Platform delivery costs you 15-30% commission while your own drivers require salary and fuel expenses. Which option costs less depends entirely on your order volume and actual staffing expenses. The math reveals which approach saves money for your specific situation.
What does an external platform really cost?
Platforms like Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats charge commission on your order value. But there are more costs:
- Commission: 15-30% of the order value
- Payment fees: 2-4% extra for online payments
- Marketing fees: often another 2-5% for visibility
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€1.50 per order
💡 Example platform costs:
Order of €25.00:
- Commission (25%): €6.25
- Payment fees (3%): €0.75
- Packaging: €1.00
Total costs: €8.00 (32% of order value)
What do your own delivery drivers cost?
Your drivers create fixed hourly costs plus variable expenses per kilometer traveled:
- Salary: €12-15 per hour (including employer contributions)
- Fuel: €0.25-€0.35 per kilometer
- Vehicle wear: €0.15-€0.25 per kilometer
- Insurance: €30-50 per month per driver
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€1.50 per order (same as platform)
💡 Example own driver:
Driver works 6 hours, drives 60 km, delivers 18 orders:
- Salary: 6 × €13 = €78
- Fuel: 60 × €0.30 = €18
- Wear: 60 × €0.20 = €12
- Packaging: 18 × €1 = €18
Total: €126 for 18 orders = €7.00 per order
Calculate the break-even point
The break-even point shows where both options cost exactly the same amount. Your drivers carry high fixed costs but lower variable expenses per delivery.
⚠️ Note:
Your drivers also have 'dead time' without active orders. Platforms only charge for actual completed deliveries. So calculate using realistic delivery density from your restaurant's P&L data.
Consider other factors
Beyond pure costs, several factors influence your decision:
- Control: your drivers represent your brand directly
- Customer data: platforms keep customer information away from you
- Flexibility: platforms scale automatically with demand spikes
- Reach: platforms often have broader customer bases
- Administration: your staff means more HR responsibilities
Consider a hybrid model
Many restaurants blend both approaches: your drivers handle the neighborhood while platforms cover distant areas. This optimizes both costs and customer reach simultaneously.
💡 Example hybrid:
Restaurant delivers itself within 2 km, platform for further:
- Own delivery (60% of orders): €6.50 per order
- Platform (40% of orders): €8.00 per order
Average: €7.10 per order vs. €8.00 platform only
How do you calculate which option is more cost-effective?
Calculate platform costs per order
Add up commission, payment fees and packaging. Divide by number of orders for cost per order. For example: 25% commission + 3% payment + €1 packaging on €25 order = €8.00 per order.
Calculate your own driver costs per order
Add up salary, fuel, wear and packaging for one shift. Divide by number of deliveries. Example: €130 total costs for 20 orders = €6.50 per order.
Compare at different volumes
Calculate both options at 10, 20 and 40 orders per day. Your own drivers become cheaper with more volume, platforms stay the same per order. Choose the option that's most cost-effective for your average volume.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual delivery costs for 30 days including driver downtime between orders. Most restaurants overestimate their delivery efficiency by 25-40% compared to platform consistency.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
From how many orders per day are your own drivers more cost-effective?
Usually from 15-20 orders per day, depending on your average order value and distances. With fewer orders, you pay too much for 'dead time' of your driver.
How do I factor in employer contributions for your own staff?
Add 30-35% to the gross hourly wage for employer contributions. A driver earning €11 gross costs you approximately €14.50 per hour including contributions.
What if I want to combine both options?
Then calculate a weighted average. If 60% goes via your own delivery (€6.50/order) and 40% via platform (€8.00/order), your average delivery costs are €7.10 per order.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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