Running a hybrid restaurant is like managing two separate businesses that happen to share the same kitchen. You're paying 15-30% commission to Thuisbezorgd or Uber Eats, but you're also dealing with completely different cost structures. Each channel demands its own set of KPIs to track profitability accurately.
The most important KPIs for hybrid restaurants
Selling both in-house and through delivery platforms means you've got two different businesses under one roof. Each channel has different margins and costs.
💡 Example:
Restaurant De Smaak sells a pasta for:
- In-house: €18.50 (€16.97 excl. VAT)
- Via Thuisbezorgd: €21.50 (€19.72 excl. VAT)
- Platform commission: 25% = €4.93
- Net receipt: €14.79 excl. VAT
Same dish, completely different margin!
KPI 1: Platform-specific food cost
Your food cost changes per sales channel because of different net receipts.
In-house food cost formula:
Food cost % = (Ingredient costs / Sales price excl. VAT) × 100
Platform food cost formula:
Platform food cost % = (Ingredient costs / Net receipt excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Calculation example:
Pasta ingredients: €5.10
- In-house food cost: €5.10 / €16.97 × 100 = 30.1%
- Platform food cost: €5.10 / €14.79 × 100 = 34.5%
A difference of 4.4 percentage points!
⚠️ Important:
Always calculate with your net receipt (after platform commission), not with the price customers pay.
KPI 2: Packaging costs percentage
Delivery has extra costs that in-house doesn't: containers, bags, cutlery, napkins. Count this as a percentage of your sales.
Formula:
Packaging costs % = (Packaging costs / Platform sales) × 100
💡 Typical packaging costs:
- Meal container: €0.35-0.50
- Bag + napkins: €0.15-0.25
- Cutlery: €0.10-0.15
- Stickers/labels: €0.05-0.10
Total per order: €0.65-1.00
Most restaurants see packaging costs between 3-6% of platform sales.
KPI 3: Blended average order value (AOV)
Your average order value differs significantly between channels. Platform orders are usually higher because of minimum order requirements.
Formula per channel:
AOV = Total channel sales / Number of orders channel
Blended AOV:
Blended AOV = Total sales both channels / Total number of orders
KPI 4: Channel mix ratio
What percentage of your sales comes from which channel? This determines your overall profitability.
Formula:
Platform % = (Platform sales / Total sales) × 100
In-house % = (In-house sales / Total sales) × 100
💡 Example channel mix:
Monthly sales €45,000:
- In-house: €30,000 (67%)
- Platforms: €15,000 (33%)
Every shift toward platforms costs margin due to commissions.
KPI 5: Platform ROI (Return on Investment)
How much profit do you make per euro spent on platform commissions?
Formula:
Platform ROI = (Platform profit after commission / Paid commissions) × 100
⚠️ Important:
A negative Platform ROI means you're losing money on delivery. Either raise your platform prices or stop using it.
KPI 6: Blended gross margin
Your total margin across both channels, weighted by sales ratio.
Formula:
Blended margin = ((In-house sales × In-house margin) + (Platform sales × Platform margin)) / Total sales
Creating practical dashboards
Track these KPIs weekly, not monthly. Based on real restaurant P&L data, platform commissions and packaging costs can erode margins faster than most operators realize.
- Monday: Check last week's channel mix and AOV per channel
- Wednesday: Check packaging costs percentage
- Friday: Calculate blended margin and platform ROI
A food cost calculator like KitchenNmbrs can automate these calculations, so you immediately see which channel drives the most profit.
How do you calculate hybrid restaurant KPIs? (step by step)
Split your sales by channel
Record all sales separately: in-house vs. platform sales. Also check the number of orders per channel so you can calculate your AOV.
Calculate net platform receipts
Subtract platform commissions from your gross platform sales. This is what you actually receive per dish through delivery.
Add up packaging costs
Calculate how much you spend per month on containers, bags and cutlery. Divide this by your platform sales for the percentage.
Calculate food cost per channel
Use your net receipt (after commission) for platform food cost, and normal sales price for in-house food cost calculation.
Make your blended calculations
Weight your margins by sales ratio to see your total restaurant performance. This shows your true profitability.
✨ Pro tip
Review your channel mix every 2 weeks and calculate the exact breakeven point for each platform. If delivery orders drop below €28 average value, you're likely operating at a loss after factoring in all costs.
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 menu prices for delivery platforms?
Absolutely. Increase your platform prices by 15-25% to compensate for commission costs. Most successful hybrid restaurants do this. It's better to be transparent about the real cost than to lose money on every delivery order.
How often should I check these KPIs?
At least weekly, preferably twice a week during busy periods. Platform commissions and packaging costs can quickly eat into your margin if you don't monitor them closely.
What's a good platform food cost percentage?
Due to commissions, your platform food cost is usually 3-6 percentage points higher than in-house. Above 38% becomes difficult to maintain profitability. Most successful restaurants aim for 32-35% on delivery orders.
Can I pass packaging costs on to customers?
Some restaurants charge €0.50-1.00 for packaging. Check if your platform allows this and test customer acceptance carefully. Many operators find it's better to build packaging costs into menu prices instead.
When should I stop using a delivery platform?
If your Platform ROI becomes negative and you don't see other benefits like acquiring new customers, it's time to reconsider. You're essentially paying for the privilege of losing money on every order.
How do I handle different VAT rates between channels?
Most platforms handle VAT collection, but you still need to track it for your accounting. Always calculate margins using net amounts after VAT to get accurate comparisons between channels.
📚 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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