Top 5 Best Food Delivery Platforms for Restaurants

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the food delivery sector has exploded. The rise of foodtech and changing consumer habits have transformed the restaurant industry.

Today, many restaurant owners depend on delivery platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo or Just Eat, but profitability remains a real challenge given commissions that can reach 30%!

👉 This guide walks you through the 5 profitable delivery platforms for your restaurant in 2026: their real costs, their concrete benefits, and operational tips to boost your sales without sacrificing your margins.

Food delivery: the key figures and trends to know in 2026

• On average, 1 restaurant in 3 now generates a significant share of its revenue from home delivery.
• Dark kitchens are on the rise: they let you cut costs and test new concepts without a physical dining room.
• Delivery platforms are betting on automation and artificial intelligence to optimise routes and orders.
• Ethical delivery is gaining ground: courier working conditions, environmental impact, fairer business models.
• Click and collect is becoming a profitable addition to avoid commissions and build loyalty among local customers.

Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Glovo and Stuart: the comparison at a glance

And what about your online reputation?

Choosing the right platform is not enough: on Uber Eats as on Deliveroo, the algorithm prioritises restaurants with a high rating, good reviews and a strong satisfaction rate. In other words, your visibility on these platforms depends directly on your online reputation, which is also decided on Google.

That is where Up Review comes in. The platform helps you actively collect more Google reviews in store (prize game, QR code, NFC plate), centralise and reply to your reviews with AI, and re-engage your customers by SMS. The result: a better rating, more social proof, and a boost to your ranking, both on Google Maps and on delivery platforms.

👉 Book an Up Review demo or sign up for free

The 5 best delivery platforms for restaurant owners in 2026

1. Uber Eats: The power of brand recognition

Uber Eats has become one of the leaders of the French market. Launched by the American ride-hailing giant, the platform benefits from exceptional brand recognition and massive marketing investment (sponsoring Ligue 1, for example).

Advantages:

• Maximum visibility: with a huge user base, you reach a very wide audience
• Intuitive interface: order management is simple and efficient
• Detailed statistics: you get access to performance analytics to optimise your offering
• Large courier fleet: extensive coverage in France's big cities
• Promotional offers: the platform regularly runs marketing campaigns to boost sales

Drawbacks:

• High commission: around 30% per order on average
• Intense competition: you compete directly with McDonald's and other fast-food giants
• Total dependence: you use their couriers and their system with no alternative

👉 Commission: around 30% (negotiable based on volume)

Ideal profile: burger restaurants, fast-food outlets, quick-service restaurants looking for maximum visibility in big cities. If your strategy relies on volume and your margins allow it, Uber Eats is a solid choice.

Register your restaurant on Uber Eats

2. Deliveroo: The quality-focused image

Deliveroo positions itself as the platform that favours quality. Well established in France for several years, it targets a loyal urban customer base that cares about a diverse offering.

Advantages:

• Quality-focused selection: unlike Uber Eats, Deliveroo favours independent restaurants with an original concept
• Fast delivery: commitment to deliver in under 30 minutes
• Responsive customer service: available 24/7 to handle issues
• Upmarket customer base: users are often willing to spend more for quality
• Deliveroo Plus subscription: a loyalty programme that encourages regular orders

Drawbacks:

• High commission: between 25 and 32%, depending on the services chosen
• Sign-up fee: around €299 (though negotiable)
• Limited availability: the service is mostly concentrated in big cities

👉 Commission: 25 to 32% per order

Ideal profile: traditional restaurants, fine-dining establishments wanting to preserve their brand image, vegetarian or specialised cuisines (gluten-free, organic, etc.). If you are betting on quality rather than massive volume, Deliveroo may suit you better than Uber Eats.

Register your restaurant on Deliveroo

3. Just Eat (formerly Allo Resto): The well-established pioneer

A pioneer of the French market with 20 years of experience, Just Eat (formerly Allo Resto) stands out for its exceptional geographic coverage.

Advantages:

• Broad coverage: present in small and mid-sized towns, not just major cities
• Lower commissions: between 14 and 30% depending on the contract and the area
• Pickup option: the ability to offer click and collect alongside home delivery
• No sign-up fee: unlike its competitors
• Quality account support: dedicated support for partner restaurants

Drawbacks:

• Lower visibility: less popular than Uber Eats and Deliveroo in big cities
• Advertising costs: additional fees may apply to improve your ranking
• Less modern interface: some users find it less smooth to use

👉 Commission: 14 to 30% depending on the contract

Ideal profile: brasseries, traditional restaurants located in small or mid-sized towns, businesses looking for better profitability. If you are based outside major cities, Just Eat often offers better local visibility and more favourable terms.

