Quick answer: Delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash charge 15–30% of each delivery order on their published plans. Grocery stores make about 1.7% net profit on average. So a 25% commission can turn a profitable basket into a loss. At 300 orders a month, that commission adds up to about $54,000 a year. Your own branded app with 0% commission keeps that money in your store.
15–30%
commission per delivery order on Uber Eats and DoorDash published plans
1.7%
average net profit for a food retailer in 2024
–$3
lost on a $60 basket at a 30% commission, before wages
$54,000
a year in commission at 300 orders a month
Delivery apps are good at one thing: getting you seen. But few grocery owners do the full maths on what they pay for that. This post uses each platform’s own published rates, so you can check every number yourself.
In this guide
- What are delivery app commission fees?
- How much do Uber Eats and DoorDash charge?
- Why commission hurts grocery more than restaurants
- Worked example: one $60 basket
- Worked example: a full year
- The costs that do not show on the invoice
- Even the delivery apps sell a “no commission” option
- How to move shoppers to your own app
- FAQ
What are delivery app commission fees?
A commission is the share of each order the app keeps for listing your store, taking payment and arranging delivery. It is charged on every order, not once. So the more you sell through the app, the more you pay.
How much do Uber Eats and DoorDash charge?
Published rates, checked October 2026.
| Platform and plan | Delivery commission | Pickup commission |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats Canada – Lite | 20% | 10% (15% without validated in-store pricing) |
| Uber Eats Canada – Plus | 25% (30% on Uber One member orders) | 10% |
| Uber Eats Canada – Premium | 30% | 10% |
| Uber Eats Canada – Self-delivery | 15% (25% if Uber’s couriers step in) | 10% |
| DoorDash US – Basic | 15% | 6% |
| DoorDash US – Plus | 25% | 6% |
| DoorDash US – Premier | 30% | 6% |
A detail most grocers miss: Uber Eats’ US merchant terms list grocery and retail fees as “agreed via order form”, separate from the restaurant plans, and include a “pick & pack markup” line. In plain words, grocery rates are negotiated one by one. Ask for the full fee sheet in writing before you sign. (Uber Eats merchant terms)
Why commission hurts grocery more than restaurants
Restaurants mark food up several times. Grocery does not. The Food Industry Association (FMI) put average net profit for food retailers at 1.7% in 2024. A grocery basket’s gross margin is often 20–30%, and staff, rent, packaging and power come out of that.
So a 25% commission does not trim your profit. It can take all of it.
Worked example: one $60 basket
Assume a 25% gross margin, so $15 on a $60 basket.
| Plan | Commission | Margin left before wages and packaging |
|---|---|---|
| Your own app, 0% commission | $0 | $15.00 |
| 15% plan | $9.00 | $6.00 |
| 20% plan | $12.00 | $3.00 |
| 25% plan | $15.00 | $0.00 |
| 30% plan | $18.00 | –$3.00 |
Worked example: a full year
At $60 a basket and 25% commission:
| Delivery orders a month | Sales through the app a year | Commission paid a year |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $72,000 | $18,000 |
| 300 | $216,000 | $54,000 |
| 600 | $432,000 | $108,000 |
With GXKart on your own branded app, you pay $99 a month ($1,188 a year), plus a one-time $999 setup for your customer and delivery apps. The difference stays with you.
The costs that do not show on the invoice
- You do not own the customer. The app keeps the contact details, the order history and the habit.
- You sit next to your competitors. Shoppers compare you with the store down the road in the same scroll.
- Visibility costs extra. Better placement usually means a higher plan or paid ads.
- Price pressure. Many grocers raise in-app prices to cover commission, and shoppers notice.
Even the delivery apps sell a “no commission” option
Both big platforms now offer a way to sell from your own channel. Uber Eats’ Canadian Webshop is “commission-free” with a 2.9% processing fee, and DoorDash says its Online Ordering orders are commission-free with a processing fee. That tells you where the value is: in owning the order, not renting it.
How to move shoppers to your own app
You do not need to quit the apps overnight. A practical plan:
- Keep marketplaces for discovery while you build your own channel.
- Launch your own branded website and app with 0% commission.
- Put a card in every marketplace bag: “Order direct next time, free delivery on your first order”, with a coupon code.
- Move your regulars to your own app, and keep the marketplace for new customers only.
With GXKart, your customer app and delivery app are published under your own Google Play and App Store accounts, in your own brand, with 0% commission. You can also set delivery prices by location and time, and see the result in your profit and loss statement.
FAQ
What percentage do delivery apps take from grocery stores?
On published plans, usually 15–30% of the order for delivery and 6–15% for pickup. Grocery rates are often negotiated separately, so ask for the full fee sheet.
Is Uber Eats or DoorDash cheaper for a grocery store?
Their published ranges are similar. The better choice depends on which app your local shoppers use and which plan you need to be seen.
Can I pass the commission on to customers?
Many stores raise in-app prices, but this can make you look expensive next to competitors.
What is the cheapest way to offer grocery delivery?
Your own branded app with no commission, using your own drivers or a local courier, once you have steady order volume.
See the 0% commission model in action: book a live GXKart demo.
