Delivery vs Uber Eats vs Just Eat: What UK Restaurants Need to Know in 2026
For UK restaurants, selecting the right food delivery platform can directly affect operating cost, profit margin and customer reach. With uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat offering different commission structure, delivery options and platform features, making it crucial for restaurant owners to understand the overall cost before choosing a service. However, restaurant delivery app fees, commission and delivery costs can vary significantly.
This guide explains how the major UK restaurant delivery platforms work and what restaurant owners should consider when comparing food delivery commission in the UK in 2026.
How do restaurant delivery platforms work?
Third-party restaurant ordering platforms in the UK help restaurants reach customers, accept online orders and manage delivery through a single platform. Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eats provide:
- Marketplace visibility: Helps restaurants reach new customers through popular food delivery apps.
- Online ordering: Customers can browse menus, customize orders and place them online.
- Payment processing: Delivery platform processes customer payments and transfers the restaurant’s proceeds after applicable fees.
- Customer Acquisition: Platforms can help restaurants attract customers who may not find them through direct channels.
- Marketing: Promotional offers and advertising tools can increase visibility but may involve additional costs.
When comparing food delivery commission UK rates and restaurant delivery app fees, restaurants should consider the total cost of using each platform rather than looking at commission alone.
Deliveroo: what does it cost UK Restaurants?
Deliveroo is a well-established food delivery platform in the UK, helping restaurants reach customers through its marketplace and online ordering system.
How Deliveroo works for restaurants
Restaurants can use Deliveroo for:
- Online ordering: Customers can browse menus and place orders through the platforms.
- Delivery: Depending on the restaurant’s arrangements, orders can be delivered through Deliveroo’s courier network or by the restaurant itself.
- Pickup: Deliveroo also supports pickup orders, allowing customers to collect food directly from the restaurant.
- Customer reach: Restaurants can use the marketplace to increase visibility and attract new customers.
- Promotions: Restaurants may offer offers and promotion; tools to increase visibility and orders.
Deliveroo commission and other costs
There is no single commission rate that applies to every UK restaurant. The actuarial Deliveroo commission UK restaurants pay can depend on the restaurant’s agreement and services selected.
When calculating the cost of using Deliveroo, restaurants should consider:
- Commission or service fees
- Delivery arrangements
- Promotional cost
- Payment-related charges
- Pickup and delivery order differences
- Other terms included in the restaurant agreement.
This makes the effective cost per order more useful than comparing a headline commission percentage alone.
Who is Deliveroo suitable for?
Deliveroo can be relevant for restaurants looking to expand their online ordering, reach new customers, and offer delivery without managing every part of the delivery operation themselves.
Uber Eats Commission UK: how does the pricing Model Work?
Uber Eats is a food delivery service operated by Uber Technologies. It uses Uber’s established technology and infrastructure, including its delivery network, payment processing, delivery logistics and mapping system to facilitate restaurant order and deliveries across the UK.
Uber Eats fees for UK restaurants
The Uber Eats commission for UK restaurants can vary based on the restaurant’s agreement and the service used. The applicable service fees are stated in the restaurant’s individual agreement, so one fixed commission rate does not apply to every UK restaurant.
When Uber Eats fees for restaurants are reviewed, the following should be considered:
- Marketplace or service fees
- Delivery charges
- Collection orders
- Promotional costs
- Advertising and marketing charges
- Other applicable fees.
Pros
- Wide customer reach across the UK
- Online ordering and delivery services
- Collection options
- Promotional and marketing tools
- Restaurant management and reporting features
- Integration with restaurant technology
Cons
- Platform fees can reduce profit margins
- Competition is present between restaurants on the platforms
- Promotional cost may increase the total order cost
- Fees can vary between restaurant agreements
Best for
Uber Eats can be used by UK restaurants, takeaways, cafes, and QRSs that want to increase online orders and reach more customers. Restaurants with their own delivery service can also compare self-delivery with platform-supported delivery to understand their overall restaurant delivery app fees in the UK. The most important consideration is the total cost per order under the restaurant’s specific agreement.
Just Eat commission UK: what should restaurants know?
Just Eat is a well-established food delivery platform in the UK, where restaurants can receive online orders for delivery or collection. The platform is widely used by independent restaurants, takeaways, cafes and other food businesses across the UK.
Marketplace ordering
A restaurant can benefit from:
- Online menu visibility
- Customer discovery
- Order processing
- Payment facilities
- Collection options
- Delivery options
- Access to an established customer base.
Restaurant-managed delivery
If a restaurant already has its own drivers, its economies may differ from a restaurant using platform-supported delivery.
This is one reason why restaurant owners compare the total cost per order, rather than looking at commission in isolation.
Just Eat Commision UK
The Just Eat commission for UK restaurants can vary depending on the services and agreement selected. Restaurants may use the marketplace with their own delivery service or use delivery services provided through Just Eat.
