May 12, 2026
What Does Commission-Free Ordering Mean? Marketplace Commission and the Real Meaning of 0% Commission
Commission-free ordering means that when a customer places an order, the full amount lands in the restaurant's account and no marketplace takes a cut in between. Every order coming through platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo or Just Eat is charged a commission that usually runs from 15% to 35%. On your own channel, that rate is zero. The order is taken through the restaurant's own branded ordering site and app, and the middleman in between disappears.
Let's make the difference concrete with an example. A business called "Joe's Burgers" takes 800 orders a month with an average ticket of about $12. That puts total revenue around $9,600. If all of those orders had come from a marketplace at a 25% commission, roughly $2,400 would have gone to the platform by month end. If the same orders had come commission-free through the restaurant's own channel, that $2,400 would have stayed with the restaurant. The difference is money that turns into kitchen, staff and profit.
In this article we explain what commission-free ordering means, how marketplace commission is calculated, and what 0% commission on your own channel looks like in practice, with examples. If you want the detailed application of the topic, you can also take a look at the commission-free online ordering system guide.
Commission-free ordering
Commission-free ordering means the full amount of a customer's order goes into the business's account without any commission being deducted by a third-party intermediary (a marketplace). The order is taken through the restaurant's own branded site, mobile app or QR menu, so 100% of every sale stays with the restaurant.
How does marketplace commission work?
Marketplace commission is the percentage that platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat take from every order in exchange for listing the restaurant on their storefront. The commission is usually calculated on the total order amount (the product price including tax). On some plans, a monthly membership fee, featured-listing advertising and a delivery service charge are added on top of the commission.
Let's look at it through an example. A customer places a $30 order from a marketplace. If the commission is 28%, the platform takes about $8.40. The restaurant keeps roughly $21.60. Out of that $21.60, ingredients, staff, rent and utilities still have to be paid. So commission can become one of the single largest expense lines.
Another major effect of commission is that the restaurant never gets to own the customer data. The phone number, address and order history of the person who placed the order stay on the platform. The restaurant cannot reach that customer again or build any loyalty. On your own commission-free channel, by contrast, every customer is the restaurant's own customer.
What does 0% commission on your own channel mean?
Your own channel means the place where the restaurant takes orders without depending on a marketplace. That can be your own branded online ordering site, your mobile app, or the QR e-menu at the table. When a customer orders here, the full amount goes to you and no percentage is deducted. Aside from the payment provider's card fee (the bank's POS rate), no cut goes to any intermediary.
"Corner Coffee" lived through this exactly. On the marketplace it was doing about $4,300 in monthly revenue across 600 orders and paying roughly $950 at a 22% commission. After setting up its own site and QR menu, it gradually steered its customers toward its own channel. Six months later, half of its orders were coming through the commission-free channel and around $475 a month stayed in its pocket.
The goal here is not to be forced to drop the marketplace entirely. A marketplace can be useful for discovering new customers. The logic is this: take a customer who arrives once and get them used to your commission-free channel. When they place their second and third order through your own site, that commission now stays with you. For the details of running both channels together, see the marketplace commission vs your own channel comparison.
How much does commission-free ordering leave in your pocket?
To see the value of commission-free ordering, one calculation is enough: multiply your monthly marketplace revenue by your commission rate. The figure you get is the money leaving for the platform every month. In the "Joe's Burgers" example, $9,600 in revenue at 25% commission comes to about $2,400 a month and around $28,800 a year. Moving even half of those orders to a commission-free channel creates a difference of roughly $14,400 a year.
On menus with thin margins, the difference is even more critical. If a burger menu has a 35% food cost and staff plus fixed costs eat up another 30%, the restaurant is left with about a 35% gross margin. Add a 25% commission on top of that and net profit almost vanishes. When the same order comes in commission-free, that 25% is added straight to profit. So for most businesses, commission-free ordering is a more effective profit lever than even a price increase.
If you want to see the numbers for your own business, you can review the plans on the pricing page or set up your own channel with a free trial and take your first commission-free order.
Which tools build the commission-free channel?
Commission-free ordering is not just about setting up a site on its own. The order has to flow all the way from the kitchen to the courier. The order drops into the order ticket and cloud POS system, appears on the kitchen display system (KDS) in the kitchen, gets prepared and goes out for delivery. This entire flow runs just as smoothly on the commission-free channel as it does on a marketplace.
On the delivery side, with delivery zones you decide which neighborhoods you deliver to, the minimum order amount and the delivery fee. With online payments the customer pays by card without waiting with cash at the door. For the customer at the table there is dine-in ordering, and for the customer who comes to collect there is pickup ordering, all gathered in the same system.
The strongest way to keep a customer on your own channel is loyalty. With the loyalty and promotions feature you can set up points, coupons and campaigns and pull the second order into the commission-free channel. All of these tools are managed in a single cloud back office.
Key takeaways
- Commission-free ordering means the full amount goes to the restaurant and no marketplace takes a cut in between.
- Marketplace commission is usually charged at 15% to 35% on the order total, and the customer data stays on the platform.
- Your own branded site, mobile app and QR menu form the 0% commission channel.
- By multiplying your monthly marketplace revenue by your commission rate, you can easily see how much you lose every month.
- Getting a customer who arrived through a marketplace used to your own commission-free channel keeps the commission with you from the second order onward.
Frequently asked questions
What does commission-free ordering mean?+
Commission-free ordering means the full amount of a customer's order goes into the restaurant's account without any commission being deducted by a marketplace. The order is taken through the restaurant's own branded site, app or QR menu.
How much is marketplace commission?+
On platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat, commission usually ranges from 15% to 35% of the order total. On some plans, a monthly membership fee, advertising and a delivery service charge are added on top of the commission.
What amount is the commission calculated on?+
Commission is mostly calculated on the order's total product amount including tax. On a $30 order, a 28% commission means about $8.40 goes to the platform.
Is there really 0% commission on my own channel?+
Yes. On orders coming through your own branded site or QR menu, no commission goes to an intermediary. Only the bank's standard card POS rate applies, and that is far lower than marketplace commission.
Do I have to drop the marketplace entirely?+
No. A marketplace can be useful for discovering new customers. The logic is to get a customer who arrives once used to your own commission-free channel and take their later orders from there. Both channels can be run together.
How long does it take to set up the commission-free channel?+
You can set up your own ordering site, QR menu and order ticket system with RestApp in a short time. With the free trial you can upload your menu and start taking your first commission-free order the same day.
Stop paying commission on your orders
Launch your own commission-free online ordering system with RestApp.