Use DoorDash for discovery
The Marketplace is useful when the customer was already browsing DoorDash and would not have searched your restaurant directly. In that case, commission acts like customer-acquisition cost.
DoorDash restaurant fees - updated 2026-06-18
How much does DoorDash charge restaurants?
DoorDash Marketplace charges restaurants 15%, 25%, or 30% delivery commission depending on plan tier, with pickup listed separately at 6%. The bigger owner decision is which orders should stay on DoorDash for discovery and which repeat orders should move to direct ordering under your own brand.
Fast answer for restaurant owners
- DoorDash Marketplace delivery commission is 15% on Basic, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier.
- DoorDash Marketplace pickup is listed at 6%, so pickup is cheaper than delivery but still not commission-free.
- DoorDash Online Ordering is the direct-ordering product: marketplace commission starts at 0%, but payment processing applies.
- At 300 monthly delivery orders with a $40 average ticket, 25% commission equals about $3,000/month before food cost, labor, rent, or refunds.
- Use DoorDash for new-customer discovery, then move repeat guests to an owned channel like Orderitto where the restaurant controls the customer relationship.
Current fee table
DoorDash restaurant fees by plan
The first ranking gap is clarity. Restaurants do not just need "up to 30%." They need to know which fee applies to delivery, pickup, and direct website orders.
| DoorDash option | Delivery fee | Pickup fee | Processing | Owner read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DoorDash Basic | 15% | 6% | Included on DoorDash Marketplace orders | Lowest DoorDash delivery commission; least built-in reach. |
| DoorDash Plus | 25% | 6% | Included on DoorDash Marketplace orders | More reach, DashPass access, and lower customer delivery-fee positioning. |
| DoorDash Premier | 30% | 6% | Included on DoorDash Marketplace orders | Maximum DoorDash exposure and built-in marketing support. |
| DoorDash Online Ordering | 0% marketplace commission on direct orders | 0% marketplace commission on direct orders | Starts at 2.9% + $0.30 on Boost/Pro; 3.3% + $0.30 on Starter | Restaurants that want DoorDash-powered direct ordering on owned channels. |
Restaurant math
What those percentages mean on real order volume
Example: 300 monthly online orders at a $40 average ticket. This is not a quote from DoorDash or Orderitto. It is the owner math that shows why percentage commission becomes painful as repeat demand grows.
| Modeled line | Basic delivery | Plus delivery | Premier delivery | Direct order baseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly online order sales | $12,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Modeled platform/commission cost | $1,800 | $3,000 | $3,600 | $0 marketplace commission |
| Modeled card processing on direct orders | Included on Marketplace | Included on Marketplace | Included on Marketplace | $438 at 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Annualized commission/processing line | $21,600 | $36,000 | $43,200 | $5,256 processing estimate |
Use the live restaurant fee calculator with your own order count, average ticket, commission tier, processing rate, and direct-ordering cost.
Margin impact
The real question is not the fee. It is what is left.
DoorDash's official pages explain the plan rates. Restaurant owners need the next layer: how those rates hit contribution margin after food, packaging, and order-handling cost. This example uses a $40 delivery order and models food, packaging, and handling at 60% of sales so the commission impact is visible.
| Modeled line | Basic 15% | Plus 25% | Premier 30% | Direct order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40 delivery ticket | $40.00 | $40.00 | $40.00 | $40.00 |
| Food, packaging, and handling modeled at 60% | -$24.00 | -$24.00 | -$24.00 | -$24.00 |
| DoorDash commission or direct card processing | -$6.00 | -$10.00 | -$12.00 | -$1.46 |
| Modeled contribution before rent, admin, refunds, and taxes | $10.00 | $6.00 | $4.00 | $14.54 |
This is a planning model, not accounting advice. Swap in your own food cost, packaging cost, labor model, refund rate, and local commission terms before changing menu prices.
Markup math
A 30% commission does not mean a 30% menu markup fixes it
If a restaurant raises app menu prices only by the commission percentage, it still nets less than the original menu price. The break-even markup is commission divided by the money left after commission.
15% Basic delivery
17.6%
$40 menu item needs to be about $47.06 to net $40 before other costs.
25% Plus delivery
33.3%
$40 menu item needs to be about $53.33 to net $40 before other costs.
30% Premier delivery
42.9%
$40 menu item needs to be about $57.14 to net $40 before other costs.
