Direct ordering is not automatically cheaper. A marketplace may bundle costs that a direct order leaves you to arrange. Compare the same order and the same time period using your actual agreements, not a headline rate.
Compare delivery channels
Get the inputs from the right records
- Start with menu-item revenue retained by your business after your funded discounts. Exclude tax, tips and charges not remitted to you.
- Cost the actual recipe and packaging for that order. Include only additional per-order labor here; keep fixed payroll and overhead in your wider profit view.
- Read the provider agreement and itemized statement for commission, processing and delivery. If processing is bundled, do not count it again. Fee bases can differ from net revenue; use the override fields when needed.
- For direct orders include the actual acquisition and delivery expense, not an assumed zero.
Contribution is not a bank deposit or net profit
Order contribution is net retained revenue less the variable costs entered. Payout deposits can contain timing differences, adjustments, taxes or other amounts. Do not divide net deposits by order count and call the result your sales ticket. Fixed costs, total payroll and wider business expenses still need their own accounts.
A worked scenario, not a provider quote
The calculator's loaded example is hypothetical and editable. Its percentages are example inputs, not advertised provider rates. Change one assumption at a time: compare a known guest collecting an order with one that needs paid acquisition and delivery. The cheaper-looking headline can change when those costs are included.
Use a small order sample before deciding
Compare a selection of your actual orders using recipe records, order values and itemized fees. Keep unusual discounts or refunds visible rather than hiding them in an average. A negative contribution deserves investigation; more such orders do not repair the loss on each order.