The UK's food delivery market is worth £3.9bn in 2026, but for restaurant owners, the real question isn't about market size—it's about how much these systems actually cost your business. The simple answer: far more than the advertised commission rates suggest.
Industry data reveals that the actual cost of third-party delivery can exceed 40% of your revenue when you factor in all the hidden fees. For many restaurants already operating on tight margins, this can be the difference between profit and loss.
What Are the Basic Commission Rates for UK Delivery Platforms?
Most UK restaurants pay between 15-35% commission on delivery orders, but this headline figure only tells part of the story. Here's what the major platforms charge:
Just Eat typically charges 30-35% for platform-delivered orders and 14-18% for self-delivery. Deliveroo's commissions typically range from 25% to 35%. Uber Eats charges 15-30% for delivery orders depending on your plan.
But these rates are just the beginning. These companies charge commission on the gross amount, not the net amount, which includes VAT that doesn't belong to the restaurant.
How Much Do EPOS Integration Systems Cost?
To handle multiple delivery platforms efficiently, most restaurants need integrated EPOS systems. A basic takeaway EPOS costs £19-225 for hardware plus £0-39/month for software, with delivery platform integration typically costing £49-99/month extra via middleware like Deliverect.
Without proper integration, takeaway staff must manually transfer orders from Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat tablets into the till, with most takeaways ending up with a row of tablets behind the counter.
Cloud-based systems typically range from £50 to £150 monthly per terminal, with hardware costing £300 to £800 per device.
Calculate Base Hardware Costs
Add Monthly Software Fees
Factor Integration Costs
What Are the Hidden Costs Beyond Commission?
The commission rate is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are the additional costs that can push your total expense over 40%:
Payment Processing Fees: Third-party platforms charge their own payment processing rates—often higher than what you'd pay directly, typically 2.9-3.5% on top of commission.
Promotional Costs: Featured placement might cost additional fees per week or higher commission rates, with app-wide discounts often subsidized by the restaurant, not the platform.
Menu Management: Complex menu adjustments may involve admin or tech support fees, with menu syncing errors leading to wrong pricing or missed items, costing refunds or lost sales.
Delivery Costs: Real-world delivery costs can reach £8 to £9 per order when factoring in labour, fuel, transport, and insurance.
One restaurant owner noted that a burrito costing £7-8 at their location costs customers £21 when ordered through third-party delivery, but the restaurant receives only £4 of that total
How Much Do Alternative Solutions Cost?
Building your own ordering system can dramatically reduce costs. A fish and chip shop in Manchester switched from Just Eat to their own GloriaFood ordering page and saved roughly £400 per month in commission fees, with setup taking just one afternoon.
Direct ordering systems typically offer:
- No commission fees on direct orders
- Customer data ownership
- 23% higher customer retention compared to aggregator-only approaches
Custom development costs vary, but many restaurants find commission-free platforms like GloriaFood, Order Tiger, or Deonde offer quick setup with minimal technical requirements.
A Thai restaurant in Bristol runs both Deliveroo and their own ordering site, offering a 10% discount for direct orders. About 40% of their delivery orders now come direct, keeping an extra £800/month.
What Payment Processing Fees Apply?
When accepting card payments, you pay transaction fees typically between 1% and 1.75% per sale. If monthly sales are £18,000 and your fee is 1.5%, you would pay £270 in card processing fees.
This applies to both direct orders and platform orders, but with direct orders, you control the processing rate rather than accepting the platform's often-higher rates.
How Do Real-World Costs Break Down?
Let's examine a realistic scenario for a UK takeaway:
Traditional Pizza Takeaway - Monthly Breakdown:
- Revenue: £15,000
- Just Eat commission (30%): £4,500
- Payment processing: £450
- EPOS software: £120
- Integration middleware: £79
- Total platform costs: £5,149 (34% of revenue)
With Direct Ordering Alternative:
- Platform revenue: £7,500 (commission: £2,250)
- Direct revenue: £7,500 (commission: £0)
- Combined processing fees: £300
- EPOS and website costs: £150
- Total costs: £2,700 (18% of revenue)
- Monthly saving: £2,449
Restaurant profit margins typically work to around 30%, so commission fees of 30% "just don't add up"
What Size Business Justifies Which Solution?
Fish and chip shops with simple menus and walk-in dominated service can use Square's free plan with a kitchen printer costing £80-100, as delivery integration is optional.
High-volume businesses processing 150+ orders per day should consider Lightspeed Restaurant Core (~£119/month) with delivery integration, as it offers lower per-order overhead despite higher monthly costs.
For growing businesses, loyalty programmes generate 12-18% more incremental revenue per year, making direct ordering platforms with built-in loyalty features particularly valuable.
What Industry Trends Affect Costs?
Nearly a third (31%) of the UK population orders takeaway once a week, with 40% of people getting up to three food deliveries weekly. This growing demand gives restaurants more leverage to build direct relationships with customers.
Research shows 67% of consumers now prefer ordering directly from a restaurant's own platform rather than through third-party aggregators.
The three major takeaway ordering platforms secure more than £1bn in annual fees from UK restaurants, highlighting the scale of costs across the industry.
How Do You Calculate Your True ROI?
Use this framework to assess your delivery platform costs:
- Calculate True Commission Rate: (Total Monthly Fees ÷ Platform Revenue) × 100
- Factor Hidden Costs: Add payment processing, promotional fees, menu management costs
- Compare Customer Lifetime Value: Direct customers show 67% higher lifetime value through direct marketing and loyalty programs
- Assess Long-term Impact: 43% of customers can't recall the restaurant name after ordering through delivery apps
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do UK restaurants typically spend on food delivery systems?
Total costs can exceed 40% of revenue when including commission, payment processing, integration fees, and hidden promotional costs. Basic commission rates of 15-35% represent just the starting point.
What's the cheapest way to handle delivery orders?
For simple operations, Square's free plan with an £80-100 kitchen printer offers the most cost-effective solution. For volume operations, direct ordering systems eliminate ongoing commission costs.
Do integration systems pay for themselves?
If you're paying 15-35% commission on most orders, switching even a portion to direct ordering often pays for itself. Integration middleware costing £49-99/month typically reduces labour costs and errors significantly.
How much can restaurants save with direct ordering?
Real examples show savings of £800/month or more when shifting 40% of orders to direct channels. The profit margin difference between third-party and direct orders can be 30-40 percentage points.
What hidden fees should I watch for?
Featured placement fees, promotional subsidies, menu management charges, and payment processing markups all add to your base commission rate. Some platforms even charge commission on VAT amounts.
The reality is stark: while delivery platforms provide valuable customer reach, their true costs often exceed what most restaurant owners expect. Finding ways to mitigate these fees through direct ordering channels, negotiated rates, or hybrid approaches becomes essential for maintaining profitability.
For many UK restaurants, the path forward involves using platforms for customer acquisition while building direct ordering capabilities for retention—maximising reach while protecting margins. Whether through custom development or commission-free platforms, taking control of your ordering systems has become a business necessity rather than a luxury in 2026.