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Key Takeaways
- How much does DoorDash charge restaurants? You pay 15% on Basic, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier for Marketplace delivery, and 6% on eligible pickup orders.
- DoorDash fees scale with your sales because commission is charged on the order subtotal — Marketplace has no standard monthly subscription.
- What your customer pays at checkout, including the delivery fee and service fee, is separate from what you pay as a merchant, and the tip is never DoorDash revenue.
- The right plan is the one that leaves the most contribution after commission, fulfillment, and ad spend, not the one with the lowest percentage.
- DoorDash can win you new customers, while a direct online ordering system like Restolabs can hold onto them through repeat orders, first-party data, and customer loyalty.
If you run an independent restaurant, fast-casual brand, cloud kitchen, or multi-location operation evaluating DoorDash as a potential delivery partner, the first question you’re trying to answer is simple: how much does DoorDash charge restaurants?
The short answer is that the platform charges 15% on the Basic plan, 25% on the Plus plan, and 30% on the Premier plan for Marketplace delivery orders. Eligible pickup orders carry a 6% commission on all three plans.
DoorDash also lists no standard Marketplace subscription, activation, software, contract, or cancellation charge.
However, your real DoorDash cost depends on more than the headline commission rate. Food costs, packaging, labor, refunds, discounts, optional advertising, and the extra order volume the platform brings all affect what you actually keep.
This guide breaks down DoorDash restaurant fees, customer-side charges, plan-level costs, and the numbers to check before deciding whether DoorDash should be your main ordering channel, a discovery channel, or one part of a broader direct ordering strategy.
What Do DoorDash Fees Actually Cover?
DoorDash says its Marketplace commission covers app visibility, marketing, delivery driver costs, customer support, technology, and card processing.
So, when you ask how much does DoorDash charge restaurants, it’s easy to blend what you pay with what your customer sees at checkout. Separating the two sides gives you a far more accurate picture of the fee structure.
What do you pay as the restaurant?
Your main merchant charge is the DoorDash commission on the order subtotal. Current commission rates are 15%, 25%, and 30% for Marketplace delivery, depending on the plan you pick. You may also pay for optional products and services:
- Commission fees on orders placed through the DoorDash Marketplace
- A 6% pickup commission on eligible orders
- Sponsored Listings and Promotions you choose to run
- A weekly tablet rental after the introductory period
- Processing fees on commission-free DoorDash online ordering transactions
- Flat per-order charges when you use DoorDash Drive On-Demand for orders from your own channels
Restaurants using a DoorDash tablet incur a weekly rental fee. In the US, DoorDash lists the tablet at $6 per week after the trial, and you can avoid it entirely by receiving orders through an eligible POS integration, email, or fax.
Card processing is included on Marketplace orders. DoorDash applies payment processing charges to commission-free online ordering transactions placed through your own branded website or other direct channels.
DoorDash says its fees cover several functions at once. The commission can cover marketing, customer support, technology, card processing, and the costs tied to delivery logistics and Dashers, the independent delivery drivers for DoorDash.
What does your customer pay?
Your customer may see a delivery fee, service fee, small-order fee, long-distance or expanded-range fee, express fee, regulatory response fee, local mandatory charges, estimated tax, and an optional tip.
According to DoorDash, the mix varies by merchant, location, distance, demand, and order subtotal.
For instance, the service fee goes to DoorDash to run the platform. The tip is separate, goes to the Dasher, and should never be counted as DoorDash revenue — it’s the checkout amount most directly tied to driver compensation.
These charges don’t reduce your payout the way commission does. But they do shape customer behavior: checkout completion, order frequency, and whether someone picks up instead of paying for delivery.
What other DoorDash products cost extra?
Marketplace is only one part of what DoorDash offers restaurants. Other products use different pricing models, so it’s important to keep them separate when you total up fees paid.
- Drive On-Demand lets you use Dashers to fulfill orders placed on your own site, app, or another direct channel. DoorDash lists a flat delivery charge rather than a percentage commission — currently $6.99 to $10.99 per order on its US product page.
