Your Own Delivery Drivers Instead of a Platform: When It Pays Off
If you sell through a delivery platform, you give up roughly 13 to 30 percent of the order value, depending on the model. If you deliver yourself, you pay for drivers, vehicles and organization instead. Which side comes out cheaper is ultimately decided by a single metric. Here is the calculation, with numbers you can swap for your own.
What the platform costs
The big platforms don't publish official price lists. Industry overviews for 2026, however, give fairly consistent ranges:
| Model | Commission, roughly | Who delivers |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace with your own delivery | 13 to 15% | your drivers |
| Full service | 25 to 31% | the platform's drivers |
Depending on the contract, there may also be activation or monthly fees, costs for ad placements and payment processing fees. The terms in your partner contract are what count. That number belongs at the start of every calculation, not an estimate.
The part that isn't on the invoice
When a guest orders through the platform, the customer relationship belongs to the platform. You can't send them an offer of your own after the meal, you can't remind them of your ordering page, and you know little about what else they order. That's no reason to leave the platform. But it is a reason not to make it your only channel.
What your own drivers cost
The biggest item is working time. Since January 1, 2026, the German minimum wage (Mindestlohn) has been €13.90 per hour. With employer contributions, you end up at roughly €17 per driver hour, depending on the type of employment. Minijobs, a German form of marginal employment, are possible up to €603 a month and are often the right fit for the evening and weekend peaks.
On top of that:
- Vehicles. In the city, an e-bike or e-scooter is often enough, leased or bought, with an insulated delivery box.
- Insurance for vehicles and trips.
- Organization. Who drives when, who takes which route, who collects cash? Without a system, the person at the counter handles it, in the middle of the dinner rush.
- Idle time. The underestimated item. A driver waiting for the next order costs just as much as one who is driving.
The one metric: deliveries per driver hour
The platform charges a percentage per order. Your drivers cost money per hour. Whether you come out cheaper therefore depends on how many deliveries a driver can handle in an hour. This number decides the calculation. Everything else is fine-tuning.
Example: 600 deliveries a month, €28 order value
Delivery revenue: €16,800. With full service at 30 percent, €5,040 of that goes to the platform.
Your own drivers, 2.5 deliveries per hour
600 deliveries take 240 driver hours. At €17, that's €4,080. Add two e-bikes, insurance and boxes, roughly €350, and you end up at around €4,430. Cheaper than the platform, and the delivery fee your guests pay stays with you.
Your own drivers, 1.5 deliveries per hour
Now it's 400 driver hours, so €6,800 plus vehicles, around €7,150. Significantly more expensive than the platform. Same orders, same drivers, just organized worse.
The difference between the two scenarios isn't price, it's organization: bundling routes, sending the driver out only when the food is ready, and avoiding idle time during quiet hours. Plug in three numbers for your business: deliveries per month, order value, deliveries per driver hour. Then you'll see which side you're on.
What needs to be in place
- A dispatch that assigns the orders. Who delivers which order, and which two orders go out together? That determines the metric above.
- Pickup when the food is ready. A driver waiting ten minutes at the pass is idle time. A dish waiting ten minutes for the driver goes cold.
- Clear steps for the driver. Pick up, drive, deliver, collect payment. With navigation, notes on the address and a change calculator for cash payments at the door.
- Proof at handover. Photo, signature or code. It settles the question “Did it really arrive?” without any argument.
- Status for the guest. People who can see that their food is on the way don't call to ask.
- Data protection for drivers. The driver only needs the guest's address and phone number once they have accepted the delivery, and dispatch only needs the driver's location during the shift.
The middle ground
The decision doesn't have to be “platform or do it yourself”. Many businesses stay on the platform but deliver with their own drivers, at a much lower rate. At the same time, they steer regulars to their own ordering page. That way, the platform becomes a channel for new customers, not the only way into the restaurant.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to leave the platform completely?
No. Many businesses stay on the platform but handle delivery themselves. The commission is then significantly lower, and the platform remains a channel for new customers.
How many deliveries can a driver handle per hour?
That depends on the delivery area, the vehicle and whether routes are bundled. There is no general answer, but this number decides the calculation. If you measure it for a few weeks instead of estimating it, you'll make the better decision.
Can I hire drivers as freelancers?
If you schedule drivers into fixed shifts, assign them routes and provide vehicles, you are, as a rule, employing them as employees. Setting them up as freelancers usually doesn't fit that arrangement and is a well-known risk for back payments.
Is this worth it for a small restaurant too?
With only a few deliveries per evening, it's hard to keep a driver of your own busy. In that case, the marketplace model with delivery by someone from your team is often the better way to start. The calculation above shows the point at which a dedicated driver pays for itself.
In short
- Platforms take roughly 13 to 15 percent with your own delivery and 25 to 31 percent for full service.
- As of 2026, your own drivers cost roughly €17 per hour including employer contributions, plus vehicles and organization.
- Whether it pays off depends on the number of deliveries per driver hour.
- You raise that number through organization: bundling, sending drivers out at the right time, avoiding idle time.
- The middle ground of platform plus your own delivery is the best way to start for many businesses.
Let's run the numbers for you.
With your numbers instead of examples: orders, order value, delivery area. Afterward, you'll know whether your own drivers are worth it. 30 minutes, free of charge.
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