A delivery KPI dashboard gives you weekly insight into your five most critical margin figures. Without these numbers, you won't know if your delivery orders actually generate profit or if platform costs and packaging eat into your margins. Track these essential metrics to calculate your true delivery profitability.
The five critical delivery KPIs
For a healthy delivery operation, you need these five figures weekly:
- Net margin per order: what's left after all costs?
- Average order value (AOV): how much does a customer order on average?
- Platform cost percentage: how much of your revenue goes to Thuisbezorgd/Uber Eats?
- Food + packaging cost: total product costs including packaging
- Break-even order value: what must an order generate at minimum?
💡 Example dashboard week 12:
- Number of orders: 347
- Total revenue: €8,675
- Average order value: €25.00
- Platform fees: €1,735 (20%)
- Net margin per order: €3.80
Result: €1,319 profit this week
Calculating net margin per order
This is your most important figure. It shows what you actually keep per order after all costs.
Formula:
Net margin = Order value - Food cost - Packaging cost - Platform fee - Labor per order
💡 Example calculation:
Order of €28.00:
- Food cost: €8.40 (30%)
- Packaging: €1.50
- Platform fee: €5.60 (20%)
- Labor: €3.20 (2 min at €96/hour)
Net margin: €28.00 - €18.70 = €9.30
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with order value excluding VAT. Platform fees are calculated on the price including VAT, but you calculate your margin excluding VAT.
Monitoring platform cost percentage
Platforms like Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats charge between 15% and 30% commission. This percentage can vary week to week due to promotions and different contracts.
Formula:
Platform cost % = (Total platform fees / Total revenue excl. VAT) × 100
A healthy platform percentage is between 18% and 25%. If you go above 25%, it becomes difficult to make a profit.
Determining break-even order value
This is the amount an order must generate at minimum to break even. Everything above that is profit.
Formula:
Break-even = (Food cost + Packaging + Platform fee + Labor) / (1 - Platform fee %)
💡 Example break-even:
Fixed costs per order:
- Average food cost: 30% of order value
- Packaging: €1.50
- Platform fee: 20%
- Labor: €3.00
Break-even order value: €18.00
Weekly dashboard setup
Create a simple spreadsheet or use tools like KitchenNmbrs to track these figures weekly. Update every Monday with the figures from the previous week.
- Number of orders
- Total revenue (excl. VAT)
- Total platform fees
- Average order value
- Net margin per order
Look at trends over 4-6 weeks. One bad week could be a coincidence, but a declining trend requires action. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've seen that consistent monitoring prevents major margin surprises.
⚠️ Note:
Always include packaging costs in your cost price. A container at €0.30 seems small, but at 300 orders per week, this costs you €4,680 per year.
How do you set up a delivery KPI dashboard? (step by step)
Gather basic data from last week
Pull from your POS system the number of delivery orders, total revenue, and average order value. Also check your platform overviews for the exact commissions that were deducted.
Calculate your total product costs
Add food cost and packaging costs together per average order. Don't forget to include containers, bags, cutlery, and stickers in your packaging costs.
Determine labor costs per order
Calculate how much time an average delivery order takes (from order to ready for delivery) and multiply by your hourly rate including employer taxes.
Calculate net margin per order
Subtract all costs from your average order value: food cost, packaging, platform fee, and labor. This figure is your profit per order.
Set up weekly monitoring
Create a simple spreadsheet or use an app to update these five KPIs every Monday. Look at trends over at least 4 weeks for reliable insights.
✨ Pro tip
Set up your 5-metric dashboard with automated weekly alerts when net margin drops below €3.50 per order. This early warning system catches margin erosion before it impacts your monthly profits.
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 healthy net margin per delivery order?
A healthy net margin is between €3.00 and €6.00 per order, depending on your average order value. With orders under €20, it becomes difficult to make a profit.
Should I really include packaging costs in my food cost?
Yes, absolutely. Packaging is a direct product cost just like ingredients. A container at €0.30 can cost 2-4% of your order value.
Why does my platform fee percentage differ each week?
Platforms charge different percentages for different actions, promotions, and contracts. Varying order sizes also affect the average percentage.
📚 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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