Lower Delivery Commissions: 7 Restaurant Strategies

Reducing delivery commissions has become the number one obsession of French restaurant owners. Between Uber Eats taking 30% on every order, Deliveroo ranging between 25 and 35%, and Just Eat with its 14 to 30%, your margins are melting like snow in the sun. A restaurant generating 3,000 euros in monthly orders on these platforms loses between 750 and 1,050 euros in pure commissions. Fortunately, solutions exist to regain control of your profitability. commandeici.com already supports over 2,500 restaurant owners in this approach with concrete results: zero commission, customized pages and an average basket increase of 18%.

Updated on 2026-04-02 | Reading time: 8 min | By commandeici

Table of Contents

• Diagnosis: what commissions are really costing you
• Strategy 1: Negotiate with existing platforms
• Strategy 2: Create your own ordering system
• Strategy 3: Optimize your sales channel mix
• Strategy 4: Build loyalty to reduce dependency
• Strategy 5: Develop local partnerships
• Strategy 6: Implement intelligent pricing
• Strategy 7: Measure and optimize ROI for each channel

Diagnosis: what commissions are really costing you

Before reducing your delivery commissions, establish a precise diagnosis of your current costs. Most restaurant owners underestimate the real impact of these charges on their profitability.

Let's take the concrete example of a Parisian restaurant with 4,500 euros in monthly delivery revenue, distributed as follows:

This restaurant owner thus loses 15,168 euros per year in commissions. With an average net margin of 8% in restaurants, they would need to generate an additional 189,600 euros in revenue to compensate for this loss.

Hidden costs add to this bill: delivery fees paid out (2 to 4 euros per order), marketing costs (visibility boost at 3-5% of revenue), and penalties for delays or cancellations. Overall, some restaurants reach charge rates of 35 to 40%.

Strategy 1: Negotiate with existing platforms

Contrary to popular belief, delivery platform rates are not fixed. Restaurant owners generating significant volume can negotiate preferential terms.

Negotiation points with Uber Eats:

• Monthly volume over 2,000 euros: possible reduction of 2 to 5 points
• Exclusivity on certain time slots: additional discount of 3 points
• Respected preparation times (less than 5% delays): performance bonus
• Customer rating maintained above 4.3/5: preferred conditions

A restaurant owner in Lyon managed to reduce his Uber Eats commission from 30% to 22% by committing to a minimum volume of 3,500 euros per month and accepting extended delivery time slots. Annual savings: 3,360 euros.

To negotiate with Deliveroo, focus on your local popularity and customer reviews. The platform prioritizes restaurants that maintain their appeal, as they generate more repeat orders.

Typical negotiation script: "Hello, our restaurant generates X euros per month on your platform with a rating of Y/5. We're currently reviewing our customer acquisition costs. What conditions can you offer us to maintain and develop our partnership?"

Strategy 2: Create your own ordering system

The most effective strategy to reduce delivery commissions is to develop your own sales channels. A proprietary online ordering system completely eliminates intermediaries.

Concrete financial advantages:

• Commission: 0% instead of 25-30%
• Complete control of customer data
• Customization of the ordering experience
• Possibility of loyalty programs
• Preserved margins on 100% of sales

commandeici allows restaurant owners to create their online ordering page for 19 euros per month, with zero commission on sales. A restaurant that migrates 1,500 euros of monthly revenue from Uber Eats saves 450 euros each month, or 5,400 euros per year.

The return on investment is immediate: from the first order of 63 euros (€19 ÷ 30% commission saved), your monthly subscription pays for itself. Creating your own ordering site thus becomes a business imperative, not just an added bonus.

Strategy 3: Optimize your sales channel mix

The goal is not necessarily to eliminate all platforms overnight, but to optimize the distribution of your sales to maximize overall profitability.

Optimal mix based on our analysis of 1,200 restaurants:

• Direct orders (own website, phone): 45-60%
• Uber Eats (acquiring new customers): 25-35%
• Deliveroo (premium zones): 10-20%
• Just Eat (geographic supplement): 5-15%

This distribution allows you to benefit from platform visibility while preserving most of your margins. A restaurant applying this mix to 5,000 euros of monthly revenue saves an average of 920 euros per month compared to complete platform dependency.

The strategy consists of using platforms as acquisition tools, then progressively redirecting customers to your own channels. Each platform has its specificities: exploit them tactically.