Register your restaurant on Just Eat

4. Glovo: Versatility as a strength

Glovo stands out for its versatility. Beyond food delivery, the platform also delivers groceries, pharmacy products, and other everyday items.

Advantages:

• Diverse user base: reaches different audiences beyond food delivery regulars
• Presence in France: well established in several big cities
• Additional sales: the option to offer drinks, desserts or complementary products
• Flexible offering: you can expand your range beyond a classic restaurant menu

Drawbacks:

• Less specialised: the app is less focused on restaurants, which can dilute your visibility
• High commissions: 25 to 30%, in line with the main players
• Lower brand recognition: less well known than Uber Eats and Deliveroo in France

👉 Commission: 25 to 30%

Ideal profile: restaurants wanting to diversify their offering (for example, gourmet grocery products, premium drinks), businesses located in areas where Glovo has a strong presence. If you have an original offering that goes beyond a simple meal, Glovo can be worth considering.

Register your restaurant on Glovo

5. Stuart: The tailored logistics solution

Stuart is not an ordering platform like the others, but an on-demand delivery service. Founded in 2015, this European leader lets you bring deliveries in-house while keeping full control of the customer relationship.

Advantages:

• Total flexibility: you manage your orders through your own system (website, phone)
• Fast delivery: an efficient service in over 100 European cities
• Customer ownership: you keep your customer data and the commercial relationship
• Complementary use: can be used alongside other platforms for your direct orders

Drawbacks:

• No marketplace: Stuart does not bring you visibility or new customers
• Integration required: you need your own online ordering solution
• Cost per run: from €5 per delivery (varies by distance)

👉 Pricing: from €5 per run

Ideal profile: restaurants that already have their own online ordering system and want to outsource only the delivery logistics. Ideal for businesses that want to break free from platform dependence while avoiding managing an in-house team of couriers.

Register your restaurant on Stuart

Local and ethical alternatives

Beyond these giants, two alternatives deserve your attention:

Eatself: a cooperative platform with reduced commissions (around 10 to 15%), operating on a fairer model for restaurant owners and couriers.

These alternatives attract customers who care about ethical values and local commerce. If your positioning matches these priorities, they can become valuable partners to complement your presence on the market leaders.

Why use a delivery platform for your restaurant

An essential digital storefront

Delivery platforms work like a virtual storefront for your business. They let you be present exactly where your customers are actively searching for home delivery options.

With millions of active users, these apps offer exposure that would be hard to achieve on your own, even with a well-optimised website and a polished marketing strategy.

4 concrete benefits for your restaurant

1. Immediate visibility: as soon as you list on a platform, you benefit from its user base and marketing campaigns. Uber Eats's advertising budget, for example, is on a completely different scale from an independent restaurant's.

2. New customer acquisition: you reach people who might never have walked past your restaurant. This new customer source adds to your in-house business.

3. Simplified logistics: automated systems make order management easier, from receipt to delivery. You save time on taking orders by phone and reduce mistakes.

4. Time savings: no more juggling a phone line overwhelmed at peak hours. The interface lets you handle several orders at once without extra effort from your floor staff.

A coherent omnichannel strategy

Building delivery into your business model means adopting an omnichannel approach: dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery. This diversification makes you less vulnerable to disruptions (weather, a drop in dining-room footfall, exceptional events) and maximises your sales potential.

👉 Many restaurant owners report that offering delivery has helped them retain their regular customers by giving them more flexibility, while attracting new customers won over by the convenience of the service.

The hidden costs and pitfalls to watch for

Commissions that weigh heavily

The economic reality of delivery platforms is simple: commissions are high. On average, expect to pay between 25 and 35% of the value of every order. These rates vary depending on the platform, your order volume and your negotiating power, but they remain significant.

👉 In concrete terms, if a customer orders €30 worth of food, you pay the platform between €7.50 and €10.50. From what is left, you still need to deduct your production costs (ingredients, packaging, overheads).

The extra fees people often forget

On top of the base commission, other costs add up:

Listing fees: some platforms charge for initial onboarding, including the tablet, the photo shoot for your dishes and putting your menu online. These fees can range from €0 to €600 depending on the platform.

Advertising: to improve your visibility in the app and appear at the top of the list, you will often need to invest in the advertising options the platforms offer.

Equipment: although often provided, some hardware (tablet, stand) can generate extra costs or replacement fees.

Dependence on algorithms

Your visibility on a delivery platform depends heavily on its internal algorithm. These systems favour restaurants that show:

• A high customer satisfaction rate
• Fast preparation and delivery times
• A high number of orders
• Good customer reviews

This mechanic can create a vicious circle: without initial visibility, you generate few orders, which pushes your ranking down even further in the search results.