- DoorDash Capital is a separate merchant cash advance offered through Parafin. If you’re eligible you may see an offer in the Merchant Portal, with repayment set as a fixed percentage of DoorDash sales plus a one-time flat fee. It doesn’t change your Marketplace commission.
Stop Losing 30% On Every Order. Take Back Control Of Your Margins.
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Noodle, New York
Per Year on Restolabs.
Growth in 3 Months.
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How Much Does DoorDash Charge Restaurants by Plan?
DoorDash offers three US marketplace plans to eligible restaurants with 75 or fewer locations: Basic at 15%, Plus at 25%, and Premier at 30% for delivery.
Every pricing plan includes Marketplace delivery, eligible pickup at 6%, and access to DoorDash online ordering. What changes between them is reach, DashPass access, and included marketing support.
The 6% pickup rate applies to eligible US partners who follow DoorDash’s terms, including keeping pickup menu prices on DoorDash in line with your prices in store. Let’s dissect each pricing plan in greater detail:
1. Basic
Basic gives you the lowest commission and puts you in front of customers nearby. DoorDash describes it as a starting point if you’re new to restaurant delivery or want to test demand before paying for wider reach. It doesn’t include DashPass.
DoorDash also says non-DashPass customers see a higher delivery fee on Basic than on Plus or Premier, which may affect checkout conversion or order frequency among fee-sensitive customers.
2. Plus
Plus widens your delivery area and opens up DashPass customers. DoorDash says these members order twice as often and spend 2.5 times more than non-members, which is why its pricing page frames them as high value customers.
DoorDash positions Plus for restaurants that want to grow sales and reach more customers. Those extra ten percentage points have to generate enough contribution to pay for themselves.
On the same volume, Plus costs about $125 a day, $3,750 a month, or roughly $45,000 a year in commission.
3. Premier
Premier includes everything in Plus and adds the widest delivery range, eligible Premier Sponsored Listings managed by DoorDash, and a photography benefit.
For eligible US locations, the Growth Guarantee applies during your first six months as a Premier partner.
DoorDash says it will refund that month’s delivery commission if you accept fewer than 20 orders, cancel fewer than five orders, and remain open on DoorDash for at least 90% of the hours listed in your Merchant Portal.
What Does a $50 DoorDash Order Cost?
On a $50 Marketplace order you pay $7.50 in commission on Basic, $12.50 on Plus, or $15 on Premier, before any of your own costs. A $50 Marketplace delivery order can result in $15 in DoorDash commission. That is the Premier case at the 30% commission rate.
The question how much does DoorDash charge restaurants gives you the platform deduction. Your own cost data tells you whether the order actually contributes anything toward overhead and profit.
Say you take a $50 order on Plus. The figures below are illustrative — replace them with your own.
That $15 goes toward rent, salaried labor, utilities, insurance, software, tax, and profit. Run 300 similar orders in a month and you generate $15,000 in sales and about $4,500 in contribution before overhead on these assumptions.
Many restaurants budget for higher packaging costs for delivery-friendly containers. Your own result will also move with food cost, prep time, promotions, refund rates, and which menu items you put on your delivery menu.
What’s your customer paying on the same order?
This is where the arithmetic often goes wrong when restaurants compare DoorDash fees.
Your customer’s total isn’t DoorDash revenue, and neither is the tip or the tax. Let’s understand this with an example:
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How much are you losing to commissions?
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Which DoorDash Plan Fits Your Restaurant?
Pick the tier that leaves the strongest contribution after commission, fulfillment costs, advertising, and the pressure it puts on your kitchen.
Many restaurant owners start with the percentage, but the better decision also weighs demand quality, kitchen capacity, and customer acquisition. A higher rate can still work if the added reach brings you profitable orders you would not have won anywhere else.
Give each plan a real test period. DoorDash recommends running one for two to three weeks before switching so you see representative results. You can change your pricing plan through the Merchant Portal, and it may take up to five business days to take effect.
