Calculator

Online Ordering & Takeout Profitability Checker

Interactive worksheet and calculator to evaluate per-order profitability for takeout and delivery channels. Includes clear formulas, a worked example, thresholds for free-delivery promotions, and practical recommendations for channel use and menu/pricing adjustments.

Interactive Tool

Online Ordering & Takeout Profitability Checker

Does that delivery order actually make money?

This interactive worksheet helps you estimate net margin per order after food cost, packaging, platform commissions, delivery costs (in-house or third-party), and tip handling. It shows the basic formulas, a worked example you can adapt, and action-oriented recommendations for pricing, promotions, and channel use.

Quick note about assumptions: 'Average check' refers to the amount the guest pays for items on the order (before any delivery fees the platform may charge the guest). Platform commissions are usually percent-of-order plus an optional per-order flat fee — capture both if applicable. Tip handling matters: if tips go to drivers and do not offset restaurant labor, treat them separately.

Example: 28.50. Do not include delivery fees charged to the guest here.
If you track food cost as percentage, convert to dollars: average_check × food_cost_pct. Enter the ingredient cost portion here (exclude separate packaging cost field).
Packaging cost that is incremental to dine-in. Include insulated bags, disposable utensils, and special takeout boxes. If you already included packaging in food cost above, enter 0.
Percent charged by marketplace(s) on the order subtotal (not including taxes). If multiple platforms, use the weighted average commission.
Some platforms charge a small per-order fee in addition to percent commission. Enter 0 if none.
Enter the typical delivery fee the guest sees. We will treat this separately because the platform may retain some or all of it.
If the platform keeps 100% of delivery fee, enter 100. If they pass all to drivers/in-house, enter 0. Use your contract or reports to estimate.
If you use your own drivers, estimate fully loaded cost per delivery (including payroll taxes, mileage, insurance, and downtime allocation). If you use only third‑party delivery, enter 0 here.
Some integrators charge an additional delivery or service fee to the restaurant. Enter any per-order flat delivery fees you pay the third party here.
Average tip the guest leaves on delivery orders. If tips are always passed to drivers and do not offset restaurant costs, set this to 0 for restaurant net. Otherwise enter the portion retained by restaurant.
Enter the share of tip that remains with the restaurant (0 if tips go entirely to drivers or platform).
Optional — use to estimate daily and monthly impact. Leave blank or 0 if you only want per-order figures.
Optional: e.g. 'Mostly delivered via PlatformA (70%) and PlatformB (30%); weekend mix is higher; running frequent free-delivery promos.'
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