Payment timelines and cash flow

Platforms do not pay out your sales immediately. Depending on the platform, you will receive your payments weekly or every two weeks. For a restaurant with tight cash flow, this lag can be a problem, especially when you are just starting out on the platform.

How to calculate your real profitability

Before you get started, run this calculation for every dish:

1. Selling price on the platform - Commission (30% on average) = Net amount received
2. Net amount received - Ingredient cost - Packaging - Share of overheads = Net margin

👉 If this net margin is lower than for your dine-in service, you will need to either raise your prices on the platform (at the risk of losing competitiveness), or accept lower profitability by betting on volume.

A neighbourhood restaurant with low volume can sometimes be more profitable on Just Eat, whose commissions are lower in certain areas, than on Uber Eats, despite the latter's greater visibility.

How to choose the right delivery platform for your type of restaurant

Fast food and quick-service restaurants

If you serve burgers, pizzas, sushi or other quick meals, favour Uber Eats and Deliveroo. These platforms dominate this segment with a customer base used to ordering this type of food. Their visibility and order volume often offset the high commissions.

Concrete example: an artisan burger restaurant in central Lyon will likely generate more orders on Uber Eats thanks to its massive user base, even with a 30% commission.

Brasseries and traditional restaurants

For traditional cuisine or a more family-oriented offering, Just Eat and Glovo can be a better fit. Just Eat in particular works very well in mid-sized towns, where competition is less intense than on Uber Eats.

Concrete example: a neighbourhood brasserie in Bordeaux with low delivery volume will be more profitable on Just Eat (commission of 15-20%) than on Uber Eats, even with a slightly lower number of orders.

Dark kitchens

If you run a kitchen dedicated solely to delivery, adopt a multi-platform strategy. Combine Deliveroo (for its speed and quality image) with Uber Eats (for volume) and Just Eat (to maximise coverage). This approach lets you capture different customer segments and smooth out fluctuations in activity.

Fine-dining restaurants

For an upmarket establishment, delivery raises specific challenges: maintaining quality, plating presentation, preserving flavours. Deliveroo is often the best choice thanks to its quality-focused customer base and premium positioning.

You could also consider an in-house service with Stuart to keep full control over the customer experience and protect your brand image.

👉 Tip: adapt your menu for delivery. Some dishes do not travel well; it is better to offer a smaller, optimised menu than to disappoint your customers.

How to negotiate your terms with the platforms

5 points you must discuss

Contrary to what many people think, the terms offered by delivery platforms are not always set in stone. Depending on your situation, several elements can be negotiated:

1. The commission rate: if you generate significant volume or are an established business, you can secure a reduction of 2 to 5 points on the standard commission.

2. Exclusivity: some platforms offer reduced rates in exchange for territorial or time-limited exclusivity. Be cautious with these commitments, as they limit your flexibility.

3. Listing fees: negotiable depending on the platform, especially if you join several services at once.

4. Advertising: rather than paying for promotional campaigns, negotiate free advertising credits as part of your onboarding.

5. Length of commitment: avoid long contracts (more than 6 months) until you have confirmed the partnership's profitability.

Best practices for a successful negotiation

Always compare: contact several platforms at the same time and let them know you are evaluating different options. This competition works in your favour.

Highlight your strengths: if you have an excellent online reputation, glowing customer reviews or an original concept, use these as negotiating arguments.

Negotiate based on volume: if you expect a large number of orders (more than 100 per week), ask for preferential terms.

Test before you commit: favour 3-month trial periods to assess real profitability before signing an annual contract.

Ask for support: some platforms offer personalised follow-up, training to optimise your menu, or advice on dish photography. Do not hesitate to ask for these services.

3 mistakes to avoid

1. Rushing into exclusivity: never commit to exclusivity with a platform without having tested several options first. This dependence weakens your position and limits your room to manoeuvre.

2. Long commitments: a 12 or 24 month contract can become a trap if the platform does not generate enough orders or if its terms deteriorate.

3. Ignoring the fine print: read the clauses on penalties, notice periods and termination conditions carefully.

How to improve your visibility on the platforms

Optimise your visuals and descriptions

On a delivery platform, your customers cannot smell or taste your dishes before ordering. Your photos are your best salesperson. Invest in a professional photo shoot or, failing that, follow these rules:

• Bright, natural lighting
• Careful styling with a simple backdrop
• Appetising, generous presentation
• Visual consistency across all your dishes

👉 Descriptions should be clear, precise and mouth-watering. Mention the main ingredients, any allergens, and what makes your dish unique.

