TR Key Takeaways
- Base platform commission ranges 11-22%; average is 18%.
- Real cost is higher: with campaign co-funding, voucher commission and refund losses it hits 22-25%.
- On a 1,000-order restaurant the real annual loss approaches 400,000 TL.
- With your own channel at a flat 5.99 TL/order, you save over 300,000 TL annually.
- You don't have to leave platforms — build your own channel alongside to reduce dependency.
Is 18% really 18%?
The commission rate a platform shows when you sign up is only the start. Three hidden costs sit on top. Most restaurant owners don't see them.
To understand real commission, open your books and add four layers.
Layer one: Base commission
The rate platforms show openly. Varies by category and city. Typical range: 11-22%. Average 18%. In big cities and competitive categories, it sits at the top.
Layer two: Campaign co-funding
Platforms run campaigns like "buy 2 get 1 free." The brand shines, but you usually fund the discount. Typical restaurant contribution: 5-10% per campaign.
A restaurant joining 3-4 campaigns monthly loses extra commission each time. Roughly an added 2%.
Layer three: Meal voucher commission
When customers pay with meal vouchers, platforms take an extra 3-5%. In office areas where voucher payments are common, this adds roughly 2% on top.
Layer four: Refunds and cancellations
When orders are cancelled, refunded, or damaged, commission mostly stays with the platform. "Wasted commission." At a 3% refund rate, add 0.5-1%.
The 1,000-order example
1,000 monthly orders, 150 TL average basket, 150,000 TL revenue. Add the layers:
- Base commission (18%): 27,000 TL
- Campaign share (3/month, avg 7%): 3,150 TL
- Voucher commission (35% card-paid, +4%): 2,100 TL
- Refund loss (3% rate, commission unrecovered): 810 TL
Real commission: 33,060 TL. Effective rate: 22.04%.
See the annual picture
This compounds to 396,720 TL a year. Five years of an employee's salary. Opening cost of three new locations. A full year of marketing budget.
What if I took the same orders on my own channel?
Same 1,000 orders on your own channel: 5.99 TL per order service fee. Monthly invoice: 5,990 TL. Annual delta: 323,200 TL.
Not exaggeration. The math is clean. One question: does the customer really come to you, or to the platform?
Do I have to leave the platform?
No. Platforms bring customers; losing them is wrong. The goal: preserve platform traffic while adding one more order per month to your own channel.
By end of year one, aim for 20% of orders on your own channel. Year two, 50-50. Year three, platforms become a support channel.
Two ways to transition
Path one: On platform-fulfilled receipts, add "10% off next direct order — click the link." The customer clicks next time and orders direct.
Path two: Put your link on Instagram and Google. Customers who find you there bypass platforms entirely.
What should your-size restaurant do?
Under 500 orders/month: survivable on commission but digitalization is mandatory. 500-2,000: commission-free is critical — it's already crushing you. Over 2,000: platform dependency is a major risk; your own channel is non-negotiable.
Net profit beats revenue
Most common mistake: tracking revenue. What matters is net profit. Revenue can drop 30% while profit grows 50% — if commission savings are large enough. Track what lands in your pocket, not what passes through.
Conclusion
Platform commission is the most deceptive cost line in restaurant economics. Read the real effective rate, not the headline. Once you see the annual numbers, building your own channel isn't a luxury — it's mandatory.