Does a €45 order really make you twice as much money as a €25 order? Your cost structure shifts dramatically with larger orders - food costs stay proportional, but packaging and platform fees behave differently. Here's the math behind what those bigger orders actually cost you.
Why larger orders affect your cost price
Everything shifts when your average order jumps from €25 to €45. Food cost percentages remain steady, but packaging and platform fees don't scale linearly with order size.
? Example small vs large order:
Order A (€25 excl. VAT):
- Food cost (30%): €7.50
- Packaging: €1.20
- Platform fee (25%): €6.25
- Total costs: €14.95 (59.8%)
Order B (€45 excl. VAT):
- Food cost (30%): €13.50
- Packaging: €1.80
- Platform fee (25%): €11.25
- Total costs: €26.55 (59.0%)
Larger orders are relatively more profitable!
Calculate your new cost price per order
Delivery economics work per order, not per dish. You're juggling three main cost categories:
- Food cost: Maintains the same percentage (typically 30%)
- Packaging costs: Grow slower than order value
- Platform fees: Scale proportionally (usually 15-30%)
Your total cost price formula becomes:
Total cost price % = (Food cost + Packaging + Platform fee) / Order value × 100
Impact of packaging costs on larger orders
Packaging doesn't double when order value doubles. Four dishes don't need four times the bags and cutlery of one dish.
? Packaging example:
Order €25 (2 dishes):
- 2 containers: €0.80
- 1 bag + cutlery: €0.40
- Total: €1.20 (4.8%)
Order €45 (4 dishes):
- 4 containers: €1.60
- 1 bag + cutlery: €0.40
- Total: €2.00 (4.4%)
Packaging becomes relatively cheaper with larger orders
Platform fees and their impact
Platform fees stay at the same percentage but crush your margins. Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats typically charge 15-30% of order value. Most kitchen managers discover too late that these fees compound faster than they anticipated, especially during peak hours.
⚠️ Note:
Platform fees calculate on the full order value including VAT. Build this into your cost price calculations.
Calculate your break-even point per order
Larger orders let you set strategic minimum order values. Your break-even point is where costs equal revenue.
Break-even order value = Fixed costs per order / (1 - Variable costs %)
- Fixed costs: Packaging + delivery expenses
- Variable costs: Food cost % + Platform fee %
? Break-even calculation:
Your situation:
- Packaging per order: €1.50
- Food cost: 30%
- Platform fee: 25%
- Variable costs: 55%
Break-even: €1.50 / (1 - 0.55) = €1.50 / 0.45 = €3.33
Every euro above €3.33 covers other costs like labor
Optimize your minimum order value
Use these calculations to set smart minimum order values. Many delivery operations default to €15-25 minimums, but your cost structure should drive this decision.
- Too low minimum = losses on small orders
- Too high minimum = fewer total orders
- Sweet spot = break-even + margin for overhead costs
Tools like KitchenNmbrs automate these calculations across different order values, so you can quickly test which strategy maximizes profit.
Related articles
How do you calculate the cost price impact of larger orders?
Gather your current figures
Note your average order value from last month, your food cost percentage, and packaging costs per order. Also platform fees (usually 15-30%) and any delivery costs.
Calculate costs per order value category
Create an overview for orders of €20, €35 and €50. Calculate: food cost (percentage stays the same), packaging (increases slower), and platform fee (increases proportionally).
Determine your optimal minimum order value
Calculate your break-even point and add your desired margin. This becomes your new minimum order value to prevent losses.
✨ Pro tip
Track your cost price impact over 30-day periods rather than individual orders. You'll spot patterns where larger weekend orders (€40+ average) offset smaller weekday losses, giving you a clearer picture of actual profitability.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Calculate it yourself?
Our free food cost calculator does it in seconds.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
Does my food cost percentage drop with larger orders?
How often should I recalculate these numbers?
Should I charge higher delivery prices than dine-in?
What if my average order size keeps shrinking?
How can I reduce packaging costs without compromising quality?
Do platform promotional discounts affect my cost calculations?
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
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.
More in this category
Related questions
Explore more topics
Food cost control for delivery and dark kitchens
With delivery, margins are thinner than ever. KitchenNmbrs calculates your actual food cost including packaging so you know if every order is profitable. Test it free for 14 days.
Start free trial →