Track all of this while you test:
- Delivery and pickup order volume
- Average order value
- Total commission
- Food and packaging costs
- Incremental labor
- Refunds, discounts, and cancellations
- Promotions and ad spend
- Contribution per order
- Preparation time and order accuracy
- All other fees paid
The higher tiers have to generate enough extra contribution to recover the rate increase. On a $50 order, moving from Basic to Plus adds $5 in commission; moving from Plus to Premier adds another $2.50.
Using targeted ads can boost visibility during peak hours. Compare peak times against quieter periods, then judge Sponsored Listings and Promotions by the contribution from the orders they produce, not by clicks or gross sales.
DoorDash’s included tools can support business growth, though results vary by market, cuisine, capacity, and execution. Restaurants choose a plan far more confidently once they compare the added demand against the full cost of fulfilling it.
How Can You Protect Delivery Margins?
Protect your margin by managing your delivery menu, packaging, pricing, marketing spend, pickup mix, and kitchen capacity as one system. Independent restaurants often face significant profit absorption from fees, so start with the menu:
- Prioritize dishes that travel well, cook consistently, and still leave contribution after food, packaging, commission, and promotion costs.
- Review your menu prices carefully. DoorDash allows different delivery pricing, but a heavy markup discourages customers and shrinks order volume. Eligible pickup partners also have to match DoorDash pickup pricing to the amount you charge in store to keep the 6% rate.
- Bundles can lift average order value when the extra ingredients and packaging still leave a sound contribution. Test the whole basket rather than trusting the listed price on its own.
- Your kitchen needs enough capacity to handle delivery without slower prep, more errors, frequent cancellations, or weaker food quality.
- You may not need a dedicated team of drivers, since Dashers handle Marketplace delivery, but your kitchen still carries the prep and handoff work. Many restaurants run a mix of Marketplace, pickup, and direct orders.
The goal is knowing what each channel contributes and where it creates pressure.
Where Does Online Ordering Fit?
DoorDash can help restaurants reach customers who are already browsing delivery apps. That makes it useful for discovery, especially if you do not want to recruit and manage drivers yourself.
Your own direct online ordering channel serves a different purpose. It gives customers who already know your restaurant a way to order through your website, Google Business Profile, social media, email, QR codes, or branded app.
A balanced strategy uses DoorDash for discovery and direct ordering for repeat demand. That way, you’re not paying acquisition-style commissions every time an existing customer wants to order again.
Restolabs runs a commission-free direct ordering platform with pickup, delivery integrations, online payments, loyalty tools, order management, and analytics, on a subscription model with payment-provider costs applying separately.
A balanced strategy uses DoorDash for new customers and your own channels for the people who already know you. That way you stop paying acquisition rates on customers you have already acquired.
Is DoorDash the Right Choice for Your Restaurant?
DoorDash may be a good fit if you want marketplace visibility, access to delivery customers, and a way to reach people who may not already know your restaurant.
But it shouldn’t be evaluated only by gross sales. The more useful question is whether DoorDash orders still contribute profit after commission, food cost, packaging, labor, refunds, discounts, promotions, and operational pressure on the kitchen.
For many restaurants, the strongest approach is not choosing between DoorDash and direct ordering. It is using each channel for the right job.
DoorDash can support discovery. Your direct ordering system can support repeat orders, first-party customer data, loyalty, branded ordering, and stronger control over the customer relationship.
Restolabs can complement a marketplace strategy by giving customers a commission-free way to order directly through your branded website, mobile experience, or QR ordering channel. You can use it to:
- Access customer profiles, order histories, and direct-order analytics
- Run points-based rewards, coupons, promotional banners, and loyalty campaigns
- Connect with supported third-party delivery providers or manage in-house delivery
- Integrate with supported POS systems and payment processors
- Manage menus, incoming orders, item availability, and stock counts from one system
- Offer pickup, delivery, curbside, catering, and table-linked QR ordering, depending on the restaurant’s setup and selected plan
The financial value becomes clear when you compare a recurring marketplace commission with Restolabs’ fixed monthly pricing.
