Running delivery with your own staff is like juggling four spinning plates at once. You're balancing ingredient costs, packaging expenses, driver wages, and platform commissions simultaneously. Each plate affects the others, making your margin calculation trickier but giving you complete control over the customer experience.
All cost items for delivery with your own staff
With your own delivery staff, you have four main cost categories:
- Ingredients (food cost) - usually 28-35% of order value
- Packaging - containers, bags, cutlery, napkins
- Delivery costs - wages, fuel, vehicle wear and tear
- Platform fees - commission from Thuisbezorgd/Uber Eats (15-30%)
💡 Example order value €25:
- Ingredients: €7.50 (30% food cost)
- Packaging: €1.20
- Delivery: €3.50
- Platform (20%): €5.00
Total costs: €17.20 - Margin: €7.80 (31.2%)
Calculate delivery costs per trip
Your delivery costs break down into three components:
- Hourly wage costs - including payroll taxes
- Fuel costs per kilometer
- Vehicle wear and tear per kilometer - insurance, maintenance, depreciation
💡 Example calculation per trip:
Delivery driver completes 4 trips per hour, averaging 3 km per trip
- Wage per trip: €15/hour ÷ 4 = €3.75
- Fuel: 3 km × €0.20 = €0.60
- Wear and tear: 3 km × €0.15 = €0.45
Total per delivery: €4.80
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with payroll taxes on top of gross wages. For a driver earning €12/hour gross, you pay approximately €15/hour all-in.
Don't forget packaging costs
Packaging might seem minor, but can eat up 3-8% of your order value:
- Meal containers: €0.15 - €0.40 per unit
- Plastic bags: €0.05 - €0.10
- Cutlery and napkins: €0.10 - €0.15
- Stickers and tape: €0.05
For an average order of €25, you'll quickly reach €1.00 - €1.50 in packaging.
Include platform commission
Delivery platforms charge commission on the total order value:
- Thuisbezorgd: 13-25% depending on contract
- Uber Eats: 15-30% depending on services
- Your own website: payment fees only (~3%)
💡 Difference between platform and your own website:
€30 order through different channels:
- Via Thuisbezorgd (20%): €6.00 commission
- Via your own website (3%): €0.90 payment fees
Difference: €5.10 more margin on your own website
Calculate total margin
You calculate your net profit like this:
Net profit = Order value - Food cost - Packaging - Delivery - Platform commission
💡 Complete example €28 order:
- Order value: €28.00
- Food cost (32%): €8.96
- Packaging: €1.30
- Delivery: €4.20
- Platform (18%): €5.04
Net profit: €8.50 (30.4% margin)
Determine break-even point
Your minimum order value must cover all your costs:
Minimum order = (Fixed costs per delivery) ÷ (1 - Food cost% - Platform%)
With fixed costs of €5.50 (packaging + delivery), 30% food cost and 20% platform:
€5.50 ÷ (1 - 0.30 - 0.20) = €11.00 minimum order value
⚠️ Note:
Small orders are often unprofitable. That's why many restaurants set minimum order values of €15-20 for delivery.
Your own delivery vs platform delivery
Based on real restaurant P&L data, platforms also offer delivery services. The difference:
- Platform delivers: higher commission (25-35%), no own delivery costs
- You deliver: lower commission (13-20%), own delivery costs
Your own delivery makes sense when:
- High order frequency (driver has little idle time)
- Short distances (less fuel and time)
- Higher average order value (costs spread better)
How do you calculate the margin on delivery with your own staff?
Add up all ingredient costs
Calculate the food cost of all dishes in the order. Work with your purchase prices including trim loss and portion size. Don't forget to include garnishes and sauces.
Calculate packaging and delivery costs
Add up all packaging materials (containers, bags, cutlery). Calculate your delivery costs per trip: hourly wage divided by trips per hour, plus fuel and wear and tear per kilometer.
Subtract platform commission and all costs
Calculate the platform commission on the total order value. Subtract all costs from the order value: food cost + packaging + delivery + platform commission. The remainder is your net profit.
✨ Pro tip
Track your driver's trips per hour for 2 weeks straight - if they're averaging under 3.2 deliveries hourly, you're losing money compared to platform delivery services. Most profitable operations hit 4-5 trips per hour during peak times.
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 on meal delivery?
A net margin of 25-35% is standard for delivery with your own staff. That's lower than restaurant (35-45%) because you have extra delivery and packaging costs.
From what order value do I make money?
That depends on your costs per delivery. With €5 fixed costs, 30% food cost and 20% platform commission, you need a minimum €10 order value to break even.
Should I include VAT in my calculation?
Always calculate excluding VAT. An order of €25 incl. VAT is €22.94 excl. VAT (€25 ÷ 1.09). Platform commission is also calculated on the excl. VAT amount.
Are small orders always unprofitable?
Often yes. You have the same packaging and delivery costs for an €8 order as for a €25 order. That's why many restaurants set minimum order values or delivery fees for small orders.
How do I calculate fuel costs per kilometer?
Take your consumption per 100km and multiply by the fuel price. A scooter that does 1 in 25 costs approximately €0.16 per kilometer in fuel at €1.60/liter.
What happens if my driver can only complete 2 trips per hour?
Your delivery cost per trip doubles compared to 4 trips per hour. At €15/hour wages, each delivery costs €7.50 in labor alone, making many orders unprofitable.
📚 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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