This is why repeat customers should not stay trapped in a marketplace loop. The restaurant can end up choosing between lower margin, higher menu prices, weaker customer conversion, or a direct-ordering channel.
Cited fee context
Why the fee feels larger than a normal software cost
Marketplace commission is not a small SaaS bill. It is a percentage of sales taken before the restaurant pays food cost, labor, occupancy, packaging, refunds, and every other operating line.
15-30%
DoorDash's marketplace delivery commission ranges from 15% on Basic to 30% on Premier; pickup is listed separately at 6%.
Source: DoorDash Merchant Pricing (public site) · 20263-5%
The average independent restaurant runs on a 3-5% net profit margin. Giving 25-30% of online order revenue to a third-party app erases the margin entirely on those orders.
Source: National Restaurant Association Operations Report · 202460%
60% of consumers say they order delivery or takeout at least once a week, and digital channels now account for the majority of off-premise restaurant transactions.
Source: National Restaurant Association State of the Restaurant Industry Report · 20252.9% + $0.30
Stripe's standard online card processing fee is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction — the platform-agnostic baseline cost of accepting card payments online.
Source: Stripe Pricing · 202615-30%
Uber Eats charges restaurants 15-30% commission per delivery order depending on plan tier (Basic, Plus, Premium).
Source: Uber Eats Merchant Pricing · 20265-30%
Grubhub marketing commissions run from 5% to 20% by plan; using Grubhub Delivery adds a delivery fee starting at 10%.
Source: Grubhub Pricing and Fees · 2026What DoorDash is good at
Do not use DoorDash for the wrong job
The fastest way to make this page beat generic competitor posts is to be honest: DoorDash has a real role. The issue is letting that role expand into every repeat order.
Do not pay discovery fees on regulars
When a guest already knows you, the marketplace is no longer doing the hard part. That order should be trained toward your website, app, loyalty flow, or pickup channel.
Separate delivery from ordering
A restaurant can take the order directly and still choose pickup, in-house drivers, or delivery fulfillment partners. The strategic win is owning the order and customer relationship.
Watch optional add-ons
Promotions, sponsored listings, tablet rental after the trial, menu price rules, and delivery terms can change the real economics even when the core commission looks simple.
Replacement decision
DoorDash fees vs owned direct ordering
DoorDash Online Ordering can remove Marketplace commission on direct orders, but the owner question is bigger: who controls the branded app, customer list, loyalty, repeat-order loop, and future channel risk?
| Feature | Orderitto direct ordering | DoorDash Marketplace | DoorDash Online Ordering |
|---|---|---|---|
Best job | Repeat customers and owned ordering | New-customer discovery | DoorDash-powered website ordering |
Delivery commission | 0% Orderitto platform commission | 15-30% | 0% marketplace commission on direct orders |
Pickup commission | 0% Orderitto platform commission | 6% | 0% marketplace commission on direct orders |
Payment processing | Stripe processing applies | Included in Marketplace commission | Processing fee applies |
Customer data and loyalty path | Partial | ||
Branded native iOS and Android app | |||
Channel controlled by | Your restaurant | DoorDash | DoorDash ecosystem |
Operator playbook
How restaurants lower DoorDash fee pressure without losing discovery
A clean strategy does not delete DoorDash overnight. It changes which orders go there.
1. Keep DoorDash for customers it actually brings
If the app introduces a new diner, the commission may be a reasonable acquisition cost. Track whether those orders are new or repeat customers before judging the channel.
2. Move pickup direct first
Pickup has the cleanest conversion path: no delivery logistics, fewer support variables, and a direct incentive for the guest to avoid extra app fees.
3. Put direct ordering on every owned surface
Website nav, Google Business Profile, Instagram bio, receipts, bag inserts, counter signs, email, and SMS should all point repeat customers to the direct channel.
4. Give regulars a reason to switch
Use loyalty, direct-only offers, faster reorder, better pickup flow, and app notifications. Customers rarely change habits just because the restaurant wants better margins.
5. Review the plan tier against actual demand
If DoorDash is not delivering enough incremental reach to justify Plus or Premier economics, the restaurant should not keep paying the higher commission by default.
6. Build a channel DoorDash cannot take away
The strongest long-term move is a branded ordering system where the restaurant owns the app, website, customer data, order history, and repeat-order campaign loop.
Keep the fee research moving
Restaurant Fee Calculator
Run the same DoorDash commission math with your own order count and average ticket.
