The delivery apps bring orders, but every one comes at a price, and most owners underestimate how much. Between commission and fees, a sizeable slice of each sale never reaches your till. Here is what Just Eat and Deliveroo actually cost an Irish restaurant, and how to claw some of it back.
How much commission do Just Eat and Deliveroo charge?
Commission in Ireland typically runs from around 14% on a basic listing to roughly 30% when delivery is included, plus card fees on top. So on a €20 order you might lose €3 to €6 before costs, and that is on top of the discounts the apps often push you to run.
| Weekly app orders | Avg order | ~25% commission lost/week | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | €20 | €250 | ~€13,000 |
| 100 | €20 | €500 | ~€26,000 |
| 200 | €22 | €1,100 | ~€57,000 |
What does it add up to?
As the table shows, even a modest 50 orders a week can hand the apps over €10,000 a year, and a busy kitchen far more. That is money taken from your margin, the part of each sale you actually keep, not your turnover, which makes the real impact even sharper.
It is not just the commission
The apps also keep the customer relationship. You get an order, but not the customer's details, so you cannot bring them back directly with an offer or a reminder. You are renting access to your own customers, and paying a premium every single time they order.
How do you cut the commission?
Most kitchens keep the apps for discovery and move their regulars to their own low-commission ordering system, where they pay a flat cost instead of a percentage and keep the customer. We look at building one in building your own restaurant ordering system.
Frequently asked questions
Why is delivery-app commission so high?
You are paying for their marketplace, app and delivery network, which has real value for discovery. The problem is paying that same percentage forever on repeat customers who already know you, where the apps add little but still take their cut.
Can I just raise my app prices to cover it?
Many do, but it makes you look dearer and the apps discourage pricing higher than your own channels. A better long-term fix is moving repeat customers to your own ordering, where there is no commission to cover in the first place.
Is my own ordering system really cheaper?
Once it covers its one-off build cost, yes, every direct order after that saves you the full commission. For a busy kitchen that point comes quickly. See how we build them or get a free quote.
Tired of handing thousands to the apps? We build low-commission ordering systems for Irish kitchens. Get a free quote.