Pricing delivery meals is like navigating a toll road compared to city driving. You'll encounter extra fees at every turn - platform commissions, packaging expenses, and payment processing charges that don't exist in your dining room. These additional costs require a completely different pricing strategy to maintain profitability.
The extra costs of delivery
Delivery orders come with cost layers that simply don't exist for dine-in customers:
- Platform commission: 15-30% of your order value
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€2.50 per order
- Delivery costs: sometimes at your own expense
- Payment fees: higher percentage than card payments in restaurant
💡 Example:
Pasta carbonara in restaurant vs. delivery:
- Ingredients: €5.10
- Restaurant price: €18.50 (food cost 30%)
- Packaging: €1.20
- Platform commission (25%): €4.63
For delivery you've got €10.93 in extra costs!
Calculate your new cost price
Your delivery cost price becomes:
Total cost price = Ingredients + Packaging + (Platform commission ÷ 0.75)
Why divide by 0.75? The commission gets calculated on your selling price. If you're paying 25% commission, you keep 75% for yourself.
💡 Calculation example:
Desired net revenue: €18.50 (same as restaurant)
- At 25% commission you need to charge: €18.50 ÷ 0.75 = €24.67
- Add packaging on top: €24.67 + €1.20 = €25.87
- Rounded: €25.90 delivery price
Check: €25.90 × 0.75 = €19.43 net minus €1.20 packaging = €18.23
Adjust your food cost percentage
Due to these extra expenses, your food cost percentage will shift. Many delivery operations accept higher food costs since they need fewer staff members.
- Restaurant: food cost 28-35%, but with waitstaff
- Delivery: food cost 35-45%, but no waitstaff
- Dark kitchen: food cost up to 50%, minimal overhead
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate food cost based on your net revenue (after platform commission). Otherwise your margin appears much worse than it actually is.
Packaging costs by category
Different dishes require different packaging investments:
- Pizza: €0.30-€0.60 (box + napkins)
- Pasta/rice: €0.80-€1.20 (container + lid + cutlery)
- Salad: €1.00-€1.50 (large containers + dressing separate)
- Soup: €0.60-€1.00 (soup cup + lid)
- Complete meal: €1.50-€2.50 (multiple containers)
💡 Practical tip:
Calculate an average packaging cost per order. With 2.3 dishes per order and €1.20 average packaging, you'll reach €0.52 per dish.
Platform differences
Each platform operates with different rates and conditions. Based on real restaurant P&L data, here's what you'll typically encounter:
- Thuisbezorgd: 13-15% + €0.30 per order
- Uber Eats: 15-30% (depending on service level)
- Just Eat: 14-16% + fixed costs
- Deliveroo: 15-35% (depending on area)
Always verify your actual commission in your dashboard. This can vary per restaurant and changes frequently.
Calculate minimum order value
Your minimum order value must cover fixed costs:
Minimum = (Packaging + Delivery costs + Desired margin) ÷ (1 - Commission%)
💡 Minimum example:
- Packaging: €1.50
- Delivery (at your expense): €3.50
- Desired margin: €2.00
- Commission: 25%
Minimum: (€7.00) ÷ 0.75 = €9.33
Rounded: €15.00 minimum order value
How do you calculate the price of a delivery meal? (step by step)
Calculate your desired net revenue
Determine how much you want to receive net for the dish (like in your restaurant). This is your starting point for all further calculations.
Add packaging costs
Calculate what containers, lids, cutlery and bags cost per dish. Don't forget napkins, sauce containers and any extra packaging for hot dishes.
Correct for platform commission
Divide your desired net revenue by (1 minus commission%). At 25% commission: divide by 0.75. Add the packaging costs to that for your final price.
✨ Pro tip
Track your average delivery time during peak hours for 2 weeks. If orders consistently take longer than 45 minutes, increase your minimum order value by €3-5 to reduce order volume and improve delivery speed.
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 use different prices per platform?
Yes, you should and it makes sense. Each platform has different commissions. Just make sure the difference isn't too large, otherwise you'll confuse customers who check multiple platforms.
How do I calculate food cost for delivery?
Always calculate food cost based on your net revenue (after platform commission and packaging). Otherwise your margin looks much worse. A food cost of 40-45% is normal for delivery operations.
Can I use the same menu for restaurant and delivery?
Not all dishes are suitable for delivery. Choose dishes that travel well, don't leak and stay hot. Adjust portions for the packaging you have available.
What if the platform commission changes?
Check your actual commission in your dashboard monthly. Platforms change their rates regularly. Adjust your prices if the commission differs by more than 2% from your calculation.
How do I determine my minimum order value?
Your minimum must cover packaging, delivery costs and a reasonable margin. Calculate €7-10 fixed costs per order, divided by (1 minus commission%). Round to a nice amount.
Should I charge extra for premium packaging?
Many restaurants add €0.50-€1.00 for eco-friendly or premium packaging. Customers often accept this if you clearly communicate the benefit. Test it on 20% of orders first.
How do delivery-only brands price differently than traditional restaurants?
Ghost kitchens can accept 45-50% food costs since they have no front-of-house expenses. They focus on volume and operational efficiency rather than traditional restaurant margins.
📚 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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