Cost comparison
hungries vs DoorDash vs Uber Eats: the real cost of delivery
A transparent look at restaurant commissions (15–30%), service fees, and menu markup — so both diners and small restaurant owners can see where every dollar actually goes.
The 30-second answer
DoorDash and Uber Eats charge restaurants 15–30% commission per order. To survive, most restaurants quietly raise menu prices 15–25% on those apps. Then customers pay a delivery fee, a percentage-based service fee, and a tip on top. hungries charges restaurants a flat 8% with no menu markup expected — and customers see one flat fee at checkout.
Restaurant commissions, side-by-side
| Platform | Restaurant commission | Menu markup expected |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | 15% (Basic) → 25% (Plus) → 30% (Premier) | 15–25% |
| Uber Eats | 15% (Lite) → 25% (Plus) → 30% (Premium) | 15–25% |
| hungries | 8% flat | None |
Source: DoorDash and Uber Eats published merchant partnership tiers.
What a $20 burrito actually costs
| Line item | DoorDash | Uber Eats | hungries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu price (dine-in $20) | $24.00 | $24.00 | $20.00 |
| Delivery fee | $3.99 | $2.99 | $2.00 |
| Service fee | $3.60 (15%) | $3.36 (14%) | $1.60 (8% flat) |
| Tip (18%) | $4.32 | $4.32 | $3.60 |
| Total | $35.91 | $34.67 | $27.20 |
Illustrative example using published fee ranges. Actual fees vary by city, restaurant, and cart size.
Is DoorDash worth it for restaurants?
For a $20 order on the Premier (30%) tier, DoorDash keeps $6 and the restaurant nets $14 before food cost, labor, and packaging. After a typical 30% food cost ($6) and packaging ($1), the restaurant is left with roughly $7 to cover labor, rent, and profit — often break-even or worse. That's why most delivery menus quietly cost more than dine-in.
What hungries does differently
- Flat 8% service fee to restaurants — no tiered upsell to 30%.
- No menu markup — restaurants list dine-in prices.
- Transparent flat delivery fee, not a percentage stacked on the subtotal.
- No dark-pattern upsells at checkout (DashPass trials, priority delivery, etc.).
- Built for developers first, but priced for everyone.
What DoorDash and Uber Eats charge that hungries doesn't
- Percentage-based service fees that scale with your order size.
- Small-order fees under $10–$12.
- Tiered commission plans that push restaurants toward 30%.
- Menu-markup incentives that make delivery pricier than dine-in.
FAQ
How much does DoorDash charge restaurants?
15% on the Basic plan, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier. Restaurants on Premier get priority placement in the app.
What are DoorDash fees for customers?
Expect a $1.99–$5.99 delivery fee, a 10–15% service fee, small-order fees under $12, and an expected tip — on top of menu prices that are usually 15–25% higher than dine-in.
Does Uber Eats charge less than DoorDash?
The tiered structure is nearly identical: 15% / 25% / 30%. Customer-side fees are within a dollar or two either way in most markets.
Want lower fees for your restaurant — or your next lunch?
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