How to calculate delivery platform commission costs

Delivery platform commission costs can only be calculated reliably with the figures in your own contract. A general rate taken from a forum, an advertisement or an old comparison may not apply to your restaurant. Products, delivery services, payment processing, advertising and individually negotiated terms can all change the statement.

This guide therefore does not publish a standard market rate. It sets out a verifiable method, lists the documents you need and separates the calculation from the commercial decision. That distinction matters. A contractual fee is not automatically an avoidable loss. A platform may provide reach, technology or logistics, and the value of those services needs a separate assessment.

Information reviewed on 2 August 2026

Contents

• Documents and figures to collect
• The monthly commission cost formula
• How to read annual and three-year values
• Costs that are not part of commission
• Evaluate reach separately from cost
• Turn the result into a channel decision
• Sources and methodology
• Frequently asked questions

Documents and figures to collect

Start with the current contract, at least one complete monthly statement and a list of paid additional services. The contract version must match the period being reviewed. If the terms changed, separate the periods. An average that combines old and new conditions will make the result harder to interpret.

Record three figures: monthly revenue processed through the platform, the contractual commission rate and any fixed monthly platform fees. Check whether the statement presents gross or net revenue and which amount the percentage is applied to. Keep the same basis throughout your spreadsheet.

Give additional items their own line. Depending on the agreement, these may include payment processing, delivery, marketing products, hardware, service packages or other charges. The official Lieferando partner website describes its offer to businesses, but your signed contract and actual statement remain the primary sources for your calculation.

Document cancellations, refunds and later corrections as well. If an item is credited in a later statement, assign it to the appropriate comparison period. A single day is usually too volatile. A complete month makes recurring patterns easier to see and compare.

The monthly commission cost formula

The basic calculation has two parts:

monthly revenue through the platform × contractual commission rate + monthly fixed fees = monthly platform cost

Use the rate as a decimal in the calculation. The relevant figure is not the rate used in general advertising, but the rate in your agreement for the service being reviewed. If different rates apply to collection, restaurant delivery and platform delivery, calculate those revenue groups separately.

The commission cost calculator uses this neutral formula. The base result appears immediately without an email address. The tool has no preset platform rate. You enter the rate from your own contract and receive monthly, annual and three-year values.

A separate line for each order type is more accurate than one blended percentage. You might calculate collection and delivery independently, then add the results at the end. This keeps the cost of each part visible. It also supports a later decision about whether a direct route should start with collection or with a defined group of existing customers.

Round the final amount rather than every intermediate step. Repeated rounding can create small differences over many orders. Compare the result with the real invoice. If the figures do not match, look for another charge, a different revenue basis, a credit or a category with another contractual rate.

How to read annual and three-year values

An annual figure multiplies the monthly result by twelve. A three-year figure repeats the same month thirty-six times. These are scenarios, not forecasts. Revenue, demand, menu prices, contract terms and the balance between channels can all change.

Use at least three scenarios: a cautious month, a typical month and a strong month. Choose real historic months when possible. A seasonal restaurant should not make a summer decision from one winter average, or the other way around.

Put contract duration and notice periods beside any long-term number. A three-year calculation does not mean that the agreement will remain unchanged for that period. It only makes the scale visible if every input stays constant.

It can also help to calculate the cost ratio for the channel. Divide the platform cost by the related platform revenue for the same period. The result describes the cost share of that channel. It does not describe restaurant margin, because ingredients, labour, packaging, energy and delivery operations are not included.

Costs that are not part of commission

The commission calculation covers only the platform items entered. It is not a complete profit calculation for an order. Packaging, kitchen capacity, drivers, complaints, refunds and internal administration may exist regardless of the platform.

A restaurant’s own ordering route is not free either. A direct channel can require setup, ongoing service, payment fees, support, maintenance, content and promotion. Comparing a platform percentage with one software subscription figure places different services next to each other.

Create a second table for the direct route. Use real supplier quotes and record internal staff time. The online ordering system service page explains the technical and operational questions that should be answered before a new route is introduced.

Include the transition period. Two channels may create costs in parallel for a while. That is not automatically inefficient. A controlled overlap can prevent a working source of orders from being switched off before customers know and trust the direct route.

Evaluate reach separately from cost

Platform cost and platform value are different questions. The formula answers: which contractual cost is associated with the entered revenue? It does not answer: which of those orders would not have happened without the marketplace?

Think about new demand, returning platform users and known regular customers as separate groups. Attribution will rarely be perfect, but the distinction supports a sensible hypothesis. A customer who discovers the restaurant in the app has a different starting point from a regular guest who could also use the website or phone.

Measure direct access in a privacy-conscious way. Tagged links from the Google Business Profile, the restaurant website or a campaign can show which contact points are being used. A short optional source question can add context. Do not send personal order details to analytics platforms.

The guide to Google Business Profiles for restaurants explains how to maintain local information and direct actions. The comparison of delivery platforms and direct ordering examines the different role of each channel in more depth.

Turn the result into a channel decision

Move the monthly figures into a simple decision table. Use one column for cost, one for the service provided, one for dependency and one for realistic alternatives. This reveals whether reducing a fee would also mean taking over a task that the platform currently performs.

Choose one testable next step. It could be a direct collection trial, a clearer link in the Google profile, a faster mobile order page or a simpler menu. Avoid changing every channel at once. If several large changes happen together, it becomes difficult to understand the result.

Define the test period and success measures before launch. Useful measures include completed orders, cost per completed order, cancellations, support effort and the share of customers who use the direct route again. Clicks alone do not provide enough evidence for a channel decision.

A smaller platform share only represents progress if total demand, margin and workload remain healthy. Moving an order into an unstable internal process does not create a sustainable advantage. Technology, communication and day-to-day restaurant operations have to work together.

Sources and methodology

The calculation uses standard percentage arithmetic and the individual business inputs. OzyCore Studio deliberately uses no default or general commission rate. The restaurant’s contract and statements are the primary evidence for a specific calculation.

The Lieferando partner website was reviewed on 2 August 2026 as a publicly available provider source. Brand and product information remains the property of the provider. No third-party graphic is reproduced. This article provides a calculation method and is not legal, tax or contract advice.

Annual and three-year outputs assume that monthly revenue is unchanged. Platform reach, incremental demand and operational follow-on costs are deliberately excluded from the automatic result. They must be reviewed as separate decision factors.

Frequently asked questions

Which commission rate should I enter?

Use the rate in your current contract for the relevant order and delivery type. If several rates apply, calculate the associated revenue separately.

Can every commission cost be avoided?

No. The calculation shows contractual cost, not avoidability. A platform may provide discovery, payment, technology or logistics. The value of those services needs its own assessment.

Why does the calculator show three years?

The three-year figure makes the scale visible under unchanged assumptions. It is not a forecast and does not include changes to revenue, prices or contracts.

Is an email address required for the result?

No. The base result is open. Only a voluntarily requested detailed assessment is sent by email. The additional marketing box is separate and unchecked by default.

Does the calculation review my contract legally?

No. It performs arithmetic with your inputs. Contract clauses, taxation and legal duties require appropriate professional review.

What should I do after the calculation?

Reconcile the result with a real monthly statement. Then review reach, included services and the realistic cost of a direct route. A decision should be based on that combined picture.