Tookan Review: Is Tookan Right for Your Business?
With more than a decade of hospitality experience, Mary has worked in some of the most celebrated restaurants in the world. Her expertise is featured across Fit Small Business in restaurant, retail, and starting a business content.
Katie-Jay aims to put answers in the hands of small business owners by leveraging over 10 years of retail and hospitality experience. With a background in gemology, she specializes in jewelry and luxury ecommerce.
This article is part of a larger series on POS Systems.
Tookan by Jungleworks is a delivery and driver management platform for independent restaurant, retail, and service businesses. This cloud and app-based tool integrates with ecommerce platforms and select point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Four pricing tiers and a slew of add-on functions ensure that large operations get the tools they need, while small businesses don’t pay for features they won’t use. Tookan pricing starts at $29 per month, and the platform offers a 14-day free trial.
What We Like
- 14-day free trial
- Friendly pricing structure
- Responsive, 24/7 customer support
- Multiple integration options: via API or Zapier
- Integrates with several restaurant POS and online ordering software tools
What's Missing
- Pricey add-on tools
- Frequent software glitches
- Pricing tiers include limited numbers of tickets
Deciding Factors:
- Software pricing (paid annually): $29 – $359/month
- Additional per-order fees depending on plan
- Order entry options: Manual input, custom forms, CSV upload, direct integration; Scheduled or on-demand
- Direct integrations: 80+ integrations including GrubHub, GloriaFood, Eat24, Shopify, Square, and Stripe; Open API for custom integrations; dozens of pre-built integrations available through Zapier
- Contract length: No long-term contract required
- Customer support: 24/7 via in-app chat and email
- Standout Features:
- Browser-based dispatch dashboard with streamlined driver app
- Optional management app and customer-facing app
- Custom online order forms
- Real-time tracking with two-way SMS messaging
- Multiple delivery confirmation methods
- Robust customization
- 29 language options
- Reporting and analytics
When To Use Tookan
Whether your business processes fewer than 500 monthly deliveries or more than 5,000, Tookan has the features you’ll need. If you rely on popular POS systems or ecommerce platforms, there’s a good chance Tookan integrates with it.
In particular, we recommend Tookan for:
- Small restaurants managing an in-house driver team: Tookan scored a 4.44 out of 5 on our restaurant delivery software ranking. The friendly pricing structure, alongside built-in restaurant POS system and software integrations, make Tookan an excellent fit for small restaurants.
- Small retail businesses that offer local delivery: Tookan integrates with several ecommerce platforms, so Tookan is ideal for winery, brewery, grocery, or other retail operations that offer local delivery.
- Businesses that manage field technicians: Tookan hosts tailor-made extensions for traveling salon, home services, waste management, flower delivery, water delivery, and many other businesses.
- Small farms and CSAs that deliver: If your farm or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation delivers, Tookan’s online forms and dispatch features are an ideal fit.
When To Use an Alternative
- Enterprise-level delivery operations: While Tookan has options for enterprise-level businesses, the additional features can get pricey. If you have an expansive, multilocation operation, you may prefer OnTime 360.
- Restaurants that want a POS with built-in delivery management: Tookan integrates with some POS systems, but if you really want a POS with delivery management built in, try Toast.
- Businesses that need free delivery management software: Tookan is affordably priced, but if you need a free tool, check out Shipday.
Tookan Pricing
Tookan’s software is offered at four subscription levels: Early Stage, Startup, Growth, and Standard—plus a custom-quoted Enterprise program for high-volume businesses.
These tiers vary based on the number of included monthly tasks and supported online order forms, but all subscription levels include application programming interface (API) access, unlimited drivers, and 24/7 customer support.
The software is offered at a discounted rate when paid annually, but month-to-month options are also available. Businesses can test-drive any of Tookan’s plans with a 14-day free trial.
