The short answer: delivery platforms still charge restaurants 15–30% commission per order in 2026, and on typical food margins a 25% commission turns a profitable ticket into a loss. The industry is responding - even platform vendors are now launching commission-free ordering - and for most independent restaurants, moving regular customers to a direct ordering channel is the single fastest saving available this year.
What changed recently?
The off-premise conversation has flipped from reach to profitability. Industry analysts describe 2026 as the year restaurants stopped "accepting everything everywhere" and started taking tech-enabled control of their own demand. The clearest signal: Olo - a major ordering platform - announced a customer-facing ordering app that is commission-free for restaurants, and commission-free courier services like Relay have surged in popularity. When the platforms themselves start selling "commission-free", the message is hard to miss.
How much do delivery apps actually cost a restaurant?
On a £40 order with a 15% food margin, a 25% commission doesn't just eliminate profit - it creates a loss. Restaurants that added an independent online ordering channel report around 35% lower cost per order compared with third-party fees, and roughly 10% higher overall sales after launch.
We ran the numbers for a typical local restaurant in our digital ordering cost guide: at 250 orders per month averaging £25, replacing a 10% aggregator commission with your own order engine saves £571.50 per month before existing budget lines, cutting the cost of acquisition from 10% to under 1% of revenue.
Should you leave the delivery apps entirely?
No - and that's not the play. Aggregators are still useful for discovery: new customers who don't know you yet. The strategy that works is a split:
- Keep a presence on the marketplaces for first-time customers
- Move regulars - who order 1.7–3.4 times a month - to your own website or app
- Use the commission you stop paying to fund a small loyalty incentive for ordering direct
Your repeat customers are the ones you're paying 15–30% to reach - even though they already know you.
What does a direct ordering channel need?
Less than most owners expect: a website order and booking engine, an online payment gateway (around 1.4% + 20p per order), and email/SMS confirmations. There's no percentage commission - the running cost is essentially flat. Done well it also hands you something the aggregators never will: your own customer data, for reorder reminders and quiet-night promotions.
FAQ
How much commission do delivery apps charge in 2026? Typically 15–30% per order, depending on platform and plan tier.
What does a direct ordering system cost to run? A maintained website with an ordering engine starts around £140/month plus payment processing - a flat cost instead of a percentage of every order.
How long does it take to set up? A branded ordering engine integrated with your site and payments is typically a matter of weeks, not months.
Will customers actually use it? Returning customers will - especially with a small direct-order incentive funded by the commission you're no longer paying.
If you'd like to see your own numbers, send us one month of aggregator statements and we'll model the exact saving - then build the ordering engine as a proof of concept, so you can see it working before you commit.