Building a delivery concept alongside your restaurant is like adding a second engine to your business - it can boost revenue, but it runs on different fuel. Platform fees, packaging costs and delivery expenses create a completely different cost structure. You must understand exactly what each dish costs and earns through the delivery channel.
The hidden costs of delivery
Delivery introduces extra expenses that directly impact your margins:
- Platform fees: 15-30% of your order value
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€2.00 per order
- Delivery costs: often passed on to the customer, but not always fully
- Higher food cost: due to packaging and transport-friendly dishes
⚠️ Note:
Platform fees get calculated on your selling price including VAT. This makes your actual margin even lower than you initially think.
Calculate your actual margin per order
For an accurate comparison, include all delivery expenses in your calculation:
💡 Example:
Pasta carbonara delivery via Thuisbezorgd:
- Selling price: €16.50 incl. VAT
- Platform fee (25%): €4.13
- Ingredients: €4.80
- Packaging: €0.75
- Other costs (energy, staff): €3.50
Net margin: €16.50 - €4.13 - €4.80 - €0.75 - €3.50 = €3.32 (20.1%)
Compare with your restaurant margin
The same dish served in your restaurant carries different costs:
💡 Restaurant example:
Pasta carbonara in restaurant:
- Selling price: €18.50 incl. VAT
- Ingredients: €4.80
- Service: €2.25
- Other costs: €3.50
Net margin: €18.50 - €4.80 - €2.25 - €3.50 = €7.95 (43.0%)
The delivery margin drops significantly due to platform fees, even without service staff costs.
Optimize your delivery menu for margin
Not every dish works for delivery. Focus on:
- High margin dishes: pizza, pasta, curries
- Transport-friendly: stays warm, doesn't get soggy
- Cheap packaging: one container instead of multiple
- Popular items: higher sales compensate for lower margin
⚠️ Note:
For delivery, calculate with 28-35% food cost instead of the usual 25-30%. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen that extra costs require higher margins on ingredients.
Minimum order value and bundling
Platform fees remain a fixed percentage, so higher orders become relatively more favorable:
💡 Example order value:
Platform fee 25% on different orders:
- Order €15: fee €3.75 (25%)
- Order €30: fee €7.50 (25%)
- Order €45: fee €11.25 (25%)
The percentage stays constant, but your fixed costs (packaging, preparation) spread better across higher orders.
Break-even calculation for delivery concept
To determine if your delivery concept generates profit, calculate daily break-even:
Formula: Fixed costs per day / Average margin per order = Minimum number of orders
💡 Break-even example:
Daily fixed costs delivery kitchen: €180
Average margin per order: €6.00
Break-even: €180 / €6.00 = 30 orders per day
How do you calculate the margin of your delivery concept?
Gather all delivery costs
Add up: platform fees (15-30%), packaging costs (€0.50-€2.00 per order), ingredients, and your normal other costs. Platform fees are calculated on your selling price including VAT.
Calculate actual margin per dish
Subtract all costs from your selling price: Margin = Selling price - Platform fee - Ingredients - Packaging - Other costs. This gives you the real profit per dish.
Compare with restaurant margins
Set delivery margins alongside your restaurant margins per dish. Delivery usually has 15-25% lower margins due to platform fees, but can compensate with higher volumes.
Determine break-even point
Divide your daily fixed costs by your average margin per order. This gives you the minimum number of orders you need to be profitable.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate margins on your top 3 delivery dishes every two weeks during your first 90 days. Master these core items and you'll control 70% of your delivery profitability.
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 for delivery than in my restaurant?
Yes, most restaurants charge 10-20% higher prices for delivery to offset platform fees. Customers expect this premium for convenience.
What food cost percentage should I use for delivery?
Calculate with 28-35% food cost for delivery, higher than restaurant (25-30%). The additional expenses require better ingredient margins to stay profitable.
How do I calculate packaging costs per dish?
Add up all materials: container, lid, cutlery, napkin, bag, stickers. Expect €0.50-€2.00 per order depending on dish count and packaging type.
Is delivery always less profitable than restaurant service?
Per dish yes, but not necessarily overall. You eliminate service staff, reduce overhead per order, and can handle more volume. Total profit matters more than margin percentage.
Which dishes work best for delivery margins?
Pizza, pasta, curries and bowls perform well. They maintain temperature, offer good margins, and package easily. Skip dishes that get soggy or need multiple containers.
How do platform fees affect my VAT calculations?
Platform fees get deducted from your gross price including VAT, reducing your actual revenue. Factor this into your margin calculations to avoid surprises.
Should I use the same portion sizes for delivery and dine-in?
Consider slightly larger portions for delivery since customers pay higher prices and delivery fees. But balance this against your food cost targets.
📚 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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