Early Stage | Startup | Growth | Standard | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly fee, paid month-to-month | $35 | $99 | $229 | $429 | Custom quote |
Monthly fee, paid annually | $29 | $89 | $189 | $359 | Custom quote |
Included tasks | 200 | 700 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 5,000+ |
Additional task rate | 19 cents | 15 cents | 12 cents | 10 cents | Custom quote |
Online order form | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Custom |
The Tookan management and dispatch dashboard runs on any internet browser, and the mobile apps work on iOS and Android smartphones. This allows you to operate the system on hardware you already own. The manager and driver apps are free on the Apple App Store and Google Play. You set up your Tookan account yourself, so there are also no setup or implementation fees.
Tookan Features
Monitor behaviors and view analytics in the tracker view
(Source: Jungleworks)
Calling Tookan feature-rich is an understatement. The system contains tools and extensions for any business that sends employees into the field, whether they are delivering a product or performing a service.
The Tookan system has two main components: the browser-based dispatch and management dashboard and the free, downloadable Tookan Agent app (a smartphone app for drivers). The system also communicates with the optional Tookan management app. A customized customer-facing app is also available at a custom-quoted price.
New delivery requests enter your delivery queue via manual ticket entry, through bulk-uploaded .csv files, via an online ordering integration, or through a custom Tookan-built online order form. Once the delivery ticket is in your Tookan dashboard, you can assign on-demand deliveries to active drivers in a map-based dispatch screen. We’ll explore the delivery, driver, and customer management features in detail below.
In addition to those features, Tookan also includes:
- Customizable user permissions: Add roles for managers, dispatchers, and couriers. Control what tasks each role can access so all team members have the information they need.
- Reporting and analytics: Track your delivery operation’s key performance indicators (KPIs) like time- and distance-based productivity, real-time driver status, and delivery status (canceled, completed, on time, late). Searchable driver tracking information is saved for 90 days. You can filter reports by driver team or date range and view data in list form or as a dynamic chart.
- Custom tags: Create tags for your various revenue centers (on-demand delivery and catering, for example), and use them to identify drivers and delivery orders. Tookan will automatically assign tagged tasks to drivers with the matching tag.
- White-label options: At any subscription level, Tookan users can pay a little extra to remove Tookan’s branding from the platform and replace it with their own business logos.
- Appointment scheduling: Service businesses like cleaning services and in-home salon services can process customer appointment requests via a customized scheduling app. You can communicate with appointment customers via on-app two-way SMS messaging to clarify details and send alerts.
Tookan Integrations
Add extensions and extra features with Tookan’s add-on library.
(Source: Jungleworks)
Tookan is one software tool developed by parent company Jungleworks. Tookan communicates seamlessly with any of its sibling apps; the Jungleworks software suite includes apps for:
- Online ordering (Yelo)
- Online rental booking (Tiger)
- Freelance marketplace management (Husky)
- Consulting marketplace management (Panther)
- Mapping (Mappr)
- Taxi and shuttle service management (Jugnoo)
- Automated Marketing (Hippo)
- Team chat (Fugu)
- Sales and Customer Relationship Management (Bulbul)
Tookan also integrates with a staggering number of third-party apps to create an endlessly customizable delivery management solution. Some tools are direct integrations, while others use the intermediary plug-in Zapier to communicate. Tookan calls its available integrations “extensions.” Tookan’s 80+ extensions include:
- Online ordering: GloriaFood, Grubhub, Eat 24, and more
- Ecommerce: Shopify, WooCommerce, PinnacleCart, Magento 2.x
- POS: Revel Systems, Square*, Clover*, Epos Now*, Vend*
- SMS text gateway: Twilio, Gupshup, Hubtel, Plivo, Mobivate, Smart SMS, and more
- Payments: PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, PayFort
- Marketing: Bulbul, Pipedrive, Odoo, Agile CRM*, Mailchimp*
- Accounting: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks*
- Cannabis delivery: GreenRush, Jungle Cannabis Suite
*available via Zapier integration
Tookan users can build more customizations via the system’s API. Its account managers are eager to advise users on the best methods for their business.
Tookan Delivery Management
- Requests from multiple sources: Accept delivery requests via a Tookan-supported online form, manual order entry, bulk .csv file upload, or via integration.
