Ever wondered why your delivery orders don't feel as profitable as they should? Platforms like Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats grab 30% of your order value, leaving you with 70%, but your actual costs still eat into that remaining chunk. You've got to figure out what you truly pocket after food costs, labor, and everything else gets deducted.
What does 30% commission mean?
If a platform charges 30% commission, they're taking 30% of your order value. For every €100 a customer spends, you receive €70.
💡 Example:
Order of €50 incl. VAT:
- Platform commission (30%): €15.00
- Your payout: €35.00
- VAT (9%): €4.13
- Net receipt: €30.87
Calculate your actual margin
From that €30.87, your costs still get deducted. For a realistic calculation you'll need:
- Food cost: cost of all ingredients
- Packaging costs: boxes, bags, cutlery
- Labor cost: time for preparation and packaging
- Other costs: rent, energy, insurance
💡 Complete example:
Pasta carbonara €24.00 via platform:
- Platform commission (30%): €7.20
- Your receipt excl. VAT: €14.98
- Food cost: €6.50
- Packaging: €0.80
- Labor (15 min at €15/hour): €3.75
- Other costs (25%): €3.75
Profit: €0.18 (1.2%)
⚠️ Note:
With 30% commission, your menu price often needs to be 20-40% higher than in your restaurant to achieve the same margin. Otherwise you won't make money on delivery.
The formula for platform profit margin
For each order you calculate:
Actual margin = (Order value × 0.70) / 1.09 - Food cost - Packaging - Labor - Other costs
Where:
- 0.70 = what remains after 30% commission
- Divide by 1.09 = VAT off (9% on food)
- All costs in euros per order
Platform profitability threshold
A rule of thumb: your total costs (food + packaging + labor + other) should be maximum 60-65% of what you receive after commission. Otherwise you'll operate at a loss. It's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss and wondering where all the money went.
💡 Break-even check:
For €20 order at 30% commission:
- Receipt after commission and VAT: €12.84
- Maximum costs for break-even: €12.84
- For 10% profit: maximum €11.56 in costs
Platform differences
Different platforms charge different commissions:
- Thuisbezorgd: often 13-15% + fixed costs
- Uber Eats: often 15-30% depending on services
- Deliveroo: often 20-35% including delivery
Always check your contract for exact percentages and any fixed costs per order.
How do you calculate what you keep? (step by step)
Calculate your net receipt
Subtract the platform commission from your order value and divide by 1.09 to remove VAT. For a €30 order at 30% commission: (€30 × 0.70) / 1.09 = €19.27 net receipt.
Add up all your costs
Calculate what the dish costs: ingredients + packaging + labor time + share of your other costs. Don't forget anything: the time for packing and preparation counts too.
Subtract costs from receipt
What remains after deducting all costs is your profit. If the result is negative, you're losing money on that order. Then adjust your menu price or stop using that platform.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual margins per platform weekly by analyzing your top 15 delivery items. Calculate the real profit on each dish after all costs, then adjust prices within 72 hours if margins drop below 8%.
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
Can I charge different prices per platform?
Yes, most platforms allow you to charge different prices than in your restaurant. Many restaurants charge 20-30% more for delivery to maintain their margins.
How do I calculate labor cost per order?
Calculate how much time an order takes (preparation + packaging + finishing) and multiply by your hourly rate. 10 minutes at €15/hour = €2.50 labor cost. Don't forget to include the time spent on coordination and quality checks.
What if I'm making a loss on delivery?
Raise your prices, lower your costs, or stop using that platform. Doing delivery just for brand awareness only works if you can sustain it financially.
📚 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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