What happens to your bottom line if you cut ties with UberEats or DoorDash tomorrow? Most restaurant owners underestimate how many customers only know them through these platforms. Here's how to calculate the real financial impact before you make that decision.
Why this calculation is crucial
Disabling a delivery platform looks straightforward on paper. Those 15-30% platform fees sting every month. But you're not just cutting fees - you're potentially losing customers who won't follow you to other channels.
⚠️ Note:
Platform customers often aren't loyal to your brand. They order through the app for convenience, not because they're seeking out your specific restaurant.
The three financial factors
Cutting a platform affects your revenue through three key areas:
- Platform revenue: Your monthly earnings from that channel
- Customer retention: What percentage will order directly from you instead
- Cost reduction: Savings on platform fees and extra packaging
Calculate your current platform dependency
Pull your numbers from the last 3 months. Most POS systems can break this down by delivery channel.
💡 Example:
Restaurant 'The Taste' analyzes their DoorDash dependency:
- Total monthly revenue: €45,000
- DoorDash revenue: €12,000 (27%)
- Platform fee: 22% = €2,640/month
- Extra packaging costs: €600/month
Platform cost: €3,240/month in fees and packaging
Estimate customer retention
This is where most owners get it wrong. Studies show 60-80% of platform customers don't migrate to direct ordering. They simply order from a competitor on the same platform instead.
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, a realistic retention rate is 20-30% of platform customers switching to your direct channels.
💡 Realistic scenario:
Of €12,000 DoorDash revenue, only 25% transfers:
- Retained revenue: €3,000/month
- Lost revenue: €9,000/month
- Savings on fees/packaging: €3,240/month
Net loss: €9,000 - €3,240 = €5,760/month
Calculate the margin impact
Platform orders have lower margins because of fees. But lost revenue also means less contribution toward your fixed costs.
Say your food cost is 30% and platform fee is 22%. Your profit per euro of platform revenue:
- €1.00 - €0.30 (food) - €0.22 (fee) = €0.48 contribution margin
- With direct sales: €1.00 - €0.30 = €0.70 contribution margin
⚠️ Note:
Lost revenue means less money covering fixed costs like rent, staff salaries, and utilities. These expenses don't disappear with the platform.
Test before you stop permanently
Most platforms let you pause service temporarily. Run a 2-4 week test and track:
- Increase in direct orders (phone, website)
- Changes in dine-in traffic
- Customer feedback and complaints
- Total revenue impact
💡 Smart test:
Actively communicate the change:
- Social media: "Order directly for faster delivery"
- Flyers in current orders
- Discount on first direct order
Then measure actual customer migration rates.
Alternative strategies
Complete removal isn't your only choice. Consider these options:
- Selective menu: Only offer high-margin items on platforms
- Price adjustment: Build platform fees into menu pricing
- Limited hours: Use platforms only during slow periods
- Higher minimums: Increase minimum order values for better margins
How do you calculate the impact? (step by step)
Gather 3 months of data per platform
Note per platform: total revenue, number of orders, average order value. Also check peak days and times. You'll find this data in your POS system or platform dashboard.
Calculate all platform costs
Add up: platform fee percentage, packaging costs per order, extra staff for platform orders. Don't forget one-time costs like tablets or printers you won't need anymore.
Estimate customer retention conservatively
Assume 20-30% customer retention to your own channels. Test this by going temporarily offline and measuring how many customers contact you directly. Also monitor social media reactions and website traffic.
✨ Pro tip
Test with your lowest-performing platform first and track results for exactly 8 weeks. Most owners overestimate retention by 40-50% in the first month.
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't I just pass the platform fee through in higher prices?
You can, but you'll price yourself above competitors on the same platform. Test carefully with 10-15% price increases and watch your order volume closely.
What if I depend on the platform for discovering new customers?
Then stopping is high-risk. Focus on building your own marketing first: Google presence, social media, neighborhood flyers. Build a direct customer base before leaving platforms.
How long does it take for customers to start ordering directly?
Plan for 2-6 months minimum. Many customers only notice you're gone after trying to order a few times. Active communication can speed this up, but it's still a gradual process.
📚 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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