- Customizable fees: Choose what fees to charge and when.
- Surge pricing: Add higher delivery fees during days or hours.
- SMS and email alerts: Send status updates to customers via email or SMS messaging.
- Live driver tracking: See drivers in real time on your map-based dispatch dashboard.
- Delivery confirmation: Drivers can scan a barcode, collect a customer signature, or attach an image.
Tookan accepts delivery requests through several channels. If your operation is on the small side, manually entering tickets directly in the dispatch dashboard may be all you need. You can also bulk upload deliveries via a .csv file. This is handy if you field delivery requests via a Google Form, for example.
Speaking of forms, Tookan includes customizable online order forms in Growth and higher membership tiers. If you integrate your Tookan app with an online ordering or ecommerce platform like GloriaFood or Shopify, you can accept deliveries via your business website.
You can customize delivery fees to a granular level. The software allows you to set a base fee and charge additional fees beyond a set distance. When you set fees once, they will automatically apply to new orders. You can also add separate delivery fees that go directly to drivers.
Once a delivery is accepted in your Tookan system, you can let the software assign deliveries automatically to drivers or manually assign deliveries using intuitive drop-down menu functions. The system tracks your drivers’ location in real time and logs this information for 90 days.
Drivers and field agents can optimize routes and get notifications through the service app.
(Source: Jungleworks)
Couriers can confirm delivery by collecting customer signatures, scanning a barcode, or taking a picture of the delivered items. Confirmation information is attached to each delivery record, so you can send it to customers if necessary.
Tookan Driver Management
- Driver schedule: Built-in scheduling function lets you manage drivers’ work schedules from the manager dashboard.
- In-app payments: For $36 per month, enable direct in-app payments to your drivers.
- Agent Wallet: Track couriers’ cash transactions.
- Anonymized numbers: For 12 cents per task, Tookan will mask your customer and driver’s cell numbers from one another.
- Detailed profiles: Include driver’s photo, contact information, driver’s license numbers, and detailed vehicle description.
- Vehicle variety: Manage couriers in buses, trucks, or cars, or on scooters, bikes, or on foot.
- Tips and driver fees: Charge separate fees to compensate drivers with a flat-rate delivery fee or accept tips.
Tookan includes several insightful tools for managing your driver team. When you add new couriers to your Tookan system, you can include detailed vehicle information, contact information, and even a photo. Log your drivers’ availability and manage their work schedules from your Tookan dashboard.
Adding the Stripe Connect extension ($36 per month) allows you to pay your couriers directly through your Tookan app. This can help your business attract couriers that are accustomed to receiving daily cash tips.
For a fee of 12 cents per task, you can shield your customers’ and drivers’ phone numbers to support anonymized in-app communications. If you accept cash from customers on delivery, you can track each drivers’ transaction history via the built-in Agent Wallet.
You can also view your driver locations in real time on the dispatch screen, so you can quickly see if your team runs into problems in the field. Driver logs are retained—and searchable—for 90 days. So, you can generate productivity reports to identify opportunities for training or route optimization.
Tookan Customer Management
- Auto-generated: The system automatically creates customer profiles from new orders.
- Multiple addresses: Customer app profiles include multiple addresses for work, home, or other common locations.
- Customer wallet: For $9.99 per month, you can allow your customers to save payment details to their profile.
- Customer ratings: Your driver team can rate customers after every interaction, so managers can catch problems before they arise.
- Customer-facing app: Opt for a customizable app that your customers can download to their mobile devices
- Two-way chat: Integrated SMS messaging is available through sibling app Bumbl, or via third-party apps Twilio, Plivo, Gupshup, Exotel, or Smart SMS Gateway.
When new customers place delivery orders, Tookan automatically creates a customer profile. The baseline Tookan customer profiles are pretty basic—including just a name, contact information, and a single delivery address. If you opt for the integrated customer-facing smartphone app, you can extend your customer profiles to include up to three addresses and add a Customer Wallet to process secure in-app payments. The customer app is offered at a custom-quoted rate; you’ll need to contact the Tookan team for a quote.
