A pasta carbonara costs you €5.10 in ingredients, but after Thuisbezorgd's 25% commission and €0.75 packaging, your actual profit margin drops from 70% to 58%. Most restaurants discover this reality only after months of disappointing delivery revenues. Here's how to calculate your real delivery margins before it's too late.
The hidden costs of delivery platforms
Delivery orders carry extra costs that can slash your margins:
- Platform commission: 15-30% of your order value
- Packaging costs: containers, bags, cutlery, napkins
- Stickers and labels: for identification and branding
- No table service: this does save costs
⚠️ Heads up:
Many entrepreneurs forget to include packaging costs in their calculations. A complete package easily costs €0.80 to €1.50 per order.
Step 1: Calculate your total costs
For an accurate margin calculation, you need to add up all costs:
- Ingredient costs (as usual)
- Packaging costs per order
- Platform commission (percentage of order value)
💡 Example packaging costs:
Pasta carbonara delivery order:
- Aluminum container: €0.35
- Cardboard lid: €0.15
- Plastic bag: €0.08
- Napkins and cutlery: €0.12
- Logo sticker: €0.05
Total packaging: €0.75
Step 2: Calculate platform commission correctly
The platform commission gets calculated on your selling price including VAT. This detail matters more than you'd think:
Platform commission formula:
Commission = Selling price incl. VAT × Commission percentage
💡 Example commission calculation:
Pasta carbonara: €18.50 via Thuisbezorgd (25% commission)
- Selling price: €18.50 incl. VAT
- Commission: €18.50 × 0.25 = €4.63
- Net receipt: €18.50 - €4.63 = €13.87
For margin calculation, you work with €13.87, not €18.50!
Step 3: Calculate your real margin
Now you can calculate your actual margin with all costs included. Most kitchen managers discover too late that their perceived 70% margins drop to 50% once they factor in platform fees and packaging.
Delivery margin formula:
Margin = ((Net receipt - Ingredient costs - Packaging costs) / Net receipt) × 100
💡 Complete calculation:
Pasta carbonara delivered:
- Selling price: €18.50
- Platform commission (25%): €4.63
- Net receipt: €13.87
- Ingredient costs: €5.10
- Packaging costs: €0.75
- Total costs: €5.85
Margin: ((€13.87 - €5.85) / €13.87) × 100 = 57.8%
Comparison between restaurant and delivery
See how your margin differs between restaurant and delivery:
| Cost item | Restaurant | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Selling price | €16.97 (excl. VAT) | €13.87 (after commission) |
| Ingredients | €5.10 | €5.10 |
| Packaging | €0.00 | €0.75 |
| Table service | €3.00 | €0.00 |
| Profit per portion | €8.87 | €8.02 |
Making delivery profitable
Delivery can work financially, but you need different margins:
- Higher menu price: compensate for the platform commission
- Larger portions: higher order value per delivery
- Efficiency: less staff needed
- Volume: more orders per hour possible
⚠️ Heads up:
If your margin drops below 50% on delivery, it becomes difficult to cover all fixed costs (rent, utilities, staff).
Tools for margin calculation
Manually calculating margins for different platforms eats up valuable time. Especially if you adjust prices regularly or use different commission percentages.
A food cost calculator can automatically determine your real margin for each platform. You enter your platform commissions and packaging costs once, and the system instantly calculates your net margin per dish per platform.
How do you calculate the margin on a delivery meal? (step by step)
Calculate your net receipt
Subtract the platform commission from your selling price. If you charge €20 and the platform takes 25%, you receive €15. You continue calculating with this amount.
Add up all costs
Add ingredient costs plus packaging costs together. Don't forget the containers, bags, cutlery and stickers. These are your total direct costs.
Calculate your margin percentage
Use the formula: ((Net receipt - Total costs) / Net receipt) × 100. This gives you the real margin percentage for this delivery order.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate your break-even order value for each platform weekly. Orders above €22 typically absorb packaging costs better than smaller €12-15 orders.
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
Why is my margin lower on delivery than in the restaurant?
Platform commission (15-30%) and extra packaging costs reduce your net receipt per order. This cuts your margin even though you save on table service.
Should I charge different prices for delivery platforms?
Many restaurants charge 10-20% higher prices for delivery to offset platform commission. Just verify your platform contract allows this pricing strategy.
How do I calculate packaging costs per order?
Add up all materials: containers, lids, bags, cutlery, napkins and stickers. Budget around €0.50 to €1.50 per complete order, depending on item count.
What is a healthy margin for delivery meals?
Target at least 50-60% margin after all costs including platform fees and packaging. Below 50% makes covering fixed costs nearly impossible.
Can I deduct VAT from the platform commission?
No, platform commission gets calculated on your selling price including VAT. You pay commission on the VAT portion you must remit to tax authorities.
Do different platforms charge the same commission rates?
Commission rates vary between 15-30% depending on the platform and your contract terms. Uber Eats and Thuisbezorgd often have different rate structures.
Should I track delivery margins separately from dine-in?
Absolutely. Delivery and dine-in have completely different cost structures and profit margins. Track them separately for accurate financial analysis.
📚 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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