When Just Eat fees for restaurants are reviewed, the following should be considered:
- Marketplace or service fees
- Delivery arrangements
- Collection order
- Promotional and advertising cost
- Payment-related charges
- Other applicable contractual fees
Pros
- Wide restaurant and customer reach across the UK
- Strong presence in local market
- Online ordering and payment facilities
- Delivery and collection options
- Suitable for independent restaurants and takeaways
- Promotional tools are available
Cons
- Platform fees can affect profit margins
- Additional costs may apply to promotions
- Delivery costs depend on the selected arrangement
- Actual fees can vary between restaurant agreements
Best for
Just Eat can suit UK restaurants, takeaways, cafes, and QSRs that want to increase online orders and reach customers through an established restaurant ordering platform. Restaurants with their own delivery drivers can also compare self-delivery with Just Eat delivery when reviewing their overall food delivery costs in the UK.
Deliveroo vs Eats vs Just Eats: What are Restaurants actually paying for?
Rather than comparing platforms only by headline commission percentages, restaurant owners should consider what the fees provide.
| Cost consideration | Deliveroo | Uber Eats | Just Eats |
| Marketplace visibility | yes | Yes | Yes |
| Online ordering | yes | Yes | yes |
| Payment processing | Yes | Yes | yes |
| Platform processing | yes | Yes | yes |
| Platform-supported delivery | Available depending on arrangement | Available depending on arrangement | Available depending on arrangement |
| collection | Available | Available | Available |
| Restaurant-specific pricing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Promotional tools | Available | Available | Available |
| Exact restaurant cost | Depend on agreement | Depends on order form/ agreement | Depends on partner arrangement |
The comparison should therefore focus on the effective cost of generating and fulfilling an order, rather than assuming that the universal commission rate applies to all restaurants.
Food delivery commission cost for UK restaurants in 2026
Consider an illustrative example
In case a restaurant generates:
£20,000 per month through third-party marketplaces.
If its effective platform cost were 25%, the calculator would be
£20,000 * 25% = £5,000
That would leave:
£15,000 before considering other applicable business costs.
However, this is not a statement that Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat charges 25%.
It’s an example of how restaurant owners can calculate the financial impact of a hypothetical platform cost.
Actual cost depend on:
- Restaurant-specific commission rates
- Delivery arrangements
- Collection arrangements
- VAT treatment
- Promotional cost
- Discount and offers
- Refunds or can cellations
- Payment-related charged
- Other contractual fees
Better calculation
Total platform-related cost+marketplace sales * 100 = Effective platform cost%
For example, if a restaurant receives £20,000 in marketplace sales and incurs £4500 in total platform-related costs:
£ 4500 ÷ £20,000 * 100= 22.5%
This gives the restaurant a more useful figure for internal financial analysis.
Should restaurants stop using Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eats?
This is not a universal answer.
Third-party food delivery platforms in the UK can help restaurants reach new customers, and increase online orders. Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eats provide marketplace visibility, online ordering, and depending on the agreement, delivery services.
Platforms such as Eatbay , a direct ordering platform in the UK can help restaurants accept direct orders through their branded online ordering system. Such direct ordering platforms in the UK can be used to encourage repeat customers to order through the restaurant’s own channel.
Why direct ordering matters for UK restaurants
Third-party food delivery platforms in the UK can help restaurants attract new customers, but restaurant delivery app fees can affect the cost of each order.
A direct online ordering system can allow restaurants to provide:
- Online ordering through their own branded channel
- Collection orders
- Delivery orders
- Digital payments
- Restaurant-controlled menus
- Direct customer communication
- Promotional campaigns
- Customer retention activities
- Order management
The key difference is the relationships.
For UK restaurants, using food delivery apps for customer discovery while building a direct ordering channel with Eatbay can provide another way to manage online orders and customer relationships.With direct ordering channel, the restaurant can build its own digital ordering experience and customer relationship.
Final thoughts: Managing Restaurant delivery cost in 2026
Delivery platforms such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat can help U restaurants increase online customer reach, but overall cost depends on fees, delivery agreements and promotional activity.
For restaurant owners, the key is to understand
Commission + delivery costs + promotional costs + other applicable fees = total platform cost
How Eatbay helps UK Restaurants take direct orders
For UK restaurants looking to build a direct ordering channel, Eatbay, a direct ordering platform in the UK provides tools for online ordering and restaurants order management. This can help businesses reduce reliance on third-party marketplaces and manage direct customer orders through their own ordering channel.
The key benefits:
- Branded Online ordering
- Direct customer payments
- Collection and deliver orders
- Automatic order management
- Customer marketing
- Sales and order reporting
- Mobile-friendly ordering
- Menu management
- Real-time order tracking
- Multiple order fulfilment options
- Online order integration
- Customer order history
- Product availability management
For restaurants considering a direct ordering system in the UK, Eatbay offers an alternative to relying entirely on third-party food delivery marketplace.
If you’re looking for a way to accept online orders directly, manage collection and delivery, and reduce dependence on third-party ordering platforms, Eatbay provides a commission-free online ordering and restaurant management solutions in the UK.
Looking to explore direct online ordering in a UK restaurant? Talk to Eatbay now.
