Delivery app fees: the 2026 statistics every restaurant should know

How much do delivery apps really cost restaurants? We compiled the current numbers from the National Restaurant Association, platform pricing pages and industry cost studies into one reference. Cite freely — a link back is appreciated.

The headline numbers

• 15–30% — standard commission range charged by major delivery platforms per delivery order (National Restaurant Association).
• 30–40% — the effective cost per order for many restaurants once processing fees, promotions and refunds are included (industry cost analyses).
• ~6% — typical commission on pickup orders, versus up to 30% on delivery (DoorDash published plans).
• 73% of restaurants now generate at least 20% of total revenue through online orders (National Restaurant Association, State of the Industry).
• $1.4 trillion+ — projected global online food delivery revenue this year, growing ~8% annually (Statista).

DoorDash plan tiers (published US pricing)

Basic ~15% commission with the smallest delivery radius; Plus ~25% adds DashPass eligibility; Premier ~30% buys the widest radius and top placement. Operator communities consistently report effective all-in rates of 33–38% after tablet fees, restaurant-funded promotions and refund absorption.

What the fees mean in dollars

A restaurant doing $20,000/month through delivery apps at a 30% effective rate hands over $6,000 every month — $72,000 a year. Flat-fee first-party platforms typically run $49–$399/month; the gap is the reason the direct-ordering category (Owner.com, ChowNow and others) exists. Analyses of platform switching put typical savings at $40,000–$70,000 per year for restaurants that migrate meaningful volume to first-party ordering.

The customer-data cost nobody prices in

When guests order through an app, the platform owns the relationship — name, email, order history. The restaurant can’t retarget, send a win-back offer or build loyalty. That’s the hidden second fee: paying 30% for orders while losing the data that would make repeat orders cheaper.

How restaurants are responding

The playbook that works: keep apps as a discovery channel, move regulars to direct ordering, and use email/SMS to keep them there. Guides: escaping 30% fees, increasing direct orders, Owner.com vs ChowNow.

Sources: National Restaurant Association State of the Industry 2026; DoorDash published partner plans; Statista online food delivery outlook; KitchenCost and operator-reported effective-rate analyses. Stats compiled July 2026.