Low vs High Commission Restaurant Ordering Platforms: The True Cost

When choosing a restaurant ordering platform, the pricing model is often the most important factor - yet it's also the most misunderstood. Many restaurant owners focus on the monthly fee and overlook the per-order commissions that can cost thousands per year. The difference between a 3% and a 15% commission can make or break your online ordering profitability.

How Platform Commissions Work

Most ordering platforms charge a percentage of each order as commission. This typically ranges from 3% to 30%, depending on the platform. Delivery marketplace apps like Uber Eats and Glovo charge 15-30%, while dedicated ordering platforms range from 3% to 10%. Some also add a fixed fee per order (e.g., 0.50 EUR).

The key insight: a small difference in commission percentage creates a massive difference in annual costs. Going from 7% to 3% on 500 orders/month saves nearly 8,000 EUR per year.

The Commission Spectrum

Here's how different platforms compare on commission rates:

• •Delivery marketplaces (Uber Eats, Glovo): 15-30% per order
• •Flipdish: 7% + 0.50 EUR per order
• •Ordering.Tools Starter: 5% per order (+ 29 EUR/month)
• •Ordering.Tools Pro: 3% per order (+ 99 EUR/month)
• •Ordering.Tools Free: 0% commission (up to 20 orders/month)

Real Numbers: The Cost Comparison

Let's compare annual costs for different restaurant sizes with a typical 25 EUR average order value:

Small Restaurant: 200 orders/month

• •Delivery app (15%): 750 EUR/month = 9,000 EUR/year
• •7% commission platform: 350 EUR/month = 4,200 EUR/year
• •Ordering.Tools Starter (29 EUR + 5%): 279 EUR/month = 3,348 EUR/year
• •Ordering.Tools Pro (99 EUR + 3%): 249 EUR/month = 2,988 EUR/year

Medium Restaurant: 500 orders/month

• •Delivery app (15%): 1,875 EUR/month = 22,500 EUR/year
• •7% commission platform: 875 EUR/month = 10,500 EUR/year
• •Ordering.Tools Starter (29 EUR + 5%): 654 EUR/month = 7,848 EUR/year
• •Ordering.Tools Pro (99 EUR + 3%): 474 EUR/month = 5,688 EUR/year

Busy Restaurant: 1,500 orders/month

• •Delivery app (15%): 5,625 EUR/month = 67,500 EUR/year
• •7% commission platform: 2,625 EUR/month = 31,500 EUR/year
• •Ordering.Tools Pro (99 EUR + 3%): 1,224 EUR/month = 14,688 EUR/year
• •Savings vs 7% platform: 16,812 EUR/year

When Higher Commissions Make Sense

To be fair, there are scenarios where higher-commission platforms can be justified:

• •Delivery marketplaces that bring you NEW customers you wouldn't get otherwise
• •Platforms that handle all delivery logistics and customer acquisition
• •Very low volume restaurants still testing online ordering

When Low Commissions are the Clear Winner

• •Established restaurants with consistent online order volume
• •Restaurants with high average order values (the commission penalty is worse at 7-15%)
• •Multi-location businesses (commissions multiply with each venue)
• •Restaurants building their own direct ordering channel
• •Any restaurant doing 50+ orders/month

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Beyond the headline commission rate, watch out for:

• •Payment processing fees (usually 1.5-3% on top of platform commission)
• •Premium feature add-ons (some platforms charge extra for essential features)
• •Setup fees or long-term contracts
• •Minimum monthly commitments
• •Per-order fixed fees on top of percentage commissions

The Bottom Line

The commission percentage is the single biggest factor in your ordering platform costs. A restaurant doing 500 orders/month at 25 EUR average saves nearly 5,000 EUR annually by switching from a 7% to a 3% commission platform. At higher volumes, the savings are even more dramatic.

The math is simple: every percentage point matters. Your restaurant's profit margin is already thin enough — choosing a platform with low commissions (like Ordering.Tools at 3-5%) instead of high commissions (7-30%) lets you keep more of what you earn.