Why Your Favourite Takeaway Costs More Than It Should: The Truth About Commissions
It’s Friday night. You’ve had a long week at work, the rain is battering the window (classic British weather), and the fridge is looking uninspiringly empty. You do what millions of us do every week: you unlock your phone, open a food delivery app, and start scrolling for a burger or a curry.
You find your favourite local spot. You select your meal. But then you reach the checkout screen. Suddenly, that £12 burger has transformed. With the service fee, the delivery fee, and the slightly inflated menu price, you’re staring at a total closer to £20.
You sigh, tap "Pay," and wait for the doorbell to ring. But have you ever stopped to wonder where that extra money actually goes?
Most customers assume that the high price means the restaurant is making a healthy profit or that the driver is being paid handsomely. Unfortunately, the reality of the modern food delivery industry is far more complex—and frankly, unfair.
At Bitte.uk, we believe transparency is the first step toward a better food culture. Today, we’re peeling back the layers of the "convenience tax" to reveal the truth about commissions, menu inflation, and why it’s time for a change in how the UK orders food.
The Hidden Cost of Convenience
To understand why your takeaway is so expensive, we have to look at the business model of the "Big Three" delivery giants that currently dominate the UK market.
These platforms act as middlemen between you and the restaurant. In exchange for listing the restaurant on their app and providing a driver, they charge a commission fee. This sounds reasonable in theory—after all, they are providing a service.
However, the issue lies in the percentage.
Standard commission rates for independent restaurants on major platforms often range from 30% to 35% + VAT.
Let’s break that down with a simple example.
Imagine you order a pizza for £15.00.
The delivery platform takes a 35% commission, which is £5.25.
The restaurant is left with £9.75.
Out of that remaining £9.75, the restaurant owner must pay for:
The ingredients (flour, cheese, toppings).
The chef’s wages.
The rent and business rates for their premises.
Electricity and gas (which have skyrocketed recently).
Packaging costs (boxes, napkins, dips).
When you do the maths, it becomes clear that on a standard order, many independent restaurants are barely breaking even. Some are actually losing money on every app order but feel forced to stay on these platforms because "that’s where the customers are."
The Phenomenon of "Menu Inflation"
So, how do restaurants survive these crushing fees? They have only one option: Menu Inflation.
If you’ve ever walked past a restaurant and noticed that the prices on their physical menu in the window are cheaper than the prices on the app, you’ve witnessed menu inflation first-hand.
To offset the 30-35% commission taken by the apps, restaurants are forced to increase their prices specifically for online customers. That £10 Pad Thai you buy in the shop becomes £13.50 on the app.
This creates a vicious cycle:
Apps charge high commissions.
Restaurants raise prices to cover the commission.
You, the customer, pay the inflated price.
In the end, the platform takes a cut of the inflated price, meaning they make even more money, while the customer pays a premium for the exact same food. It’s a "hidden tax" that hits your wallet every single time you tap "Order."
Why Is This Happening? (The Monopoly Problem)
You might be asking, "If the fees are so high, why don't restaurants just leave?"
The answer lies in market dominance. In the UK, a few massive multinational corporations control almost the entire food delivery market. They have the marketing budgets to flood our TV screens with ads and our letterboxes with vouchers.
For a small, family-run kebab shop in Manchester or a local pizzeria in London, leaving these platforms feels like business suicide. They are held hostage by the algorithm. If they aren't on the app, they don't exist to the modern consumer.
This monopoly power allows the big platforms to keep commissions high without fear of competition. They know the restaurants have nowhere else to go.
The Impact on Your Local High Street
This isn't just about economics; it's about the soul of our communities.
The UK's hospitality industry is under immense pressure. Rising energy bills and labour costs have already pushed many beloved local spots to the brink. When you add a 35% commission fee on top of that, it becomes the nail in the coffin for many small businesses.
Every time a local restaurant closes down, we lose more than just a place to eat. We lose the diversity of our High Street. We lose the passion of independent chefs who bring authentic flavours from around the world to our doorstep. We risk being left with nothing but "Ghost Kitchens" (container kitchens with no storefronts) and massive fast-food chains that can afford the lower margins.
Is that the future of food we want?
There Is a Better Way: The Bitte Vision
This bleak picture is exactly why we started Bitte.uk.
We looked at the landscape of food delivery and realized it was broken. It was built to serve shareholders, not the people cooking the food or the people eating it. We asked ourselves a simple question: Can we build a platform that is fair for everyone?
We believe the answer is yes.
At Bitte, we are building a new kind of delivery ecosystem. One that respects the hard work of restaurant owners and the wallet of the customer.
Here is how we plan to change the game:
1. Fairer Commissions
We reject the 35% standard. Our goal is to operate with a significantly lower commission structure that allows restaurants to thrive, not just survive. By keeping more money in the pockets of local businesses, we help them invest in better ingredients, pay their staff fairly, and keep their lights on.
2. Transparent Pricing
We want to end the era of menu inflation. Because we don't charge extortionate fees, restaurants won't need to inflate their prices artificially on our platform. This means you, the customer, get to enjoy your favourite meals at fair, honest prices—closer to what you would pay if you walked into the shop yourself.
3. Championing Independents
We aren't here to push big chains. Our algorithm will be designed to highlight the "Hidden Gems"—the local legends, the family recipes, and the new startups that make the UK food scene so vibrant.
The Future is "Fair Delivery"
We are currently working hard behind the scenes to prepare for our launch. We are speaking with restaurant owners across the UK who are desperate for an alternative. We are building the technology to make your ordering experience seamless.
But we can't do it without you.
Real change requires a community. It requires food lovers who care about where their money goes. It requires customers who say, "I want my local Thai place to stay in business," and "I don't want to pay £20 for a burger just to feed a corporate giant."
Join the Revolution
We are not just another app. We are a movement for fair food delivery.
If you are tired of hidden fees, inflated menus, and seeing your local favourites struggle, then you are ready for Bitte.
We are launching soon, and we want you to be the first to experience the difference. By joining our community now, you aren't just signing up for an app; you are pledging support for a fairer future for British hospitality.
Are you ready to eat better, pay less, and support local?
Join the Waiting List (Sign up now to get exclusive launch discounts and be the first to know when we arrive in your city.)
Do you own a restaurant? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us today to learn how Bitte can help you grow your business without eating your profits.