Think you can just average out delivery commissions at 'roughly 20%' and call it a day? That's a costly mistake. Thuisbezorgd charges 15-25%, Uber Eats hits you with 20-30%, and each platform has different packaging requirements that eat into your profits.
Why one average doesn't work
Most restaurant owners calculate with one average commission of "roughly 20%". That creates a distorted picture of your real profit per platform.
⚠️ Heads up:
If Uber Eats charges 30% commission and Thuisbezorgd 18%, and you calculate with 20% average, you're underestimating Uber Eats costs by 10 percentage points. On a €50 order that's a €5 difference.
The commission structure per platform
Each delivery partner has a different cost structure:
- Thuisbezorgd: 15-25% commission + marketing costs
- Uber Eats: 20-30% commission + service fee
- Deliveroo: 20-35% commission depending on region
- Own delivery: 0% commission but staff + fuel
These percentages vary per contract and volume. Always check your own agreement.
Calculate your weighted average commission
A weighted average accounts for how much you sell through each platform. Based on real restaurant P&L data, this method reveals the true cost of your delivery mix.
💡 Example:
Your delivery revenue last month:
- Thuisbezorgd: €8,000 (20% commission)
- Uber Eats: €5,000 (28% commission)
- Own delivery: €2,000 (0% commission)
Calculation:
(€8,000 × 0.20) + (€5,000 × 0.28) + (€2,000 × 0.00) = €1,600 + €1,400 + €0 = €3,000
Total commission: €3,000 on €15,000 revenue = 20% weighted average
Add packaging costs per platform
Each platform has different packaging requirements. Uber Eats often requires more expensive, unbranded packaging.
💡 Example packaging costs:
- Thuisbezorgd: €0.85 per order (basic packaging)
- Uber Eats: €1.20 per order (premium packaging + extra insulation)
- Own delivery: €0.60 per order (reusable bags)
You add these costs to your commission for total delivery costs.
Calculate your net margin per platform
Now you can calculate your actual margin per platform:
Formula:
Net margin % = ((Selling price - Food cost - Commission - Packaging) / Selling price) × 100
💡 Example: Pasta Carbonara €18.50
Costs per platform:
- Food cost: €5.50 (constant)
- Thuisbezorgd commission: €3.70 (20%)
- Uber Eats commission: €5.18 (28%)
- Packaging Thuisbezorgd: €0.85
- Packaging Uber Eats: €1.20
Net margin:
Thuisbezorgd: (€18.50 - €5.50 - €3.70 - €0.85) / €18.50 = 46%
Uber Eats: (€18.50 - €5.50 - €5.18 - €1.20) / €18.50 = 35%
Steer towards the most profitable mix
With these figures you can deliberately steer which platforms you promote. Maybe you raise your prices on Uber Eats, or focus your marketing on Thuisbezorgd.
⚠️ Heads up:
A low margin doesn't automatically mean you should stop a platform. Also look at volume, customer value, and new customers the platform brings.
Update your calculation monthly
Commissions and your sales mix change. Update your weighted average every month to adjust course.
With a system like food cost calculators you can track your margins per dish and per platform, without having to manually calculate weighted averages.
How do you calculate margin per delivery platform?
Gather your revenue figures per platform
Note your revenue from last month per delivery partner. Check each platform's dashboard and add up: Thuisbezorgd, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, own delivery.
Calculate your weighted average commission
Multiply each revenue by the commission percentage and divide by total revenue. Formula: (Revenue A × Commission A + Revenue B × Commission B) / Total revenue.
Add packaging costs per platform
Measure your average packaging costs per order per platform. Add this to the commission for your total delivery costs per platform.
Calculate net margin per dish per platform
Subtract food cost, commission and packaging from your selling price. Divide by selling price and multiply by 100 for your net margin percentage.
Compare and adjust
Analyze which platforms are most profitable. Consider price adjustments per platform or shift your marketing to profitable channels.
✨ Pro tip
Run separate margin calculations for your top 3 platforms every 2 weeks during peak ordering seasons. Commission rates and packaging costs fluctuate more during high-volume periods like holidays.
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 charge different prices per delivery platform?
Yes, you can and it's often smart. If Uber Eats charges 10% more commission, you can raise your prices there by 10% to maintain the same margin.
How often do delivery platform commission percentages change?
Commissions can change every quarter, depending on your contract and volume. Check your invoices monthly to spot changes.
What if my margin on a platform drops below 20%?
Raise your prices on that platform or negotiate lower commission. A margin below 20% leaves little room for other costs like staff and rent.
Should I include VAT in my margin calculation?
Always calculate with prices excluding VAT. Your selling price of €18.50 incl. 9% VAT becomes €16.97 excl. VAT for your margin calculation.
📚 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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