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An Omaha, Nebraska, restaurant owner revealed that he spent six figures paying delivery app fees last year, leading him to stop using services like DoorDash and Uber Eats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Javier Trujillo told local news station First Alert 6<\/a> earlier this month that he shelled out $188,000 in commissions to delivery platforms last year. The charges were spread across his five restaurants: Javi\u2019s Tacos, Time to Rise and Shine, Frosty Mug, Helados Locos and El Milagro.<\/p>\n \u201cAny service that we use that does delivery and then pushes our menu to their customers, we have paid $188,000 last year,\u201d Trujillo told the outlet.<\/p>\n He said eliminating those fees will free up funds to help him keep staff and cut losses from orders that sit untouched when drivers never arrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe there was not enough Dashers in the area and they took the order, we get the order, we made the food, but nobody comes to pick it up. That\u2019s losses on us,\u201d Trujillo said.<\/p>\n At the same time, in Dallas, chef Andrew Kelley runs a delivery-only kitchen with no dining room. He told the Dallas Observer<\/a> earlier this month that apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats make it \u201cvery difficult\u201d to turn a profit, because their commissions eat into margins on items like a $12 lunch special.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been very difficult with DoorDash and Uber Eats,\u201d Kelley told the Observer. \u201cUnfortunately, after DoorDash takes its commission, and I sell an Italian sandwich with a bag of chips and a homemade cookie or a potato salad for $12, my take-home is less than $10. And that doesn\u2019t include the cost of food packaging and labor.\u201d<\/p>\n DoorDash and Uber Eats generate billions in annual revenue, powered in part by the 15% to 30% cut they take from each restaurant order placed through their platforms. For example, DoorDash\u2019s revenue was approximately $13.7 billion<\/a> in 2025, a 28% year-over-year increase.<\/p>\n Americans placed 903 million orders<\/a> through DoorDash last year, a 32% year-over-year growth. According to Statista<\/a>, DoorDash now commands roughly two\u2011thirds of the U.S. food delivery market, far outpacing Uber Eats and Grubhub.<\/p>\n A 2025 report<\/a> by the National Restaurant Association found that nearly half of all U.S. adults (47%) order takeout from restaurants at least once a week, for pickup or for delivery. More than a third order delivery at least once a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n An August 2025 analysis<\/a> by digital ordering provider ActiveMenus discovered that delivery platforms may tack on an extra 1% to 5% in \u201cmarketing and promotional fees\u201d to boost a restaurant\u2019s placement in the app. They can also charge up to 3.5% for payment processing.\u00a0<\/p>\n To offset these additional costs, many restaurants mark up their menu prices on delivery apps by as much as 20%, per ActiveMenus.\u00a0<\/p>\n Moe Shrikian, executive vice-president of the Hungry Howie\u2019s pizza chain, told the food industry news site Restaurant Dive <\/a>earlier this month that \u201cthe key is meeting customers with the convenience they want.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe see third-party delivery as one tool in the toolbox,\u201d he told the outlet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n An Omaha, Nebraska, restaurant owner revealed that he spent six figures paying delivery app fees last year, leading him to stop using services like DoorDash and Uber Eats.\u00a0<\/p>\nFood delivery services are more popular than ever<\/h2>\n
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