Just Eat vs Deliveroo vs Uber Eats: Which Costs Less in 2025?
Complete commission comparison for UK restaurants and takeaways
Delivery platforms can drive 30-50% of a restaurant's revenue but take 15-35% commission per order. Understanding the true cost of each platform is essential for profitability. This guide compares all fees, not just the headline commission rates.
UK Delivery Market 2025:
- • £8.3 billion UK online food delivery market size
- • Just Eat: 42% market share (largest)
- • Deliveroo: 31% market share
- • Uber Eats: 23% market share
- • Average commission: 25-30% per order
- • Average order value: £18-24
Complete Commission Breakdown
| Platform | Commission | Delivery Fee | Who Delivers? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just Eat | 14% (self-delivery) or 25-30% (Just Eat drivers) | You keep it or Just Eat takes it | Your choice |
| Deliveroo | 28-35% | Customer pays, Deliveroo keeps | Deliveroo riders only |
| Uber Eats | 25-35% | Customer pays, Uber keeps | Uber drivers only |
Real Cost Comparison: £20 Order
Just Eat (Self-Delivery)
Commission:
14% = £2.80
You receive:
£17.20
Just Eat (Their Delivery)
Commission:
28% = £5.60
You receive:
£14.40
Deliveroo
Commission:
30% = £6.00
You receive:
£14.00
Uber Eats
Commission:
30% = £6.00
You receive:
£14.00
💡 Key Insight:
Just Eat with your own delivery drivers costs half as much (14% vs 28-30%). If you already employ delivery staff, Just Eat is significantly cheaper. If you need drivers, all platforms cost similarly.
Hidden Fees & Charges
Commission is not the only cost. Watch for these additional charges:
| Fee Type | Just Eat | Deliveroo | Uber Eats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card processing fee | Included | Included | Included |
| Marketing/boosting | £50-200/month | £100-500/month | £75-300/month |
| Tablet/hardware | Free | Free | Free |
| Photography | £150-300 one-time | Included | £100-250 one-time |
| Packaging subsidy | None | £200-400/year | None |
Calculating True Profitability
Example: £2,000 Weekly Delivery Sales
Just Eat (14% - Your Drivers)
- • Weekly commission: £280
- • Your driver costs (£12/hr × 20 hrs): £240
- • Total weekly cost: £520 (26%)
- • You keep: £1,480
Deliveroo (30%)
- • Weekly commission: £600
- • Driver costs: £0 (Deliveroo provides)
- • Total weekly cost: £600 (30%)
- • You keep: £1,400
Uber Eats (30%)
- • Weekly commission: £600
- • Driver costs: £0 (Uber provides)
- • Total weekly cost: £600 (30%)
- • You keep: £1,400
Assumes 30% food cost, 25% labor (kitchen), leaving 45% for overheads and profit before delivery fees.
Platform Features Comparison
Just Eat
✅ Advantages
- • Largest customer base in UK
- • Self-delivery option (14% commission)
- • No exclusivity required
- • Good for all cuisine types
❌ Disadvantages
- • Basic app interface
- • Less marketing support
- • Lower order frequency than competitors
- • Older customer demographic
Deliveroo
✅ Advantages
- • Premium customer base (higher spend)
- • Excellent app UX
- • Strong marketing support
- • Fast rider network
- • Good analytics
❌ Disadvantages
- • Highest commission (28-35%)
- • Strict quality requirements
- • Can delist poorly rated restaurants
- • Urban areas only
Uber Eats
✅ Advantages
- • Growing market share
- • Cross-promotion with Uber rides
- • Good for late-night orders
- • Flexible onboarding
❌ Disadvantages
- • Commission 25-35%
- • Inconsistent rider availability
- • Customer service issues
- • Algorithm can bury you
Which Platform is Best for Your Business?
You already have delivery drivers
Best choice: Just Eat (14%)
Lowest commission. Use existing staff. Keep all delivery fees.
You want to test delivery with no risk
Best choice: Uber Eats or Deliveroo
No driver costs. Start small. Cancel anytime.
You are in a small town/rural area
Best choice: Just Eat
Best coverage outside major cities. Deliveroo/Uber mainly urban.
You sell premium/expensive food
Best choice: Deliveroo
Customers spend 15-20% more per order. Worth higher commission.
You want maximum orders
Best choice: All three
Being on all platforms captures most market. Worth managing 3 tablets.
Pricing Your Menu for Delivery
Many restaurants increase prices on delivery platforms to offset commission. Is this acceptable?
- 10-15% markup common: £10 in-store becomes £11.50 on apps. Customers expect this.
- Justify with value: Larger portions, better packaging, or "delivery exclusive" items
- Watch competitors: If you are £2 more expensive per item, customers order elsewhere
- Include delivery in meal price: £15 burger + £3 delivery = £18 total vs £18 burger free delivery
- Minimum order values: £12-15 minimum filters out unprofitable small orders
Maximizing Delivery Profit
Optimize packaging costs
£0.30-0.60/orderBulk buy from Bunzl or Nisbets. Avoid platform-branded packaging (overpriced).
Create delivery-optimized menu
15-25% higher GPItems that travel well, minimal assembly, high margins. Remove soups, salads that arrive poorly.
Upsell drinks and sides
£2-4 extra per order85% GP on soft drinks. Bundle deals: "Add drink for £2" prompts often accepted.
Negotiate lower commission
2-5% reduction possibleHigh-volume restaurants (200+ weekly orders) can negotiate. Ask for loyalty discount after 6 months.
Track order profitability
Identify loss-making itemsSome items cost more to prepare and package than profit after commission. Remove them.
Building Your Own Ordering System
Fed up with 30% commissions? Build a direct ordering channel:
Website ordering (ChowNow, Flipdish)
£50-150/month
0%
Full control, keep all profit, build customer database
WhatsApp ordering
Free
0%
No tech needed. Good for regular customers. Labor-intensive.
Click & Collect
Free
0%
No delivery costs. Customers pick up. Very high profit.
Loyalty app
£100-300/month
0%
Repeat orders. Push notifications. Customer data ownership.
Conclusion
Delivery platforms provide access to customers you would not otherwise reach, but 30% commission is expensive. If you have delivery capacity, Just Eat at 14% is unbeatable. If you need drivers, all platforms cost similarly—choose based on your local customer base and cuisine type.
Long-term strategy: Use platforms to build awareness, then migrate high-value customers to your own direct ordering system where you keep 100% of revenue.
Reduce Your Payment Processing Costs
After delivery commissions, card fees are your next biggest cost. We can save you 20-40% on processing.
Compare Card Machine Rates