At a 30% commission, $230 in Marketplace sales generates $69 in commission, roughly the cost of Restolabs’ entry-level monthly plan. Direct orders may still carry payment-processing, delivery, and marketing costs, but Restolabs doesn’t take a percentage of every order.
DoorDash can help you attract new customers, while Restolabs gives you the tools to build a more profitable direct ordering channel.
You can keep control of your customer data, branding, loyalty programs, payment options, delivery management partners, and repeat-order strategy instead of depending entirely on a third-party marketplace.
See how much you could save with Restolabs. Book a free demo.
Sruthi Sekar specializes in brand strategy, growth, and user experience in the hospitality industry. As the driving force behind Restolabs, she helps restaurants harness technology to scale and thrive. With a background in design, branding, and entrepreneurship, she brings a sharp focus on crafting digital experiences that drive real business impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
DoorDash offers three plans: Basic (15% commission), Plus (25% commission), and Premier (30% commission). The Basic plan is ideal for new restaurants or small cloud kitchens, while Plus gives access to DashPass customers. If you're new to delivery, start with a mid-tier plan to test and analyze before upgrading.
For a restaurant processing 10 orders daily at $50 each, you'll pay approximately $2,250/month on Basic (15%), $3,750/month on Plus (25%), or $4,500/month on Premier (30%). These amounts include commission fees plus additional charges for pickup fees (6%), processing fees (2.9% + $0.30), and any marketing costs you choose.
On a $50 order, you might pay DoorDash $14.50 (commission + fees) while customers pay around $24.50 (delivery fees, service fees, tips). This means DoorDash earns nearly $39 total per order while you receive $35.50, highlighting the importance of factoring these costs into your pricing strategy.
Optimize your delivery zones to focus on densely populated areas, create value bundles with slight price increases to absorb fees, and use DoorDash's marketing tools strategically during peak hours. Consider offering free delivery on high-value orders and use surge discounts wisely to maintain customer loyalty while protecting your profit margins.
DoorDash grocery delivery typically has higher base fees ($3.99-$5.99) compared to restaurant delivery ($1.99-$3.99). Service fees remain similar at 5-15% of order total, and there may be additional heavy order fees for items over 40 lbs. Commission rates for grocery partners are generally 12-20%.
No, the service fee is not a tip. The service fee (10-15% of order total) goes to DoorDash to cover platform operations, while tips go directly to the delivery driver (Dasher). These are separate charges that appear on the customer's bill.
DoorDash Marketplace does not list a standard monthly subscription fee for restaurants. Your monthly cost depends mainly on order volume because DoorDash charges commission on each Marketplace order.
For example, if you process $15,000 in monthly Marketplace delivery sales, commission would be:
- $2,250 on Basic at 15%
- $3,750 on Plus at 25%
- $4,500 on Premier at 30%
Other costs may apply if you use optional products such as Sponsored Listings, Promotions, tablet rental, Drive On-Demand, or commission-free online ordering transactions through DoorDash.
No. Customer checkout fees are separate from the restaurant’s Marketplace commission. Customers may pay delivery fees, service fees, small-order fees, long-distance or expanded-range fees, express fees, local regulatory charges, taxes, and optional tips.
These charges can affect whether customers complete the order, but they do not reduce your payout in the same way merchant commission does.
Restolabs gives restaurants a commission-free direct ordering platform for pickup, delivery, QR ordering, payments, loyalty, order management, customer data, and supported POS and delivery integrations.
Instead of routing every order through a third-party marketplace, restaurants can guide repeat customers to order through their own branded website, mobile experience, QR codes, Google profile, email, SMS, or social channels.
Restaurants can reduce DoorDash-related costs by tracking contribution per order, managing delivery menus carefully, reviewing packaging and labor costs, testing promotions by profit rather than gross sales, and avoiding overreliance on marketplace orders from repeat customers.
A balanced strategy is to use DoorDash for discovery while encouraging existing customers to order directly through your website, Google Business Profile, QR codes, email, SMS, receipts, packaging inserts, or branded app.
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