Delivery pizzas seem more profitable, but platform fees eat into your margin. Many pizzeria owners only see the higher selling price and forget the hidden costs of delivery. In this article, you'll calculate exactly the difference in profitability between delivery and in-house pizzas.
The hidden costs of delivery pizzas
With delivery, extra costs come into play that can significantly impact your margin. It's not just about ingredients, but also platform fees, packaging, and higher operational costs.
- Platform fees: 15-30% of your order value goes to Thuisbezorgd or Uber Eats
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€1.50 per pizza (box, bags, stickers)
- Higher selling price: Customers accept 10-20% higher prices for delivery
💡 Example: Margherita pizza
In-house sales:
- Selling price: €12.50 incl. VAT
- Ingredient costs: €3.20
- Platform fees: €0
- Packaging: €0
Net revenue: €8.20 (food cost 28%)
💡 Example: Same pizza delivered
Delivery sales:
- Selling price: €15.00 incl. VAT
- Ingredient costs: €3.20
- Platform fees (25%): €3.75
- Packaging: €0.80
Net revenue: €7.25
Despite the €2.50 higher selling price, you earn €0.95 less per pizza with delivery. That's 12% less margin!
Calculate your actual margin per channel
For a fair comparison, you need to include all costs. Here are the formulas you need:
In-house pizza margin:
Selling price excl. VAT - Ingredient costs = Gross margin
Delivery pizza margin:
(Selling price excl. VAT - Platform fees - Packaging costs) - Ingredient costs = Gross margin
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with prices excl. VAT. Pizzas fall under 9% VAT. A pizza of €15.00 is €13.76 excl. VAT.
When delivery is still profitable
Delivery can still be worthwhile if you account for these factors:
- Volume: More orders compensate for lower margin per pizza
- Fixed costs: No extra staff, less cleaning
- Reach: Customers who wouldn't otherwise come
- Quiet moments: Extra revenue during slow periods
💡 Calculation example: Break-even volume
If you earn €0.95 less per delivery pizza, but your fixed costs are €500/month lower (less staff), then you break even at:
€500 ÷ €0.95 = 526 extra pizzas per month
That's 17 pizzas per day. Achievable for many pizzerias.
Optimize your delivery strategy
With these insights, you can make smarter choices:
- Premium pricing: Increase your delivery prices by 15-25% to compensate for platform fees
- Minimum orders: Higher minimum order value improves your margin per order
- Cheap packaging: Every €0.10 saved on packaging is pure profit
- Own delivery: Consider this from 50+ orders per day
How do you calculate the margin difference? (step by step)
Collect all costs per pizza
Note for both channels: ingredient costs, packaging costs, and platform fees (usually 15-30% of order value). Don't forget small items like napkins and stickers.
Calculate net revenue per channel
Subtract all direct costs from your selling price (excl. VAT). For delivery: selling price - platform fees - packaging - ingredients. For in-house: selling price - ingredients.
Compare and analyze the difference
Divide the difference by your in-house margin to get the percentage. A difference of €1 on €8 margin is 12.5% less profitability with delivery.
✨ Pro tip
Check your platform costs per pizza, not per month. Many pizzeria owners only look at their monthly invoice but miss that some pizzas cost much more than others due to different ingredient prices.
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
Should I include VAT in my margin calculation?
No, always calculate excl. VAT. Pizzas fall under 9% VAT, so a pizza of €15 is €13.76 excl. VAT. Platform fees are also calculated on the price excl. VAT.
Are platform fees always 25% of the order value?
No, it varies between 15-30% depending on your contract and order volume. Check your monthly statement from Thuisbezorgd or Uber Eats for your exact percentage.
Can delivery still be more profitable than in-house?
Yes, if you run much higher volume and have lower fixed costs (less staff, cleaning). It's about total profit, not just margin per pizza.
How often should I update this calculation?
Check your platform fees and packaging prices monthly. Suppliers and platforms regularly adjust their rates, which directly affects your margin.
Should I calculate different prices for different platforms?
Yes, each platform has different costs. Uber Eats might cost 28%, Thuisbezorgd 22%. Adjust your prices per platform or choose one average price.
📚 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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