Why do office delivery margins seem impossible to predict? Platform fees, packaging costs and higher volumes create a completely different cost structure than regular restaurant service. You need a specific approach to calculate the real margin on delivery menus for business customers.
Why office menus are different
Delivering to offices has advantages: larger orders, predictable volumes and often fixed customers. But the cost structure differs significantly from regular delivery or restaurant service.
💡 Example office order:
15 lunch boxes at €12.50 = €187.50 total
- Platform fee (20%): €37.50
- Packaging (15 boxes at €0.85): €12.75
- Delivery: €5.00
- Food cost (30%): €56.25
Net revenue: €75.00 (40% margin)
The hidden costs of delivery menus
Office menus come with extra costs that affect your margin:
- Platform fees: 15-30% of your order value goes to Deliveroo, Uber Eats or other platforms
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€1.50 per menu for sustainable boxes, cutlery, napkins
- Delivery costs: €3-€8 per trip, depending on distance and own delivery vs. platform
- VAT: 9% on food (also for delivery), so always calculate excl. VAT
⚠️ Heads up:
Many entrepreneurs forget to include packaging costs. At €0.85 per box and 1000 boxes per month you're spending €850 on packaging alone.
Margin calculation for delivery menus
The formula for your real margin on delivery menus:
Net margin = (Selling price - Food cost - Packaging - Platform fee - Delivery) / Selling price × 100
💡 Example calculation:
Lunch box €12.50 (incl. 9% VAT) = €11.47 excl. VAT
- Food cost: €3.75 (30% of €12.50)
- Packaging: €0.85
- Platform fee: €2.50 (20% of €12.50)
- Delivery per box: €0.35 (€5 divided by 15 boxes)
Net margin: (€11.47 - €7.45) / €11.47 × 100 = 35%
Optimization for office menus
Here's how to improve your margin on delivery menus for offices:
- Minimum order value: Set your minimum at €150-€200 to spread delivery costs
- Fixed delivery times: 11:30-12:30 for lunch, so you plan more efficiently
- Bulk packaging: Buy boxes per 1000 units for better prices
- Own delivery: For fixed routes your own delivery driver can be cheaper than platform
💡 Break-even example:
To achieve 35% net margin with:
- 30% food cost
- €0.85 packaging
- 20% platform fee
You need to charge at least €13.75 per lunch box
Office menus vs. regular delivery
Office menus have different margins than evening delivery:
- Advantages: Larger orders, lower delivery costs per portion, predictable volumes
- Disadvantages: Often lower menu prices, time pressure (everything by 12:00), more packaging needed
- Standard margin: 30-40% for office menus vs. 35-45% for evening menus
From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, office catering consistently shows this 5-10% margin difference due to the unique cost structure and competitive pricing pressure in the B2B lunch market.
How do you calculate the margin on a delivery menu? (step by step)
Gather all costs per menu
Calculate your food cost, add packaging costs (box, cutlery, napkin), and work out what platform fee and delivery per portion cost. Don't forget VAT: always calculate excl. 9% VAT.
Subtract all costs from selling price
Selling price excl. VAT minus food cost, minus packaging, minus platform fee, minus delivery per portion. This gives you net revenue per menu.
Calculate your margin percentage
Divide your net revenue by your selling price excl. VAT and multiply by 100. This is your real margin on the delivery menu.
✨ Pro tip
Track your margin per office client over 30 days to spot the real profit drivers. Companies ordering 20+ meals weekly often deliver 45% margins, while small 5-person offices barely hit 25%.
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
What is a good margin for office delivery menus?
A net margin of 30-40% is standard for office menus. That's slightly lower than restaurant margins due to platform fees and packaging costs, but higher volumes compensate for this.
Should I include VAT in my margin calculation?
No, always calculate excl. VAT. You pay 9% VAT on food, so a menu of €12.50 is €11.47 excl. VAT. Calculate your margin on that.
How do I calculate delivery costs per menu?
Divide the total delivery costs by the number of menus in the order. €5 delivery for 15 menus = €0.33 delivery costs per menu.
Are packaging costs really that important?
Yes, packaging can cost €0.50-€1.50 per menu. With 1000 menus per month that's €500-€1500. That directly impacts your margin.
What's the minimum order size for profitable office delivery?
Aim for €150-€200 minimum orders to spread fixed delivery costs effectively. Below €100, your delivery cost per menu becomes too high to maintain healthy margins.
How do platform commission rates vary for office orders?
Most platforms charge 15-25% for office delivery, sometimes lower for high-volume corporate accounts. Negotiate better rates once you hit consistent monthly volumes above €5000.
Should I price office menus differently than regular delivery?
Yes, office menus typically need 10-15% higher prices to account for packaging, bulk delivery logistics and platform fees. But stay competitive within the €11-€15 lunch range most offices expect.
📚 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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