Every restaurant using Glovo, Wolt, or any delivery aggregator knows there's a commission. But most owners don't know the full number — the total cost after platform fees, promotional contributions, and the invisible cost of not owning your customer data.
Let's look at the real math.
What delivery platforms actually charge
The headline commission rate is only part of the story.
Glovo: 25–35%
Glovo's standard commission ranges from 25% for high-volume partners to 35% for new restaurants. Beyond the base rate:
- Promotion boost fees: Want to appear in "Featured" or top search results? That's an additional 5–10% or a fixed monthly budget.
- Campaign participation: Glovo runs frequent discount events. When you participate, you typically fund the discount — often 10–15% from your margin.
- Penalty adjustments: Low ratings, high cancellation rates, or slow preparation times can trigger financial adjustments.
Wolt: 25–30%
Wolt handles all logistics (no option for own couriers), which simplifies operations but means the courier cost is baked into your commission. Standard rates are 25–30%, with limited room for negotiation unless you're a high-volume partner.
Typical total cost
When you factor in base commission + promotion + campaign discounts, the real cost per order is typically 32–42% of the order value for most independent restaurants.
The math on a real restaurant
Let's take a restaurant with an average order of €18 and 200 orders per month.
Monthly gross revenue: €3,600
| Channel | Platform takes | Restaurant keeps | |---------|---------------|-----------------| | Glovo (30%) | €1,080 | €2,520 | | Wolt (28%) | €1,008 | €2,592 | | Own website (0%) | €0 | €3,600 | | Difference vs Glovo | — | +€1,080/month |
€1,080 per month from the same order volume — just by shifting to direct orders.
Annualised: €12,960 additional profit without changing your menu, prices, or customer base.
The hidden cost: you don't own your customers
Commission is the visible cost. The invisible cost is data.
When a customer orders through Glovo, Glovo owns that customer. You get the order, not the relationship. You can't:
- Send them a "we miss you" discount after 30 days of inactivity
- Notify them of new menu items
- Offer a birthday promotion
- Build a loyalty program they'll use exclusively with you
Every repeat order that goes through the aggregator is another commission paid for a customer who already knows you.
With a direct ordering website, every customer becomes yours. Name, phone, order history — you own it and can act on it.
When aggregators make sense
Fair assessment: delivery platforms aren't always the wrong choice.
Use aggregators when:
- You've just opened and have no existing audience — platforms provide immediate visibility.
- Your food cost is low and margins are high (>55%) — the 30% commission doesn't destroy your economics.
- You're testing demand for a new concept or location.
Reconsider reliance on aggregators when:
- You have regular customers who reorder monthly.
- You're active on Instagram or Telegram and have a following.
- Your margins are under 45% — the math is working against you.
The transition strategy: both channels at once
The smartest approach isn't leaving aggregators cold — it's building a parallel direct channel while the aggregators continue bringing in new faces.
Step 1. Launch your own ordering website (10 minutes on Restmarket, free).
Step 2. Include a card in every aggregator order:
"Order directly on our website — 10% discount on your next order. [QR code]"
You're still paying 30% commission on that order, but you're converting that customer to your direct channel for all future orders.
Step 3. Activate a loyalty program on your website only. Points accumulate with every direct order — they don't exist on the aggregator. This is a sustained reason for customers to prefer your channel.
Step 4. After 2–3 months, review the split. If direct orders are growing, gradually reduce promotional investment in the aggregator.
What your own website needs to work
The direct channel only works if ordering is as easy as the aggregator — or easier.
Minimum requirements:
- Mobile-optimised (70%+ of orders come from phones)
- Full menu with photos
- Online payment (card, not just cash on delivery)
- Automatic order confirmation to the customer
- SMS status updates ("Your order is being prepared" / "Courier is on the way")
Restmarket provides all of this, free, with no technical setup required.
The bottom line
Delivery platform commissions in 2026 are 25–35% on paper, 32–42% in reality. For a restaurant doing €3,600/month in delivery orders, that's €1,100–1,500 per month paid to a platform for orders from customers who, in many cases, would have ordered from you directly — if you'd given them the option.
The option is a direct ordering website. It takes 10 minutes to set up. The financial case is straightforward.
Build your free restaurant website on Restmarket — online ordering, payments, loyalty program, SMS notifications. No commission on direct orders. Takes 10 minutes.