Quick answer
Delivery platforms typically take between 15% and 35% of the order value. The most common band, when the platform supplies the rider, is 28-32% plus VAT. Glovo and Deliveroo sit at the top because they include delivery; Just Eat can drop lower if you use your own riders. The catch: commission is calculated on the gross, VAT-inclusive price, and you pay further VAT on the commission itself. You only see your real margin by running the numbers dish by dish.
How delivery commissions actually work
When you sign up to a platform you don't agree to a single percentage — you choose (often without realising) a package of services. The three main models are:
- Listing only (marketplace): the platform sends you the order, but you handle delivery with your own riders. The cheapest option.
- Delivery included: the platform manages the riders. The rate goes up here, because you're also paying for logistics.
- Full management: homepage visibility, sponsored placements, professional photography. Costs more but lifts volume.
The commission is a percentage of order value, not a flat fee. The more you sell, the more you pay in absolute terms. That's why a restaurant with a low average order and high volume suffers more than one with few high-value orders.
How much Glovo, Deliveroo and Just Eat take
Rates change over time and with negotiated contracts, but the market bands are fairly stable. Here's an indicative picture (VAT excluded unless noted):
| Platform | Listing only (your riders) | Delivery included | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Glovo | ~15-20% | ~28-32% | Strong in mid-to-large cities, pushes sponsored listings | | Deliveroo | ~18-22% | ~28-35% | Premium positioning, higher-spending customers | | Just Eat | ~12-18% | ~28-30% | Historically more flexible on self-delivery |
These figures are indicative: every contract is negotiable, especially above a certain order volume. The headline percentage is only the starting point.
VAT: the cost almost nobody calculates
This is where the most expensive mistake hides. The commission you see is almost always quoted VAT excluded. The platform then adds VAT on the commission (22% in Italy, varying by country), which a VAT-registered business partly recovers but which still hits cash flow and your immediate margin maths.
The percentage is also calculated on the gross price shown to the customer (food VAT included). So on a dish sold at €11 (€10 + 10% VAT), a 30% commission applies to €11, not €10.
A concrete example on a €30 gross order with delivery-included commission at 30%:
Customer gross price = €30.00
Commission 30% = €9.00
VAT 22% on the commission = €1.98
Total platform cost = €10.98
Net received from platform = 30.00 - 10.98 = €19.02
You took in €19.02, not the €21 a "flat" 30% would suggest. And you still have to deduct food cost and packaging. To avoid getting the maths wrong on any setup, use the delivery commission calculator.
Your real margin: the full example
Take the same €30 order and build the P&L all the way down. Assume a 30% food cost and 4% packaging.
| Line | Amount | |---|---| | Customer gross price | €30.00 | | − Commission 30% | −€9.00 | | − VAT 22% on commission | −€1.98 | | − Food cost (30% of €30) | −€9.00 | | − Packaging (4%) | −€1.20 | | Remaining margin | €8.82 |
On €30 taken in, you're left with about €8.82 (29%) to cover staff, rent, utilities and profit. Dine-in, with no commission, the same dish would leave you nearly €18 of gross margin. That gap is what many operators only discover at month-end.
How to defend your delivery margin
The point isn't to abandon the channel — it's to make it sustainable. The main levers:
- A dedicated delivery menu: dishes that survive transport, no fried food that arrives soggy. Fewer refunds and bad reviews.
- A controlled app-price markup: +10-15% over dine-in is common practice to absorb the commission. But check the contract's price-parity clauses.
- Minimum order: raise the threshold so fixed packaging costs spread across a larger basket.
- Push the direct channel: every order from your own website or WhatsApp is zero commission. Use the app to get discovered, then build loyalty.
- Negotiate: above a certain volume, platforms revise rates. Asking costs nothing.
Self-delivery vs platform delivery
The most structural choice is who carries the food. Quick comparison:
| Aspect | Platform rider | Your riders (self-delivery) | |---|---|---| | Commission | High (28-35%) | Low (12-20%) | | Logistics cost | Included | On you (wages, vehicles, insurance) | | Delivery quality control | Low | High | | Coverage area | Wide | Limited to your radius |
Self-delivery pays off when you have high, concentrated volume in a tight area: a rider's fixed cost spreads across many orders. Below a certain threshold, platform delivery stays cheaper despite the higher commission.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the headline rate with the real cost: a "flat" 30% becomes nearly 37% once you add VAT on the commission.
- Calculating commission on the net price: the platform always applies it to the gross, VAT-inclusive figure.
- Using the same dine-in price on the app: without a markup, many dishes break even or lose money.
- Forgetting packaging: boxes, cutlery and bags easily run 3-5% of the order.
- Treating all dishes alike: some travel well with good margin, others don't. Selling everything on the app is a mistake.
- Ignoring sponsored orders: paid placements stack on top of commission and must be counted separately.
Related resources
- Delivery commission calculator — what you actually keep on each order, VAT included