The Commission Structure Nobody Talks About
In the U.S., Uber Eats charges restaurants 20%, 25% or 30% on delivery orders depending on the plan (Lite, Plus or Premium), and 7% or 10% on pickup orders. DoorDash offers tiers: 15% (Basic), 25% (Plus) and 30% (Premier), plus 6% on pickup orders. Grubhub also charges a percentage that depends on the plan and on who delivers. But these are just the base commissions. Depending on the platform and plan, there can also be payment processing fees, tablet fees and extra marketing spend for better placement. The real take rate? It can end up higher than the headline commission.
Real Math: What a $40 Order Actually Costs You
Let us break down an example $40 delivery order on Uber Eats at 30% commission (Premium plan): Food cost (33%): $13.20. Commission to Uber: $12.00. Packaging: $1.50. Payment processing (example): $0.50. What is left: $12.80 — and that has to pay for staff, rent, utilities and everything else. If those costs take 30% of sales ($12.00), you keep just $0.80 on this order. Sold directly with no commission, the same order would leave you $12.80. On the app, that is $0.80 for cooking, packaging, handling, and operating your entire business. This is not sustainable.
The Hidden Costs They Don't Advertise
Beyond commissions, here are the costs delivery apps do not advertise: Menu price inflation pressure (many restaurants raise their prices on apps, alienating price-sensitive customers). Chargebacks and refunds (platforms often side with customers, you eat the cost). Customer data ownership ($0 — you cannot market to your own customers). Brand dilution (customers remember the app, not your restaurant). Algorithmic suppression (lower your marketing spend and watch your visibility drop). Tablet clutter (each platform needs its own tablet in your kitchen).
The Annual Impact on a Typical Restaurant
Consider a restaurant doing $500,000/year in total sales, with 30% coming from delivery apps ($150,000). At 28% average commission: $42,000/year in commissions alone. Add processing fees, tablet rental, and occasional marketing spend: $48,000-$55,000/year. That is the equivalent of one full-time employee — gone. Over 5 years, that is $250,000 that could have been invested in your business: better equipment, more staff, renovations, marketing you actually control.
The Alternative: Own Your Delivery
What if you kept that $42,000/year? With a platform like Bite2u at $49.95/month ($599.40/year), you get online ordering, delivery management, QR menus, and a POS — with zero per-order commissions. Even if you hire two part-time drivers ($18,000/year), your total cost is $18,599 vs $48,000+ on delivery apps. That is a savings of $29,401 per year. Start by directing loyal customers to order directly. Over time, more and more of your delivery orders come in directly.