You can allow your couriers to rate customers at the end of each delivery transaction. This helps you identify negative interactions before they become more significant problems, and can also be used to identify customer patterns.
Jungleworks’ two-way SMS app, Bumbl, can be used for a custom-quoted, per-message price. If you want to control your text budget, you can prepay for Bumbl credits and add more as needed. The system also supports alternative SMS apps like Twilio and Gupshup.
Tookan Ease of Use
- 24/7 customer service: Reach customer service anytime via in-app chat.
- In-app support tickets: Get live customer support anytime via in-app chat.
- Online knowledgebase: Common questions are answered in Tookan’s searchable online knowledgebase.
- Training webinars: The Tookan team regularly hosts webinars to teach customers new skills.
- Multiple language support: Your team can use their Tookan apps in 20+ languages.
The Tookan platform aims to be accessible. When you first log in to the system, dialog boxes pop up to draw your attention to navigation menus and commonly used features. If you have questions, you can search the online knowledge base or ping customer service in a chat window directly from the management dashboard. You can also find detailed product walkthroughs on the Jungleworks YouTube page.
Tookan’s team also hosts regular training webinars to teach new skills. When I tested the system, the featured web training covered how to build Tookan integrations using API keys and Webhooks. I am not aware of any other delivery management platform that puts in the effort to walk their customers through such granular training topics.
You can also hail customer support 24/7 via in-app chat. An option for phone support would be great, but the Tookan chat support is highly responsive in my experience.
The manager app, driver app, and dispatch dashboard are available in 29 languages, from English and Spanish to Russian and Korean. Your team can use their Tookan apps in whatever language they prefer.
Tookan Restaurant Software Alternatives
Looking for something else? Consider these alternatives to Tookan.
Best For | Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | High-volume delivery and courier operations | Monthly fees starting from $39; add-ons available | |
 | Small independent restaurants, farms, and retailers on a budget | Free basic subscription; Paid plans starting from $29/month (plus per-ticket charge once monthly limit is reached) | |
 | Small businesses that want delivery management with a rewards program | Free; paid plans are priced per-ticket ranging from 19 cents to 29 cents | |
 | Retail stores and restaurants that use bike couriers | Fees starting at 29 cents per delivery; custom pricing available for enterprise-level clients | |
 | Restaurants that want built-in online ordering with payments and simple delivery | Monthly fees starting from $0 (plus processing fees); add-ons available |
What Users Think of Tookan
Tookan users apply the Tookan software to a variety of businesses—from food delivery to taxi dispatch. The majority of Tookan dashboard and app users rate the software favorably.
- Capterra: Tookan earns a 4.4 out of 5 based on 60+ user reviews.
- G2: Users rate Tookan a 4.2 out of 5 based on 100+ user reviews.
- Apple App Store: The Tookan Agent app earns a rating of 3 out of 5 based on 25+ user reviews.
- Google’s Play store: Android users rate the Agent app a 3.8 out of 5 based on about 1,500 reviews.
When you read through Tookan’s user reviews, you’ll see that the Tookan team responds to nearly every one. The overall impression that emerges is of a company that takes user feedback seriously, whether positive or negative.
Critical reviews of the Tookan software tend to date from 2017 to 2018; the system has developed a lot since then. Although, like any software, the Tookan platform can have bugs and glitches from time to time. Besides some notes about software glitches, some users bemoan how individually priced extensions and integrations can add up.
Users Like | Users Don’t Like |
|---|---|
Batch upload route optimization, drag and drop dispatch | Add-on features can be pricey |
Affordable pricing | Some software bugs |
Constant development gives small businesses cutting edge tools | Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculations can have errors |
Bottom Line
Tookan is an endlessly customizable delivery management software that can support any small business that manages a driver team. The comprehensive customer support and online knowledge base make the system accessible even for tech-averse business owners.
With a wealth of integrations and built-in apps for customers and drivers, Tookan makes the smallest restaurant or retail shop look polished and professional. If you’re not convinced that Tookan is the best fit for your business, contact Tookan to get a 14-day free trial.
