DoorDash vs UberEats vs Grubhub: Which Delivery Platform Is Best for Your Restaurant?
The Numbers: Market Share and Commission Rates
DoorDash: 67% US market share, 15-30% commission. The dominant player with the largest customer base. Standard commission: 15% (pickup only), 25% (delivery, restaurant uses own drivers), 30% (DoorDash delivery). DashPass subscribers (10M+) spend 2x more than non-subscribers.
UberEats: 23% US market share, 15-30% commission. Strong in urban markets and with the 18-34 demographic. Leverages Uber's existing driver network. Commission: 15% (pickup), 25% (delivery). UberOne members order more frequently.
Grubhub: 8% US market share, 15-30% commission. Stronger in East Coast markets. Owned by Just Eat Takeaway (European parent). Commission: 15-25% plus marketing fees. Grubhub+ members get free delivery on orders $12+.
All three charge additional: 2.5-3.5% payment processing fee, tablet rental ($0-$6/week), marketing/promotion costs if you boost your listing. True total cost: often 32-38% of order value.
Which Platform for Which Restaurant?
High volume, suburban/residential area: DoorDash — largest driver network means faster delivery times in suburbs. More consistent order flow. Best for: Mexican restaurants, pizza, Chinese, fast-casual.
Urban, trendy, younger demographic: UberEats — strongest with Gen Z and millennials. Best photo/branding tools. Good for: fusion, sushi, poke bowls, trendy Latin concepts.
Established restaurant, loyal customer base: Grubhub — lower marketing costs if you already have brand recognition. Better for catering orders. Good for: full-service restaurants adding delivery.
Recommendation for new restaurants: start with DoorDash (biggest reach) + one other. Don't launch on all three simultaneously — you'll be overwhelmed managing three tablets and different menus.
How to Actually Make Money on Delivery Apps
Menu optimization: offer only 15-20 items that travel well. Remove anything that arrives soggy, melted, or cold. Test each item by ordering it yourself via delivery and eating it 30 minutes later.
Pricing strategy: increase prices 15-20% on apps to offset commission. Most customers expect this and don't compare to dine-in prices. A $14 dish becomes $16.50-$17 on apps. This recovers most of your commission cost.
Customer acquisition funnel: include a card in EVERY delivery bag offering 10% off for direct ordering through your website or phone. Target: convert 15-20% of delivery customers to direct within 3 months.
Your POS should consolidate all delivery platform orders into one screen. KwickOS integrates with DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub, sending orders directly to your kitchen display — no juggling multiple tablets.
The Direct Ordering Alternative
Third-party delivery isn't the only option. Building your own online ordering (through your website or an app like ChowNow, or your POS system) keeps 100% of the margin. Average commission savings: $3,000-$8,000/month for restaurants doing $15K+ in delivery.
KwickOS includes built-in online ordering with no per-order commissions. Customers order from your branded website, orders go straight to your KDS, and you keep the full margin. You still need delivery drivers — consider hiring 1-2 part-time drivers at $12-$15/hour for a fraction of app commissions.
Hybrid strategy (recommended): Use DoorDash/UberEats for customer discovery, then convert them to direct ordering. The apps are your marketing channel, not your permanent revenue source.
Upgrade Your Restaurant with KwickOS
The hybrid POS that works from fine dining to food trucks — 30+ languages, local+cloud sync, runs on any hardware, stays stable even when internet drops.
Learn More About KwickOS →