Delivery Platform Discount Calculator

The Triple Squeeze: Commission + Discount + Food Cost

Delivery platforms like DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub charge restaurants 15-30% commission on every order. When you add a 10% off coupon on top, you're discounting before the platform takes its cut — meaning you lose on both ends.

The discount applies BEFORE the commission, meaning you lose on both the customer-facing price reduction and the platform's percentage take. That 10% coupon actually costs you $1.75 in profit — a 20.6% hit on an $8.50 margin.

Platform Commission Comparison

Most platforms offer tiered plans: lower commissions come with reduced visibility in search results. The highest commission tier (25-30%) typically includes featured placement and priority delivery.

When Platform Discounts Make Sense

New restaurant launch: Running a 10-15% off coupon during your first 2-4 weeks on a platform can drive the initial reviews and order volume that fuel the algorithm's ranking. Treat it as a marketing expense.

Off-peak hours only: Limit coupons to slow periods (2-5 PM) when your kitchen has idle capacity. The incremental orders cover fixed costs (rent, salaried staff) that you're paying regardless.

When incremental volume covers fixed costs: If each delivery order contributes even $2-3 above food + packaging cost, and you have unused kitchen capacity, the volume can offset the margin hit.

The golden rule: Never discount below food cost + packaging on delivery. If a $25 item costs $7.50 in food and $1.50 in packaging, your floor is $9.00. Any revenue after commission below $9.00 means you're paying to give food away.