How to Stop Losing 30% of Every Order to DoorDash

Last month, Tony closed his books and wanted to throw up. His Thai restaurant did $45,000 in DoorDash orders. Great, right? Except DoorDash kept $13,500 of it. That's more than his rent.

If you're reading this, you probably know the feeling. You watch orders roll in all day. Your kitchen is slammed. You're paying staff overtime. And somehow, at the end of the month, the numbers don't add up.

Here's where all that money is actually going.

The Real Cost of "Free" Delivery Apps

DoorDash doesn't charge you a signup fee. That's the hook. But here's what they don't tell you upfront:

• Commission: 15-30% of every order
• Marketing fees: Another 6-15% if you want visibility
• Credit card processing: 2.5-3%
• Service fees: Variable, always increasing

Stack it all up, and a $50 order might net you $30. Sometimes less.

What $42,000 a Year Looks Like

Let's say you're doing $35,000/month in delivery orders through DoorDash at 25% commission. That's $8,750/month going to DoorDash. Over a year? $105,000.

Now imagine keeping most of that. Here's what it looks like when restaurants switch to direct ordering:

"We were basically working for DoorDash. Now we keep that money. Same customers, same orders—just through our own system."

— Restaurant Owner, Chicago

3 Ways to Keep More of Your Money

1. Build Your Own Ordering Channel

This doesn't mean building an app from scratch. Platforms like EatFuti give you a branded ordering website that's yours. Customers order directly, you pay a flat fee instead of a percentage.

2. Move Your Regulars Over

The people ordering from you every week on DoorDash? They'd happily order direct if you asked. Put a note in every delivery bag: "Order direct at [yoursite].com — save 10%." Most restaurants convert 30-50% of their DoorDash customers within 60 days.

3. Use DoorDash for Discovery, Not Revenue

Here's the smart play: keep DoorDash to get new customers, but convert them to direct ordering. First order on DoorDash, every order after that on your system. You pay the commission once, not forever.

Real Example: What Switching Looks Like

A Des Moines restaurant (we'll call them "Pho King Good") was doing $50,000/month on DoorDash. Here's their 90-day journey:

They didn't turn off DoorDash. They just stopped depending on it.

The Numbers: EatFuti vs DoorDash

What's Stopping You?

Most restaurant owners we talk to have the same concerns:

"But DoorDash brings me customers."
It does. Keep it for that. Just don't let DoorDash customers stay DoorDash customers. Convert them.

"I don't have time to set this up."
EatFuti takes about 15 minutes to launch. We import your menu, set up your website, and you're live.

"My customers won't switch."
They will—if you give them a reason. 10% off. Loyalty points. A personal note. People like supporting restaurants directly.