Save Money: Direct Ordering vs Delivery Apps
Commission comparison between delivery apps and direct ordering: how much restaurants save and how to set up a direct ordering system from your digital menu.
The problem with delivery app commissions
Delivery apps like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub have transformed the restaurant industry, but at a significant cost to restaurant owners. Commissions range from 15% to 35% per order, depending on the platform and contract. On an average order of 30 euros, the restaurant can pay up to 10 euros in commission.
A simple calculation: if your restaurant receives 20 delivery orders per day with an average 25% commission on 30-euro orders, you are paying 150 euros per day in fees, roughly 4,500 euros per month. That money comes straight out of your margins.
What the commission covers
To understand whether the cost is justified, here is what you get:
- Visibility on the platform: your restaurant appears in the app among dozens of competitors.
- Order management: the app collects orders and sends them to you.
- Payment processing: the customer pays through the app.
- Delivery riders (sometimes): some platforms include the driver in the price.
But beware: the customer belongs to the platform, not to you. You have no access to customer data, you cannot communicate directly with them, and if the platform raises fees or shuts down tomorrow, you lose everything.
The alternative: direct ordering
A direct ordering system lets customers order from your digital menu without intermediaries. The customer scans a QR code or visits your website, browses the menu, adds dishes to the cart, and sends the order directly to you.
Advantages over delivery apps:
- Zero order commissions: you only pay a monthly subscription, not a percentage of every order.
- The customer is yours: you have access to customer data and can build loyalty.
- Total control: you set prices, promotions, delivery hours, and delivery radius.
- Better margins: without 25-35% commissions, your margin on each order increases significantly.
The numbers
| Delivery Apps | Direct Ordering | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission per order | 15-35% (avg 25%) | 0% |
| Cost on a 30-euro order | 7.50 euros | 0 euros |
| 20 orders/day | 150 euros/day | 0 euros/day |
| Monthly cost (600 orders) | 4,500 euros | 20-40 euros (subscription) |
| Annual savings | - | Over 50,000 euros |
| Customer data | No | Yes |
How to set up direct ordering
- Choose a platform: platforms like MrGarson offer an integrated ordering module in the digital menu, with delivery and pickup management.
- Set your delivery radius: decide how far you deliver and set delivery hours.
- Configure payment methods: cash on delivery, online payment, or both.
- Tell your customers: put the QR code on delivery bags, on social media, and on your Google Maps listing. Explain that ordering directly supports the local restaurant.
Coexisting with delivery apps
You do not have to abandon delivery apps overnight. Use them to acquire new customers, but work on gradually moving regulars to direct orders. An effective incentive: "Order directly from our site and get 10% off" โ you still save compared to the 25% commission.
Conclusion
Delivery apps are useful for visibility, but commissions erode restaurant margins unsustainably over time. A direct ordering system is a smart investment that pays off immediately: zero commissions, customer data ownership, total control. Start building your direct channel today.