in-house drivers |
| Driver availability | Whether an in-house driver can take the order in time | Send the order to a third-party provider when no in-house driver is free |
| Cost | Price of each available delivery option | Choose the lowest-cost provider that meets the delivery window |
How rules combine: an example
Most brands layer the inputs rather than relying on one. A typical rule set for a multi-store pizza or fast-casual brand looks like this:
- Orders above a set value go to in-house drivers first.
- Orders inside the in-house radius go to in-house drivers if one is available in time.
- Orders outside the radius, or with no in-house driver available, go to a third-party provider.
- Among third-party providers, the platform selects on cost and current availability.
Cartwheel applies the rules automatically through AI-powered auto-dispatch, so store teams stop making the call manually on every order.
Running rules across markets
PAR serves restaurants across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Cartwheel’s Uber Direct integration already covers Canada, the UK and Australia. Together, the two platforms give enterprise operators one approach to delivery management across regions, with rules set to fit each market.
“They need unified platforms that orchestrate delivery across markets and at scale.”
Savneet Singh, CEO, PAR Technology
Brands such as Jason’s Deli and Lou Malnati’s already route orders this way with Cartwheel.
Frequently asked questions
What is a delivery routing rule?
A routing rule is a condition, such as distance, order value, driver availability or cost, that determines whether an order goes to an in-house driver or a third-party provider.
What happens when no in-house driver is available?
The order routes to a third-party provider according to the brand’s rules, so the guest is not left waiting for a driver to return.
Does Cartwheel integrate with PAR?
Yes. Cartwheel’s delivery orchestration is available within PAR’s platform for managing first-party and third-party delivery from one system.
To set up routing rules for your markets, book a demo with Cartwheel.