Should your prices be higher on delivery apps?

A dish sold in your dining room and the same dish sold through a delivery app don't leave you the same money. The app takes its cut, and delivery adds packaging and other costs. So the question isn't whether prices can differ by channel. It's how much they should.

What a delivery sale costs you that a dine-in sale does not

• The platform's commission, on whatever base it is charged on.
• Fees per order, and VAT on those fees.
• Discounts you fund on the platform.
• Packaging and delivery supplies.

How to decide

• Work out what each channel leaves you on an average order today, after all of the above.
• Decide what you need each channel to leave you. Many owners aim for delivery to leave as much per order as dine-in, or close to it.
• Set each channel's prices from that gap, not from a competitor's menu or a round number.
• Check again every month. Platform terms, promotions and costs change, and so should your prices.

What to watch out for

Each platform has its own terms, so one delivery price for every app is rarely right. And check the platform's own rules on pricing before you change anything: some deals have conditions on how your prices compare with other channels.