I'll admit something that might surprise you – most restaurant owners discover commission changes only after they've bled hundreds in profit. Delivery platforms regularly shift their commission structure, and that directly hits your profit per order. You need to know exactly how to calculate what these changes mean for your bottom line.
What is the commission impact on your margin?
Delivery platforms take commission on every single order. This commission gets calculated on your order value and typically sits between 15% and 30%. A change of just 2% might look harmless, but it can drain hundreds of euros from your monthly profit.
💡 Example:
You handle 200 orders monthly with €25 average order value.
- Previous commission: 20% = €5.00 per order
- Updated commission: 23% = €5.75 per order
- Additional cost per order: €0.75
Monthly damage: €0.75 × 200 = €150 less profit
Calculate the exact impact per order
You need three numbers: current commission percentage, new percentage, and average order value. Then convert the difference into euros per order.
Formula:
Impact per order = Average order value × (New % - Previous %) / 100
💡 Example calculation:
Average order: €28.50
- Previous commission: 18%
- Updated commission: 22%
- Difference: 4 percentage points
Impact: €28.50 × 0.04 = €1.14 less per order
Calculate the monthly and annual impact
Multiply the per-order impact by your monthly order count. For annual projections, account for seasonal variations.
- Review your order history from the past 3 months
- Calculate the average monthly orders
- Multiply by 12 for annual impact
⚠️ Note:
Commission gets calculated on order value including VAT. Your actual margin impact runs slightly lower since you must remit VAT.
Calculate compensation options
You've got three paths to offset commission increases: raise prices, adjust delivery costs, or reduce food costs. Each carries distinct advantages and drawbacks.
Option 1: Raise prices
Bump your menu prices by the same percentage as the commission hike. With a 2% commission rise, you increase all prices by 2%.
Option 2: Adjust delivery costs
Boost delivery fees or minimum order thresholds. This affects your food cost less but might discourage customers.
Option 3: Optimize food cost
Cut ingredient costs by the same amount as the extra commission. This demands recipe adjustments or supplier changes.
💡 Compensation example:
Extra commission costs €1.14 per order. Compensation paths:
- Price increase: €28.50 → €29.64 (+4%)
- Delivery costs: €1.50 → €2.50 (+€1.00)
- Food cost reduction: from 32% to 28%
Monitor the impact after implementation
Watch your numbers closely during the first month after commission changes. Based on real restaurant P&L data, compensation measures don't always work as expected, and customer behavior shifts unpredictably.
- Daily order count (drop from price increases?)
- Average order value (boost from minimum orders?)
- Total margin per order (net effect of all changes)
A food cost calculator like KitchenNmbrs lets you see your margin per dish directly and quickly calculate which adjustments impact your profitability most.
How do you calculate commission impact? (step by step)
Gather your current figures
Check your platform dashboard for: average order value last 3 months, number of orders per month, and current commission percentage. You'll usually find these figures under 'Analytics' or 'Reports'.
Calculate impact per order
Use the formula: Average order value × (New commission% - Old commission%) ÷ 100. This gives you the exact amount you retain less per order.
Calculate monthly and annual impact
Multiply the impact per order by your average number of orders per month. For annual impact: monthly impact × 12. This shows you the total financial consequences.
✨ Pro tip
Always verify platform changes to minimum order values or delivery costs within 48 hours of commission notifications. Sometimes you can gain extra advantage there to offset the commission increase completely.
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 combine different compensation methods?
Absolutely, you can blend a modest price increase with food cost optimization. This spreads the impact and prevents shocking customers or drastically altering your recipes.
Do I need to make all dishes equally more expensive when compensating with price increases?
Not at all. You can be strategic: increase popular dishes with low food cost more, while keeping dishes with high food cost like fish or meat relatively unchanged. This maximizes your compensation while minimizing customer resistance.
What happens to my margin if I do nothing about a commission increase?
Your net margin drops immediately by the commission difference. With a 2 percentage point increase, you lose 2% of total revenue, which often represents 20-40% of your profit.
📚 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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