Delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo can quietly eat into your profits. Their commissions, discount campaigns and special pricing mean your margin per dish sometimes drops below 10%. A weekly check helps you adjust before you lose money on it.
Why external parties eat into your margin
Delivery platforms earn through commissions, often between 15% and 30% of your order value. On top of that come discount campaigns that you as a restaurant pay for. For a €20 dish you might end up with only €12-14.
⚠️ Heads up:
Many restaurants forget that delivery platforms work with prices including VAT, while you always need to calculate margins excluding VAT.
Which external parties do you check?
- Delivery platforms: Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Thuisbezorgd
- Reservation platforms: OpenTable, Resy (if they charge commission)
- Discount platforms: Groupon, Social Deal
- Catering clients: Companies with fixed contracts
The weekly check routine
Every Monday morning you check the numbers from last week. This takes you 15-20 minutes, but can save you hundreds of euros per month.
💡 Example routine:
Monday 9:00 - Check last week:
- Uber Eats: 127 orders, €2,340 revenue
- Deliveroo: 89 orders, €1,680 revenue
- Own delivery: 45 orders, €920 revenue
Calculate net margin per platform after all costs.
Calculate your actual margin per platform
For each platform you calculate: Actual margin = (Revenue - Commission - Discounts - Food cost) / Revenue × 100
💡 Example calculation:
Uber Eats week 8:
- Revenue: €2,340 (incl. VAT)
- Revenue excl. VAT: €2,340 / 1.09 = €2,147
- Uber commission (25%): €537
- Discount campaigns: €156
- Food cost (32%): €687
Actual margin: (€2,147 - €537 - €156 - €687) / €2,147 = 35.8%
Signals that you need to take action
Watch for these warning signs during your weekly check:
- Margin below 25%: You're not earning enough
- Declining trend: Margin drops 3 weeks in a row
- Big difference between platforms: One platform performs much worse
- More discount campaigns: Platform is pushing more deals
Actions you can take
If your margin gets too low, you have several options:
💡 Example action plan:
Uber Eats margin drops to 22%:
- Raise prices by €1-2 per dish
- Stop unprofitable discount campaigns
- Promote your own delivery service more
- Negotiate lower commission rates
Digital vs. manual tracking
You can do this manually in Excel, but a system like KitchenNmbrs can help you automatically track margins per sales channel. That way you immediately see which platforms are profitable and which aren't.
How do you check external parties weekly? (step by step)
Gather all revenue data
Log into each platform and note the revenue from last week. Also write down how many orders you had and what the average order value was.
Calculate all costs per platform
Add up: commissions, discount campaigns you pay for, and estimated food cost. Don't forget to remove VAT for a fair comparison.
Calculate actual margin per platform
Use the formula: (Revenue excl. VAT - All costs) / Revenue excl. VAT × 100. Anything below 25% is problematic.
Compare with previous weeks
Look at trends. Is your margin dropping consistently? Then you need to take action: raise prices, fewer discounts, or leave the platform.
✨ Pro tip
Check not just total revenue, but also which dishes sell best per platform. Sometimes each platform has different favorites, and you can adjust your menu accordingly.
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
How often should I check my margins?
Weekly is ideal. Monthly is the minimum. With daily checks you see too much noise, with less than monthly you run too much risk of surprises.
What is an acceptable margin for delivery platforms?
At least 25% after all costs. Ideally 30-35%. Below 20% you're probably losing money when you also factor in staff costs and overhead.
Should I calculate with or without VAT?
Always without VAT for a fair comparison. The VAT isn't yours, so don't include it in your revenue for margin calculations.
When should I stop using a delivery platform?
If your margin consistently drops below 20% and raising prices doesn't help. Or if the platform costs more than it brings in new customers.
How do I negotiate lower commissions?
With volume. If you do more than 200 orders per month, you can often negotiate. Show that you're considering leaving if the commission stays too high.
Should I charge different prices per platform?
Yes, you can. Many restaurants charge 10-15% more on delivery platforms to compensate for the commission. Customers often understand this.
📚 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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