Third-Party Delivery Fees, Explained
The apps advertise "as low as 15%." In reality, between commission, marketing, processing, and hidden add-ons, third-party delivery can swallow close to 30% of every order. Here's the real math — and how to cut it in half without changing a thing your customers see.
The Real Numbers
Restaurant owners are told delivery costs "15%." But the headline commission is only the first line item. Here's everything that stacks on top of a typical third-party delivery order — and what the same order looks like on LastMile.
| Fee | Third-Party Apps | LastMile |
|---|---|---|
| Base delivery commission | 15% – 30% | ~15% flat |
| Marketing / sponsored placement | Up to +20% | None |
| Card processing | ~2.9% + 30¢ | Included |
| Tablet / hardware rental | Monthly fee | None |
| Chargebacks on refunds | You eat them | Protected |
| Long-term contract | Often required | Month-to-month |
Exact rates vary by the plan you signed up for and how much placement you buy — but for most restaurants the true cost lands near 30%. That's the number we cut.
Do The Math
Drag the slider to your monthly delivery sales.
That's $36,000 a year you're currently handing to the apps.
Why Owners Are Fed Up
Go on any restaurant-owner forum and you'll find the same story on repeat: razor-thin margins, a 30% commission, and the sinking feeling that you're working harder to make the delivery apps rich. You did the hardest parts — built the menu, hired the staff, earned the reviews — and a platform takes the biggest cut for handing the order to a contractor.
You don't have to fire the apps to fix it. Your customers keep ordering exactly how they already do. LastMile simply fulfills the delivery with vetted local drivers, so the commission on those orders drops to about half — and that difference stays in your business, where it belongs.
Straight Answers
DoorDash's partnership plans run roughly 15% to 30% commission per delivery order, before add-ons. Most restaurants land on the 30% tier for maximum visibility — meaning nearly a third of every delivery ticket goes to the platform, not your kitchen.
Beyond the headline commission, you're often paying credit-card processing (around 2.9% + $0.30), optional marketing/sponsored-listing fees (up to another 20%+), tablet rental, and chargebacks on refunded orders. Stacked together, your true cost per delivery order is frequently far higher than the advertised rate.
Uber Eats and Grubhub are in the same ballpark — commission tiers from roughly 15% up to 30%, plus their own marketing and processing add-ons. The exact number depends on the plan you signed up for and how aggressively you buy placement.
Yes. You're allowed to use your own independent delivery drivers to fulfill orders — that's a right you already have under the platforms' terms. LastMile fulfills the delivery with local drivers so your effective commission drops from ~30% to ~15%, with no change to how customers order.
No. They order on the same apps, the same way. The only thing that changes is a faster, GPS-tracked delivery from a local driver — and a much smaller bite out of your margin.
Book a free 15-minute call and we'll show you exactly what you'd save.