If you’re a restaurant owner frustrated by how much DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub is taking from your margins, you’re not alone. Third party delivery fees can hurt your bottom line.
Third-party delivery platforms often charge 20–30% per order, making it tough for independent restaurants to stay profitable. And while they bring visibility, that visibility comes at a steep cost. You lose control over your brand, customer relationship, data, and bottom line.
Let’s break down what you’re really paying for with third-party apps, and how to cut delivery costs while taking back control.
What Are Restaurants Really Paying for with DoorDash and Other Apps?
- You pay commission, and your customers often pay a higher fee for each menu item and service fees.
- If a customer orders $50 worth of pizzas on Uber Eats, you’ll get $35-40. That means even if you’d like to adjust your price to be profitable, you have to be competitive in the marketplace against the large chains that enjoy economies of scale.
- You’re paying for visibility, but the customer loyalty and brand awareness go to the app. Plus, if someone is searching for something like “Mexican food near me,” DoorDash marketplace will show your competitors along with highlighting promotions they’ve arranged with the large chains.
- No customer data or remarketing access means the third party company has the information they need to encourage your customers to order from your competitors through their platform.
Why Third-Party Delivery Apps Aren’t Built for Restaurant Profitability
- Lack of control over customer experience means potential guests don’t see your best food photos or the important history and culture that makes your restaurant and menu items unique.
- Menu markups can hurt your brand.
- Customers become loyal to DoorDash, Grubhub, or UberEats and not your restaurant. So that means you’re missing all the personal connections that keep bringing people back
Alternatives to Paying Third Party Delivery Fees: How Restaurants Can Cut Costs and Keep Orders In-House
- Offer online ordering from your own website along with the ability to earn rewards points to get discounts when they order directly from you. (If you don’t have a site, SWIPEBY can create one for you included with any AI team subscription any AI team.)
- Use an integrated delivery option, like SWIPEBY’s no-commission delivery that prioritizes the closest, least expensive delivery driver for your pickups.
- Hire local drivers for deliveries during high ordering periods. SWIPEBY offers a simple toggle on/off feature to make this easy.
- Incentivize direct orders through loyalty or discounts.
How SWIPEBY Helps Restaurants Keep More Revenue
- Online ordering branded for your restaurant
- White-label delivery solution (you’re in control)
- No per-order commissions like third-party platforms
- You own the customer relationship and the data
- AI-driven automated remarketing helps drive repeat orders
Macita’s, a small Columbian Restaurant & Bakery in Cutler Bay, was getting delivery customers through Uber, DoorDash, and Postmates paying 15-30% per order. They decided to switch to SWIPEBY for savings but also to control menu prices and build their brand for customer loyalty. As a result, they’re making $4000+ per month from online ordering + an extra $3200 from SWIPEBY’s AI remarketing feature that uses guest data to drive return business. That’s guest data Macita’s wouldn’t have if they stuck to 3rd party delivery.
Tips to Get Customers Off DoorDash and Onto Your Platform
- Update your Google Business Profile with your ordering link (SWIPEBY can help.)
- Promote “order direct” on social, your menu, and signage
- Offer perks for ordering direct (free appetizer, points, etc.)
- Put flyers with your website QR code into to-go bags letting people know they can save money and earn rewards points by ordering directly from your site. (SWIPEBY can create these for you.)
In conclusion, you don’t have to rely on third party delivery apps that take a big bite out of your revenue. With the right tools and strategy, you can offer seamless delivery, build customer loyalty, and keep more of what you earn. Want to see how SWIPEBY can help? Schedule a demo today.