Maintain a high satisfaction level

The algorithms used by platforms like Uber Eats or Deliveroo favour restaurants with:

• A high satisfaction rate: aim for at least 4.5/5
• Preparation times you stick to: announce a realistic time and honour it
• Few cancellations: every declined order hurts your visibility

To achieve this:

• Adjust your opening hours on the platform to match your real capacity
• Temporarily close your restaurant on the app during a rush in the dining room
• Train your team to prioritise delivery orders without neglecting customers on site

Always respond to customer reviews

Customer reviews have a direct impact on your internal ranking. Responding to every comment (positive and negative) shows you are listening and improves your image. Platforms value this interaction.

For positive reviews: simply say thank you and invite the customer to come back.

For negative reviews: reply quickly, apologise if necessary, and offer a goodwill gesture for the next order. This proactive attitude limits the damage and can even turn a disappointed customer into an ambassador.

Platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat now factor in average rating, response rate and customer satisfaction when ranking restaurants in their results.

Use promotions wisely

Promotions are an excellent lever for boosting sales, but they need to be used strategically:

• Target the right time slots: offer discounts during quiet hours (2pm to 6pm, for example) to smooth out your activity.
• Test different offers: "buy one get one free" on a dessert, "20% off your first order", "free delivery from €25"... See what works.
• Avoid permanent promotions: they devalue your offering and cut your margins without necessarily building loyalty.
• Favour volume: a promotion that increases your average order value is more profitable than a flat discount.

Alternatives to platform-based food delivery

Create your own in-house delivery service

Developing your own delivery system gives you full control over the customer experience, from ordering to receiving the meal.

This approach has several advantages:

• Complete independence: you set your prices, hours, delivery zones and terms.
• No commission: every euro earned stays in your till, aside from the real cost of delivery.
• Ownership of the customer relationship: you collect your customers' data, build your own database and develop personalised loyalty programmes.
• Stronger brand image: your couriers represent your restaurant, which strengthens the consistency of your identity.

However, this solution involves investment and constraints:

• Hiring and managing a team of couriers
• Buying or leasing a fleet of vehicles (scooters, bikes, cars)
• Insurance and legal liability
• Developing or buying an online ordering system
• A marketing strategy to make your service known

Tip: if you choose this path, start gradually. Test first with a part-time courier and a limited area before investing heavily. On the equipment side, our comparison of restaurant management software covers point of sale, orders and delivery.

Launch a click and collect service

Click and collect (ordering online with in-store pickup) is seeing growing success. This hybrid model offers several benefits:

• Zero delivery fees for the customer
• Zero commission for you
• Speed for the customer (no waiting for transit time)
• Simple logistics (no couriers to manage)

👉 Solutions like Obypay or Innovorder make it easy to add click and collect to your website.

You can also offer this option directly through your Google Business Profile or your social media.

Tip: pair click and collect with a small perk (a free coffee, a 10% discount) to encourage your customers to choose this option over platform delivery.

Comparing ROI: in-house vs platform

To work out which option is more profitable, run this simple calculation:

Platform scenario:

• Delivery revenue: €10,000/month
• Average 30% commission: minus €3,000
• Net result before overheads: €7,000

In-house service scenario:

• Delivery revenue: €8,000/month (lower visibility)
• Courier salary plus payroll costs: minus €1,800
• Vehicle depreciation plus insurance: minus €300
• Ordering software: minus €150
• Net result before overheads: €5,750

In this example, the platform is more profitable despite its commission, because it generates more volume. But if you grow your own customer base and reach €10,000 in in-house revenue, you gain around €3,000 more per month.

The hybrid model: the best of both worlds

Many restaurant owners adopt a hybrid strategy: they stay present on the platforms to benefit from their visibility, while developing their own delivery service.

In practice:

• You use Uber Eats and Deliveroo to acquire new customers
• You offer your own ordering service in store and through your social media
• You gradually encourage your platform customers to order directly from you (with a flyer included in orders, for example)

This approach lets you:

• Maximise your overall revenue
• Gradually reduce your dependence on platforms
• Increase your margins over the long term

Careful: some platforms contractually forbid soliciting customers for direct orders. Check the clauses in your contract and stay discreet in your communications.

Conclusion: Best food delivery platforms

Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Glovo and Stuart each offer advantages depending on your type of business, your location and your commercial strategy. But using them requires careful thought: commissions weigh on your margins, and depending on these services can weaken your business model.

The key is finding the right balance between visibility, volume and profitability. A traditional restaurant in a small town will do best to favour Just Eat, while a fast-food outlet in a city centre will bet on Uber Eats to maximise its exposure. Dark kitchens, meanwhile, will play the multi-platform card to capture every market segment.

👉 Book an Up Review demo or sign up for free