Strategy 4: Build loyalty to reduce dependency

A loyal customer who orders directly from you is worth 4 times more than an occasional platform customer. Loyalty building becomes your main weapon to reduce delivery commissions.

Typical loyalty program:

• 10th order free on your website (customer savings: 15-25 euros)
• Free delivery from 25 euros of orders
• Priority access to new items and seasonal menus
• 20% birthday discount
• Accumulated points: 1 euro spent = 1 point, 100 points = 10 euros off

This type of program costs on average 12% of the relevant revenue, but generates a retention rate of 67% (versus 23% without a program). A loyal customer orders 2.3 times more often and increases their average basket by 31%.

The trick is to collect customer contact information even on platform orders. A simple QR code on the packaging pointing to your online menu allows you to recover 15 to 25% of contacts for your future campaigns.

Strategy 5: Develop local partnerships

Partnerships with businesses, schools and associations in your area represent a source of recurring orders without commission. This strategy works particularly well for restaurants offering lunch deals or meal platters.

Identified profitable partnerships:

• Offices (50+ employees): weekly group orders of 200-500 euros
• Schools: staff platters of 15-25 euros per person
• Sports clubs: team meals of 300-800 euros per event
• Local delivery companies: exclusive partnership on certain zones
• Corporate events: catering with margins of 40-60%

A pizzeria owner in Nantes developed a partnership with 3 local businesses, generating 1,800 euros in additional monthly orders with 0% commission. They offer a 10% discount on group orders over 100 euros, while maintaining 35% margins.

Key to success: offer customized service (adjusted hours, monthly billing, dedicated menus) that platforms cannot provide.

Strategy 6: Implement intelligent pricing

Pricing differentiated by channel allows you to maintain your margins even with high commissions. This strategy consists of adjusting your prices according to the acquisition cost of each channel.

Recommended pricing structure:

• Restaurant price (on-site): base price
• Own website price: base price + 5% (to cover packaging and delivery)
• Uber Eats/Deliveroo price: base price + 25% (to maintain margin after commission)
• Just Eat price: base price + 15% (lower commission)

This approach may seem aggressive, but 73% of consumers accept higher prices on platforms, considering this normal. The important thing is to remain consistent and transparent about your reasoning.

Concrete example: your margherita pizza costs 12 euros in the restaurant. It will be charged 12.60 euros on your website, 15 euros on Uber Eats and 13.80 euros on Just Eat. This pricing strategy preserves your margins while naturally encouraging customers to order directly.

Strategy 7: Measure and optimize ROI for each channel

The final strategy consists of carefully analyzing the profitability of each channel to optimize your marketing and operational investments.

Key metrics to track monthly:

• Customer acquisition cost per channel (CAC)
• Customer lifetime value (LTV) by traffic source
• Effective commission rate (commissions + hidden fees)
• Average basket per platform
• Recurrence rate per channel
• Net margin after all costs

A restaurant in Bordeaux discovered that its Deliveroo customers had an average basket of 28 euros versus 22 euros on Uber Eats, but a recurrence rate of only 12% versus 31%. Conclusion: Deliveroo for one-time acquisition, Uber Eats for loyalty, own website for profitability.

Simplified ROI dashboard:

This data allows you to allocate your marketing budget optimally: invest heavily in your own website, moderately on Uber Eats for acquisition, and question Deliveroo's profitability.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can I save by reducing my delivery commissions?

A restaurant generating 3,000 euros monthly on platforms can save between 750 and 900 euros per month by switching to a commission-free solution like commandeici. Over a year, savings reach 9,000 to 10,800 euros.

Do platforms really accept negotiating their rates?

Yes, starting from 2,000 euros of monthly revenue and with good performance (customer ratings, delivery times). Obtained reductions generally range from 2 to 8 commission points depending on your volume and exclusivity.

How do I convince my customers to order on my website rather than on platforms?

Offer exclusive benefits: free delivery from 25 euros, loyalty program, priority access to new items. 67% of customers accept changing their habits for tangible benefits.

What is the real cost of a proprietary online ordering solution?

commandeici costs 19 euros per month with zero commission on sales. From 63 euros in monthly orders (versus 30% platform commission), the solution pays for itself. Most restaurants break even in less than a week.

Can I completely eliminate delivery platforms?

It's possible but not necessarily optimal. Platforms remain useful for acquiring new customers. The ideal is a mix with 45-60% direct orders and 40-55% via platforms, prioritizing those with the best conditions.