"What does the delivery app actually take?" is one of the most common questions restaurant owners ask — and one of the hardest to get a straight answer to. The headline commission is only part of the picture. Here's what the major marketplaces really cost in 2026, and what you can do about it.
The headline commission
Most third-party delivery marketplaces charge a commission per order, typically in the range of 20% to 35%. The exact figure depends on the tier you're on and whether the platform also provides the delivery driver. "Marketplace plus delivery" packages sit at the top of that range; "self-delivery" or "lite" tiers are lower but still significant.
The fees beneath the headline
Commission is just the start. Depending on the platform, you may also face:
- Payment processing fees layered on top of commission.
- Marketing or "sponsored listing" fees to appear higher in search within the app.
- Onboarding or tablet rental fees in some cases.
- Refund and chargeback costs that often fall on the restaurant.
Stack these together and the effective cost of a marketplace order can climb well beyond the headline percentage.
What that means in real money
Consider a restaurant doing £6,000 a month in marketplace orders at a 28% blended rate. That's £1,680 every month, or just over £20,000 a year, before any sponsored-listing spend. For most independents, that figure rivals or exceeds their annual net profit.
The question isn't whether you can afford to leave the marketplace. It's whether you can afford to rely on it.
How to bring the cost down
You don't have to abandon marketplaces overnight — they do provide discovery. The winning strategy is to treat them as a top-of-funnel channel while steadily moving repeat customers to your own direct ordering, where you keep the full margin.
With a direct ordering platform like DinePlatform, your cost structure is transparent: a flat monthly fee with zero commission on the Pro plan, or a simple 10% on the Free plan that you can pass to the customer. Compared to 28%-plus on a marketplace, the difference goes straight to your bottom line.
The bottom line
Marketplace pricing is deliberately complex, but the takeaway is simple: you're likely paying far more than the headline rate suggests. Knowing the true number is the first step. Building a direct channel to reduce your reliance on it is the second.