If we have to answer directly: for most orders that come from your own audience, a fixed fee per order is more predictable and usually safer for your profit margin. Percentage commission only makes sense when it brings you customers who would not have come otherwise, or when you consciously use it as a customer acquisition cost.
The main mistake is looking only at “how much do I pay per order” and not at what is left after ingredients, packaging, delivery, offers and operating time. In this article, you will see in practical terms how to compare the two models, when each one works best, and how to set up a clearer strategy for online orders.
1. What percentage commission means in practice
Percentage commission means that the higher the order value, the more you pay. If the charge is percentage-based, a €12 order costs less than a €35 order, even though the work you do may be similar: accepting, preparing, packaging and delivering or handing over the order.
This model can be understandable when the platform gives you visibility, traffic and possibly new customers. But it is not a neutral cost. It is applied directly to the order turnover and reduces the net result, especially on products with a low margin.
In practice, before you accept or continue with a percentage-based model, note down:
- which products are ordered most often,
- what the real cost of ingredients and packaging is,
- whether the order is for delivery or collection,
- whether the customer is new or already yours.
Commission is not necessarily “bad”. But it is a cost, and you need to know why you are paying it.
2. What a fixed fee per order means
A fixed fee per order means you pay the same amount for every accepted order, whether the customer bought a coffee and a toastie or a family meal for four people. This makes the cost more predictable and easier to include in your calculations.
For example, at Wiiz Eat the charge is €0.15 per accepted order, rejected orders are not charged, there is a €250 one-off activation fee, prices are excluding VAT and there is no commitment. It is the restaurant’s own online ordering system, not a marketplace, so the customer pays the restaurant directly in cash or by card on its own POS at the door.
The big advantage of a fixed fee is control. You know in advance what an accepted order will cost you, and you do not see the cost grow because the customer added a salad, drink or dessert.
3. Compare using real baskets
Do not compare models based on general impressions. Take 20-30 of your recent orders and create a simple table. It does not need to be complicated. You just need to see how much turnover each order brings in and what is left after the basic costs.
Add columns such as:
- order value,
- ingredient cost,
- packaging cost,
- delivery cost, if any,
- platform or system cost,
- final gross result.
Hypothetical example: a €25 order with a percentage-based charge will have a cost that increases as the order value increases. With a fixed fee, the cost stays the same. So on larger orders, the difference becomes more noticeable.
Also look at your average basket. If you have many small orders, you need to see whether the fixed fee remains reasonable. If you have quite a few medium and large orders, the fixed fee usually shows its benefits more clearly.
4. When it is worth paying a percentage
Percentage commission can be worth it when you see it as an advertising cost and not as a permanent, compulsory way out. If a platform brings you new customers who did not know you, then you are paying for access to an audience. The question is: can you then bring them back to your own channels?
Use percentage-based platforms more strategically:
- add products that can absorb the extra cost,
- avoid excessive offers on dishes with a low margin,
- measure how many customers come back,
- do not base all your delivery on one channel,
- use a leaflet in the bag so the customer gets to know your own ordering channel.
In Cyprus, restaurants reported commissions of 19–25% per order with delivery and 10% for collection, according to the Cyprus Mail in January 2025. This does not mean it applies to everyone, but it shows why careful calculation is needed.
5. When a fixed fee works better
A fixed fee works better when the customer already knows you or you can easily send them to your own ordering link. For example, customers who follow you on Instagram, find you on Google, pass by your shopfront or keep the delivery bag do not necessarily need to go through a marketplace to order.
Here, it helps to have a clear path:
- an ordering link on your profile,
- a QR code on bags, leaflets and the counter,
- instructions for staff to suggest it politely,
- a menu updated with photos, options and extras,
- the ability to hide anything that has run out immediately.
If you want to see how the logic of your own channel works, you can read the guide Online orders without commission. The important thing is not to give away orders that could come directly to you at a lower and more controlled cost.
6. Calculate the “hidden” operating costs too
The cost of an order is not only the system or platform charge. It is also the time your team loses when there are mistakes, unclear details or phone calls for clarification. An online menu with clear options, extras, allergens and correct prices reduces misunderstandings and helps the kitchen work more calmly.
Do a quick check:
- do the photos show the product correctly?
- are the options clear, e.g. size, cooking preference, garnishes?
- do the extras have the correct prices?
- are the main allergens shown?
- is there an average preparation time?
- can you temporarily pause orders when things get hectic?
If staff need to make phone calls for every other order, the channel that looks cheap becomes more expensive. A clear process is part of the saving.
7. Do not forget delivery and collection
Delivery and collection do not have the same cost. Collection from the shop is usually simpler operationally, while delivery requires a driver, time, fuel, organisation and possible delays. So you should not measure everything as “one order”.
Create separate rules:
- minimum order for delivery,
- delivery charge where needed,
- free delivery threshold only if it works financially,
- different service areas,
- clear information on preparation time.
If you have your own drivers, you need a simple assignment flow. In Wiiz Eat there is a free app for the restaurant’s drivers, where they log in with an SMS code, see the customer details after they take on the order and open the address in Google Maps. There is no shared driver fleet, so you organise your own team.
8. Practical decision: build a channel mix
The best solution is not always “only one” or “only the other”. Usually, you need a mix. Keep percentage-based platforms as a visibility and new customer channel, but steadily build your own channel for repeat orders. This way you do not depend on one source and you have better control over costs.
Start with a simple 30-day plan:
- add your ordering link to Instagram and Google,
- print a QR code on bags and stickers,
- train the team to mention it naturally,
- track how many orders come from each channel,
- compare the net result, not just turnover,
- keep the menu updated every day.
The decision is ultimately simple: pay a percentage only when you are buying real value. For customers who already know you, try to bring them to a channel with a fixed, low and predictable cost per order.