While delivery platforms promise increased revenue, they charge hefty commissions averaging 15-30% of your order value. Many restaurants underestimate these costs and watch their margins disappear. Here's how to offset these fees without driving customers away.
Commission structure per platform
Each delivery platform has its own commission structure. The amount depends on your contract, location and the type of service you use.
💡 Example commissions:
- Thuisbezorgd: 12-25% + €0.30 per order
- Uber Eats: 15-30% (depending on service level)
- Deliveroo: 15-35% (including delivery)
- Bolt Food: 15-25% + marketing costs
Note: these are guidelines. Exact percentages vary per contract.
Hidden costs you forget about
Besides commission, you often pay extra costs that further squeeze your margin:
- Packaging costs: €0.50-€1.50 per order
- Marketing costs: 2-5% extra for better visibility
- Payment fees: 1-3% of order value
- Service fees: fixed costs per month (€50-€200)
💡 Calculation example:
€25.00 order via Uber Eats:
- Commission 25%: €6.25
- Packaging: €1.00
- Payment fees 2%: €0.50
Total costs: €7.75 (31% of order value!)
Impact on your food cost
Platform costs significantly raise your break-even point. A dish with 30% food cost quickly becomes unprofitable.
⚠️ Watch out:
If you pay 30% commission + costs, your total costs (food + labor) must stay under 70% to still make a profit. That's tight!
Strategies to offset commissions
After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've seen countless restaurants raise their delivery prices to compensate for platform costs:
- Price increase: 15-25% on top of your regular menu price
- Minimum order value: €15-€25 to spread fixed costs
- Delivery fees: pass through to customer (€1.50-€3.50)
- Menu optimization: focus on high-margin dishes
💡 Practical example:
Pasta Carbonara in restaurant: €16.50
Same pasta for delivery: €19.50
An increase of €3.00 partly offsets the 25% commission on the original amount.
VAT and administration
Delivery platforms invoice their commission excluding VAT. So you pay commission + 21% VAT on that commission.
For your own dishes, 9% VAT applies (both dine-in and delivery). Always calculate with prices excluding VAT for your cost price calculation.
Break-even calculation for delivery
To determine if delivery is profitable, calculate it this way:
Minimum order value = Fixed costs per order / (1 - Total cost percentage)
💡 Calculation:
Fixed costs per order: €2.00 (packaging + service fee)
Total costs: 30% commission + 35% food/labor = 65%
Minimum order: €2.00 / (1 - 0.65) = €5.71
Below €5.71 order value you lose money.
How do you calculate the real costs of delivery platforms?
Collect all costs per platform
Note down the commission, fixed monthly costs, payment fees and marketing costs of each platform. Check your contract for exact percentages.
Calculate costs per average order
Add up for each order: commission + packaging costs + payment fees. Divide fixed monthly costs by number of orders per month.
Determine your new minimum price
Increase your menu price so that after deducting all platform costs you still have the same margin as in your restaurant.
✨ Pro tip
Track your commission costs every 2 weeks across all platforms. A 2% increase in average commission rate can slash your monthly profit by €400 on €20,000 revenue.
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
Can I negotiate the commission?
With high turnover (€10,000+ per month) you can often negotiate lower percentages. Start-ups usually have fixed rates with no room for negotiation.
Why are the commissions so high?
Platforms pay delivery drivers, marketing, app development and customer service. They invest heavily in attracting new customers and restaurants.
Is it smart to be on multiple platforms?
Yes, but make sure you calculate the extra administration and different commissions properly. More platforms means more reach but also more complexity.
Do I have to pay VAT on the commission?
Yes, platforms invoice commission + 21% VAT. This is on top of the commission you already pay.
📚 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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