Delivery platforms or direct pickup: compare contribution per order
Operational worked example · Independent leased counter-service restaurant; existing kitchen infrastructure; no alcohol, drive-through or franchise fees
Compare channels on net contribution from the same meal order, then ask whether the platform order is incremental or displaces a better order during a busy hour. Direct pickup usually avoids the marketplace commission, but it still needs payment processing, packaging and a way to attract the customer. A lower contribution channel can be useful in spare kitchen capacity; it can reduce earnings when it takes the place of direct demand.
Read the complete operating guide set · Browse operating articles
Hold the meal and accounting basis constant
The example uses a hypothetical $18.00 gross menu receipt before customer sales tax or tips. Recipe ingredients and production waste consume $5.40, refunds/remakes use a revenue allowance of $0.27, and variable utility uses $0.25. Direct pickup packaging is $0.70; delivery packaging is $0.95 because the case assumes a more protective bag/seal/container set. These are complete order budgets to replace with supplier evidence, not observed market averages.
Use the actual merchant subtotal and fee base from your agreement. Customer service and delivery fees visible in an app are not automatically money the restaurant receives. Separate restaurant-funded promotions, ads, refunds, tablet charges, delivery logistics and processing so costs are not hidden or counted twice. If menu prices differ between channels, compare receipts after all those costs and comply with the relevant contract’s pricing terms.
Distinguish marketplace delivery, marketplace pickup and direct orders
DoorDash publishes US delivery plan commission rates of 15.0%, 25.0% and 30.0%. Its published pickup rate is 6.0% subject to terms including pickup-menu parity. Marketplace processing is included in the commission. Direct Online Ordering is described as commission-free, but a payment processing fee remains. Optional tablet, promotion and advertising products can add costs. The published plan is a dated comparison, not our operator’s agreement. US merchant fee FAQ
The direct-pickup comparison uses Square Free online checkout at 3.3% plus $0.30, which costs $0.89 on this receipt. The online API and paid-tier rates are separate offers and should not be silently substituted. Any direct ordering software subscription belongs in the channel’s fixed or incremental cost as well. Square US fee schedule
Read contribution before charging a new shift
| Cost or result | Direct online pickup | Delivery Basic | Delivery Plus | Delivery Premier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross receipt | $18.00 | $18.00 | $18.00 | $18.00 |
| Ingredients/waste | $5.40 | $5.40 | $5.40 | $5.40 |
| Refund allowance | $0.27 | $0.27 | $0.27 | $0.27 |
| Packaging | $0.70 | $0.95 | $0.95 | $0.95 |
| Processing or commission | $0.89 | $2.70 | $4.50 | $5.40 |
| Variable utility | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| Contribution before shift payroll | $10.49 | $8.43 | $6.63 | $5.73 |
Marketplace pickup is another channel: at the assumed 6.0% fee and pickup packaging it yields $9.75 after the handling sensitivity below. It uses the restaurant kitchen and customer handoff even though it does not use a delivery driver. This is why “pickup” by itself is not a complete fee definition.
The existing restaurant model pays a fixed shift roster outside order contribution. For a separate incremental decision, the next calculation charges 1.5 minutes of additional paid work at the assumed cook rate and burden, or $0.55 per order. This sensitivity is not inserted into the monthly model on top of the same employee hours. If an existing paid person genuinely has spare time, the immediate incremental payroll can be lower; if a new shift is required, use the whole shift cost rather than a token minute charge.
Ask which orders the platform actually adds
After the illustrative extra handling charge, direct online pickup contributes $9.94 and Plus marketplace delivery $6.08. A new app customer served in idle capacity adds the latter. A direct customer switching to the platform changes contribution by −$3.86 for the same meal. The difference matters even when the app’s total sales look strong.
| Scenario | Platform contribution | Lost direct contribution | Net contribution change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 orders shifted from direct, 70 additional | 100 × $6.08 | 30 × $9.94 | $309.85 |
| 70 orders shifted from direct, 30 additional | 100 × $6.08 | 70 × $9.94 | −$87.55 |
At these inputs, the contribution calculation stays positive only while the shifted share is below 61.2%, before additional ads, subscriptions or paid shift blocks. That threshold is computed from this receipt and cost set; it is not an industry benchmark or something the platform can promise. Replacement of other high-value peak orders can make the outcome worse. Acquisition spending that genuinely brings new direct customers can also change the comparison.
Capacity is an opportunity cost during the rush
The linked case assumes a usable kitchen rate of 40.8 orders per hour and a lunch requirement of 40.5 in its busiest hour. There is little slack in that initial lunch profile. An additional platform order does not bypass the cook line, even if it arrives digitally. When the line is saturated, examine contribution per constrained station-minute and the displaced order, rather than merely contribution per ticket.
Set realistic ready-time slots, distinguish courier pickup congestion from customer payment queues and measure unserved direct orders. A platform promotion that fills an idle afternoon can have different economics from the same promotion at lunch. Do not raise the model’s kitchen cap simply because an ordering tablet can accept more tickets. Test the menu and paid coverage, then rerun the meal-period model if the actual process changes.
Reconcile sales and settlements before deciding
The sales dashboard records orders; the bank receives a settlement after commissions, refunds and other deductions. Preserve the gross-sales ledger, fee invoice and payout reconciliation for each channel. A higher order count can coincide with weaker weekly cash if the mix changes or the payout is later. Our private timing test lengthens card and marketplace lags and lowers first-month cash by $4,792 without changing EBITDA. Actual timing must come from the merchant agreement and bank observations.
Run the comparison with your real menu mix for at least a defined observation period, including busy and quiet meal slots. Label discounts and new-versus-repeat customers consistently; do not treat a discount-driven trial as an unchanged demand base. Check contribution, paid hours, order backlog, refund rates and settled cash together. Read the monthly profitability guide for profit-versus-cash definitions and the unit-economics guide for the linked kitchen constraint.
Sources and scope
- BLS Florida May 2023 occupational wages · Checked 2026-10-04 · Historical statewide comparisons only. Current hiring wages 17/19/22 and owner 52000 are case assumptions, not BLS current offers. Current 2025 page unavailable; current endpoint redirected to tables.
- Illustrative case assumptions and planning methodology · Checked 2026-10-04 · All local numeric hypotheses in reference-model/inputs.json and FINANCIAL_ASSUMPTIONS.md are declared case assumptions; this link describes methodology and does not validate a market price.
- DoorDash US merchant FAQ: marketplace and online-ordering fees · Checked 2026-10-04 · US plans; Plus selection is an assumption. Paid extras, tablet, promotions, ads and contract-specific terms excluded. No duplicate processing fee on Marketplace.
- IRS Publication 15 (2026): Employer tax guide · Checked 2026-10-04 · Employer Social Security and Medicare; total model payroll burden 16 percent is wider assumed loading including other costs.
- Square US pricing: Free payment rates · Checked 2026-10-04 · Standard US Free rate basis; model does not assume negotiated restaurant processing. Tax/tips/discounts/payment mix can change effective fees.