Choosing the right food delivery platform for your business

Key points

The past 12 months have seen a revolution in online ordering, with the rise of new players in the marketplace that integrate with your own brand and business website and don’t carry the heavy 30 to 35 per cent commission per order typical of well-established third party platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo.

While we saw some of the major third party players reduce their commission structure during lockdowns, those were temporary measures and prices have now gone back up. So here’s our summary of the major players across both business models based on current published data. As these details can go out of date very quickly, we recommend that you check the relevant websites for the latest information.

NOWBOOKIT

www.nowbookit.com

Designed to integrate within your own business website. Instead of charging you commission, a 1.99 per cent transaction fee is passed on to the customer. The platform is also able to take online reservations and payments.

Cost: $99 + GST setup fee

Option to add additional delivery fee

Customer can select pick up or home delivery

Takes orders multiple days in advance

Retain customer data for your own marketing purposes

BOPPLE

www.bopple.com

This highly affordable food delivery platform provides a simple solution for delivery and takeaway orders. Bopple offers a variety of flexible plans and no lock-in contracts, hidden fees or bank charges. There is a 1.8 per cent commission and 1.6 per cent card processing fee which can be passed on to customers.

Cost: No upfront costs or setup fees, plans start from $49 per month

14 day free trial

No setup fees or lock-in contracts

Customer can select pick up, home delivery or dine-in

Contactless QR code ordering

Guest checkout and wallet payments

Exportable data for reports

Integration with Lightspeed Kounta POS system and other POS platforms

OPEN TABLE AUSTRALIA

www.opentable.com.au

This international platform integrates with multiple applications and POS system and accepts both online reservations and takeaway orders.

Cost: From $19 per month plus $3 per diner booked through Open Table network (varies according to plan chosen, figures shown are for Basic plan)

Free restaurant booking widget for your website and social media channels

Automated SMS and booking email confirmation, reminders and updates

Reporting and mobile apps to measure performance

Integrates with a comprehensive set of apps and services including POS, email marketing and delivery

MENULOG

www.menulog.com.au

Menulog boasts the biggest reach of any online food delivery service in Australia with more than 2.6 million customers. Menulog provides you with an Order Terminal through which orders are received and which connects your business with local delivery drivers.

Cost: 15 per cent commission on all orders

DELIVEROO

www.deliveroo.com.au

Deliveroo has more than 80,000 Australian food businesses on its books but charges commissions of up to 35 per cent. Deliveroo provides a tablet on which your business receives orders.

Cost: 30-35 per cent commission on all orders

UBER EATS

www.ubereats.com

Uber Eats provides a highly streamlined solution including a Restaurant Dashboard which makes order management easy and lets you choose whether you use your own delivery staff or Uber Eats delivery drivers. One of the world’s largest food delivery solutions, it’s also one of the more expensive.

Cost: $500 + GST activation fee deducted from your payments in weekly instalments. This covers the cost of account setup, professional photography and initial account management and support

30-35 per cent commission on all Uber delivery orders, 16 per cent commission on self-delivery orders, 6 per cent commission on pickup orders and 3 per cent commission on dine-in booked via Uber Eats

DOOR DASH

www.doordash.com

Door Dash focuses upon suburban delivery and offers a lower commission rate for self-delivery services than for orders fulfilled by its ‘Door Dashers’ (delivery drivers).  Orders are placed through the Door Dash app in similar fashion to Menulog and Uber Eats. Thanks to Door Dash’s ‘Flexible Fulfillment’ option, you can use its ‘Dasher’ network when an order’s placed after hours or outside of your regular delivery area, while also  using your own delivery fleet as desired.

Cost: Delivery charge of $5 to $8 per order paid by customers. Commission of up to 20 per cent of each delivered order paid by food business.