I'll be honest - most social media delivery entrepreneurs are losing money and don't even know it. They see €16.50 come in for a pasta order and think they're crushing it, but forget about packaging, fuel, and the 30 minutes they spent driving around. Here's how to calculate what you're actually earning.
Gather all costs for your delivery dish
Calculating delivery margins means tracking way more expenses than a regular restaurant dish. You've got ingredients, sure, but also containers, fuel, and your time behind the wheel.
💡 Example: Pasta Carbonara delivery menu
Selling price: €16.50 (incl. 9% VAT) = €15.14 excl. VAT
- Pasta ingredients: €4.20
- Packaging (container + bag + napkins): €0.85
- Delivery fuel: €1.20
- Delivery time (15 min × €12/hour): €3.00
Total costs: €9.25
Calculate your net margin percentage
Your net margin shows what's actually hitting your pocket after every direct cost. This number tells the real story of your delivery business.
Formula: Net margin % = ((Selling price excl. VAT - Total costs) / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Example calculation:
Selling price excl. VAT: €15.14
Total costs: €9.25
Net profit: €15.14 - €9.25 = €5.89
Net margin: (€5.89 / €15.14) × 100 = 38.9%
Compare with platform delivery
Platforms like Thuisbezorgd grab 15-30% commission but handle all the driving. You need to crunch both scenarios to see which actually pays better.
- Platform: zero delivery headaches, but they take their cut
- Own delivery: keep all the money, spend all the time
- Small volumes? Platforms usually win
- High volumes? Your own wheels pay off
⚠️ Watch out:
Don't kid yourself about delivery time. That 30-minute round trip at €12 per hour costs you €6 in labor - and most entrepreneurs conveniently forget this part.
Optimize your delivery area for higher margin
Smart delivery zones can bump your margins up by 10-15%. It's all about working smarter, not driving farther.
- Cap your radius at 10 minutes max
- Group orders by neighborhood
- Set minimum orders at €20-25
- Add delivery fees for small orders
💡 Example optimization:
Scenario 1: 1 order, 20 min delivery time
- Delivery labor: €4.00
- Margin per order: 35%
Scenario 2: 2 orders, 25 min total
- Labor per order: €2.50
- Margin per order: 42%
Track your margins with a system
Manual calculations eat up time and breed errors. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've seen too many owners guess their way to losses.
A food cost calculator (like tools such as KitchenNmbrs) automatically factors in packaging costs and shows you real profitability. You'll spot losing dishes before they drain your profits.
How do you calculate the margin on your delivery menu?
Add up all ingredient costs
Make a list of all ingredients in the dish and their costs. Don't forget spices, oil and garnish - they cost money too.
Add packaging and delivery costs
Add up: containers, bags, napkins, fuel costs and time for delivery. Calculate your time at minimum €12 per hour.
Calculate your net margin percentage
Subtract all costs from your selling price (excl. VAT) and divide by your selling price. Multiply by 100 for the percentage.
Compare with platform commission
Calculate whether own delivery is more advantageous than 15-30% platform commission. With small volumes, a platform is often cheaper.
Optimize your delivery strategy
Limit your delivery area, bundle orders and set a minimum order amount to increase your margin per trip.
✨ Pro tip
Recalculate your delivery margins every 6 weeks - fuel prices shift, supplier costs creep up, and that profitable pasta from October might be bleeding money by December.
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 include VAT in my margin calculation?
Never calculate with VAT included. For food that's 9% VAT, so divide your menu price by 1.09 to get the real selling price. This keeps your numbers accurate.
What are realistic packaging costs per order?
Expect €0.50 to €1.20 per order depending on what you're serving. Hot dishes and soups need pricier containers than cold items like salads.
How do I calculate fuel costs for delivery?
Budget roughly €0.30 per kilometer for fuel and car wear. A 5km round trip delivery runs about €3.00 in vehicle costs.
What margin is normal for own delivery?
Aim for 35-45% net margin after all costs are covered. Anything under 30% means you're working for peanuts and should reconsider your pricing or switch to platforms.
📚 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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