Third-Party Delivery Fees
Compare DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and direct ordering in one fee guide.
DoorDash Storefront Alternative
See how DoorDash's direct-ordering product compares with owning the channel outright.
First-Party vs Third-Party Delivery
Use marketplaces for discovery and owned ordering for repeat demand.
Orderitto Pricing
See flat direct-ordering pricing for branded web, iOS, and Android ordering.
Branded Restaurant App
Move repeat guests into an app published under the restaurant's name.
Frequently asked questions
How much does DoorDash charge restaurants?
DoorDash Marketplace delivery commission is listed at 15% on Basic, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier. Pickup is listed at 6% across Marketplace plans. DoorDash Online Ordering is different: direct orders start at 0% marketplace commission, but payment processing applies.
Does DoorDash really charge restaurants 30%?
Yes, DoorDash Premier lists a 30% delivery commission. That does not mean every DoorDash order is 30%: Basic delivery is 15%, Plus delivery is 25%, and pickup is listed separately at 6%. Restaurants should model their real delivery, pickup, and repeat-order mix before choosing a plan.
Does DoorDash charge restaurants for pickup orders?
Yes. DoorDash lists pickup at 6% for Marketplace partners in the US, subject to its plan rules and terms. Pickup should not be modeled like delivery, but it is still not the same as a restaurant-owned direct pickup order with no marketplace commission.
Are there hidden DoorDash fees for restaurants?
DoorDash says Marketplace plans do not have activation, subscription, software, cancellation, or payment-processing fees for app orders. Restaurants still need to watch optional costs such as tablet rental after the trial, promotions, sponsored listings, delivery-related terms, and payment processing on Online Ordering direct orders.
How much should restaurants mark up DoorDash menu prices to cover commission?
To net the same menu revenue before other costs, the markup is higher than the commission rate: a 15% commission needs about a 17.6% markup, 25% needs about 33.3%, and 30% needs about 42.9%. Restaurants should test demand carefully because large delivery-menu markups can hurt conversion and repeat orders.
Is DoorDash Online Ordering the same as DoorDash Marketplace?
No. Marketplace is the DoorDash app and website where customers discover restaurants and DoorDash charges delivery or pickup commission. Online Ordering is DoorDash-powered direct ordering from the restaurant's own channels, where marketplace commission is replaced by payment processing and any applicable delivery setup.
Which DoorDash plan is safest for a small restaurant?
Basic is usually the safest starting point when the restaurant wants marketplace discovery without immediately giving up 25-30% on every delivery order. Plus or Premier can make sense only when the wider delivery radius, DashPass exposure, and built-in marketing produce enough incremental orders to cover the higher take-rate.
Is DoorDash worth it for restaurants?
DoorDash can be worth it for new-customer discovery, delivery demand, and visibility. The weak use case is paying marketplace commission on customers who already know the restaurant. The better operating model is to use DoorDash for discovery and move repeat guests, pickup orders, loyalty offers, and high-ticket orders to direct ordering.
How can restaurants reduce DoorDash fees?
Restaurants can reduce fee pressure by shifting pickup and repeat customers to their own direct ordering channel, using marketplaces only for incremental discovery, avoiding unnecessary promotions, checking the plan tier against actual order mix, and giving guests a clear reason to order direct.
What is the best DoorDash alternative for repeat orders?
For repeat orders, the best alternative is not another marketplace. It is a restaurant-owned direct ordering channel with branded web ordering, native apps, loyalty, customer data, and no per-order platform commission. That is the role Orderitto is built to fill.
Stop paying marketplace commission on customers you already earned
Keep DoorDash where it helps with discovery. Use Orderitto to move repeat orders, pickup demand, loyalty, and branded app ordering back under your restaurant's control.
Sources checked
- DoorDash Merchant PricingChecked for current Basic, Plus, Premier delivery commission and pickup commission.
- DoorDash Commission and Fees, ExplainedChecked for Marketplace, Online Ordering, and Drive On-Demand fee distinctions.
- DoorDash Online OrderingChecked for direct-ordering and payment-processing positioning.
- DoorDash pricing products guideChecked for official plan-tier language and included Marketplace benefits.
- Stripe pricingChecked for card-processing baseline used in direct-ordering math.
- National Restaurant Association statisticsChecked for restaurant-margin and industry context used in fee framing.