Picture this: you're delivering 200 orders weekly to a postcode that generates €6,000 in revenue, yet you're losing money on every single delivery. Most dark kitchen owners get trapped by impressive revenue numbers while overlooking the hidden costs per area. Your delivery data holds the key to identifying which postcodes actually put money in your pocket.
Collect your delivery data from all channels
Start by gathering data from every delivery platform you use. Thuisbezorgd, Uber Eats, your own website - each channel provides different pieces of the puzzle. You'll need order value, postcode, delivery time, and platform fees per order.
💡 Example data per order:
- Postcode: 1012AB
- Order value: €32.50
- Platform fee: €4.88 (15%)
- Delivery time: 28 minutes
- Food cost: €9.75 (30%)
Calculate actual profit per postcode
Revenue means nothing without subtracting costs. After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've seen too many owners chase high-revenue areas that were secretly bleeding money. The major cost drivers include ingredients, packaging, platform fees, and delivery expenses.
💡 Profit calculation per order:
Order to 1012AB (city center):
- Order value: €32.50
- Platform fee: €4.88
- Food cost: €9.75
- Packaging: €1.20
- Delivery costs: €3.50
Net profit: €13.17 (40.5%)
Now compare this with a distant postcode order:
💡 Order to rural area:
Order to 1234ZZ (rural area):
- Order value: €28.00
- Platform fee: €4.20
- Food cost: €8.40
- Packaging: €1.20
- Delivery costs: €6.50 (further distance)
Net profit: €7.70 (27.5%)
Analyze delivery costs per distance
Distance kills profitability faster than any other factor. In city centers you might complete 4 deliveries hourly, but rural areas drop this to just 2. This directly impacts your per-postcode profitability.
- City center (0-3 km): 15-20 minutes delivery time
- First ring (3-6 km): 25-35 minutes delivery time
- Rural area (6+ km): 40+ minutes delivery time
Calculate your hourly delivery cost (driver wages + fuel + vehicle wear) and divide by possible deliveries per hour in each zone.
⚠️ Note:
Don't forget return time in your calculations. A 15-minute outbound delivery means 15 minutes back - that's 30 minutes total per order.
Set minimum order values per zone
Your cost data reveals the minimum order value needed for each postcode. City center orders might turn profitable at €15, while rural deliveries need €35 minimums.
Formula for minimum order value:
Minimum order = (Food cost + Packaging + Delivery costs + Platform fee) / (1 - Desired profit margin)
💡 Calculation minimum order rural area:
- Average food cost: €8.00
- Packaging: €1.20
- Delivery costs: €6.50
- Platform fee: 15% = variable
- Desired margin: 25%
Minimum = (€8.00 + €1.20 + €6.50) / (1 - 0.15 - 0.25) = €26.17
Round up to €27.00 minimum order
Use this data for better decisions
Armed with real profitability data, you can make decisive changes. Cut unprofitable postcodes, raise minimums in expensive zones, or concentrate marketing on your money-making areas.
- Profitable postcodes: Increase marketing, consider lower minimums
- Marginal postcodes: Raise minimums or add delivery surcharges
- Loss-making postcodes: Stop service or dramatically increase prices
Tools like KitchenNmbrs can automate these calculations, showing real-time area profitability without manual spreadsheet maintenance.
How do you analyze postcode profit? (step by step)
Export 3 months of delivery data
Download from each platform (Thuisbezorgd, Uber Eats, your own site) at least 3 months of data with: postcode, order value, date, platform fees. Put everything in one overview to spot patterns.
Calculate costs per postcode zone
Group postcodes into zones (center, ring 1, ring 2) and calculate average delivery time and costs per zone. Add up food cost, packaging, platform fees, and delivery costs per order.
Determine profitability per zone
Subtract all costs from the order value per zone. Zones with less than 20% net margin are often not profitable. Set minimum orders or stop delivery to loss-making areas.
✨ Pro tip
Track your delivery completion rates by postcode over the past 90 days - areas with completion rates below 85% often indicate address issues, difficult access, or customer problems that increase your hidden costs per delivery.
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
How much delivery data do I need for reliable postcode analysis?
You need at least 3 months of data with minimum 500 orders for accurate insights. Fewer orders create misleading results from random spikes. Seasonal businesses require 6-12 months to capture complete patterns.
Should platform commission fees be included in postcode cost calculations?
Absolutely include platform fees in every calculation. These fees range from 15-30% of order value and directly slash your margins. Ignoring platform costs makes every postcode appear more profitable than reality.
What's the minimum profitable delivery distance I should consider?
This depends entirely on your local costs and order values, not distance alone. Calculate your break-even point using actual delivery time, fuel costs, and driver wages. Some 2km deliveries lose money while certain 8km routes stay profitable due to higher order values and efficient routes.
📚 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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