Commission-Free Restaurant Ordering: Your Own App vs Marketplaces
Delivery marketplaces take 15–30% of every order. Here's how restaurants are switching to their own branded ordering apps, what it costs, and when it makes sense.
For many restaurants, delivery marketplaces have become a necessary evil. They bring orders, but take 15–30% of every one, list you next to your competitors, and keep the customer data. More restaurants are now asking a simple question: why not take orders directly?
The real cost of marketplace commission
Take a restaurant doing £20,000 a month in delivery orders through a marketplace at 25% commission. That's £5,000 a month, or £60,000 a year, paid in commission. Restaurant margins are often in single digits, so commission can be the difference between profit and loss on delivery.
| Monthly delivery sales | At 15% commission | At 30% commission |
|---|---|---|
| £5,000 | £750 | £1,500 |
| £20,000 | £3,000 | £6,000 |
| £50,000 | £7,500 | £15,000 |
Marketplace vs your own ordering app
| Marketplace | Your own app | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | 15–30% per order | None (flat subscription or one-off build) |
| Branding | Marketplace's brand | Your name, logo and colours |
| Competitors | Listed next to you | None |
| Customer data | Owned by the marketplace | Owned by you |
| Discovery | Strong | You drive your own traffic |
What a good restaurant ordering system includes
For customers
- Your own branded app on iOS and Android, plus a web ordering page that needs no download.
- Menu search, sizes and add-ons, and simple customisation.
- Delivery or pickup, with real-time order tracking and push notifications.
- Guest checkout, saved addresses, and card or cash payment.
For your team
- A live order queue with sound alerts so nothing is missed in a busy service.
- Manual order entry for phone and walk-in customers.
- One-click receipt printing.
- Menu, pricing and staff management in one dashboard.
- For multiple locations: per-branch hours, delivery zones, fees and staff access.
Build custom or use a white-label platform?
A fully custom app gives you total control but takes months and a large budget. A white-label platform gives you your own branded app, website and dashboard built on a proven system, for a flat subscription and a launch measured in days.
We built exactly this with LetMenu: restaurants get their own app, web ordering and dashboard with zero per-order commission, live in about 48 hours. If you're curious how such a platform works under the hood, read how we built a white-label SaaS.
How to move customers to your own channel
- Add a flyer to every marketplace bag with a QR code and a first-order discount.
- Share your ordering link on Instagram, WhatsApp, Google Business Profile and your website.
- Reward loyalty with offers that only exist in your own app.
- Price fairly: many restaurants charge slightly less on their own app, since there is no commission.
When a marketplace still makes sense
If you're new and need discovery, a marketplace can bring your first customers. The winning strategy for most restaurants is both: use marketplaces to be found, and your own app to keep customers, commission-free.
Want your own ordering app?
Read the LetMenu case study or talk to us about a custom ordering platform for your restaurant group.
Frequently asked questions
How do restaurants avoid delivery app commission?
By taking orders through their own branded app or website. Many keep marketplaces for discovery but encourage repeat customers to order direct, often with a small incentive.
How much does a restaurant ordering app cost?
A fully custom build can be a significant investment. White-label platforms give each restaurant its own branded app, website and dashboard for a flat subscription, and can be live in days.
Do I still need to be on Uber Eats or Deliveroo?
Not necessarily, but many restaurants keep a marketplace presence for new customers and use their own app to retain them commission-free.
