Toolbox · Free calculator
Should you leave DoorDash? First-party ordering ROI calculator
Direct ordering swaps the apps' 15–30% commission for ~3% card processing plus a flat monthly fee. Put in your numbers and see the honest comparison — your break-even and your annual savings.
Estimate, not financial advice. Assumes ~3% card processing on direct orders and a flat platform fee. Real quotes vary — and most restaurants keep the apps for discovery while moving direct-able orders to their own ordering. Confirm rates before deciding.
What the numbers say
The apps take a percentage of every order, forever. Your own ordering costs a small flat fee plus card processing — so above a modest number of orders, direct wins by a wide margin, and the gap compounds every month. The point isn't to go dark on the apps (they bring new customers); it's to stop paying 15–30% on the orders you could own, and to turn app customers into direct regulars over time.
The math (so you can check it by hand)
Break-even (direct orders per month) = your platform's flat monthly fee ÷ [average order value × (app commission % − ~3% processing)]. Worked example: with a $100/mo platform, a $35 ticket, and a 25% commission you avoid (minus 3% processing = 22% saved per order = $7.70), break-even ≈ $100 ÷ $7.70 ≈ 13 direct orders a month. Everything beyond that is money kept. On 400 orders/month you'd pay the apps about $42,000/year vs roughly $6,240/year direct (~3% + the fee) — a swing of about $35,000 a year. Put your real numbers in the calculator above.
Next steps
- How to accept online orders without DoorDash — set it up step by step
- Delivery commission calculator — what the apps cost you today
- The full delivery-commission playbook
- Commission-free ordering tools in the toolbox
Want it set up for you? We stand up first-party ordering, price it to protect your margin, and take no commission from any vendor — you only pay once you're saving. Book a free call and we'll run your real numbers together.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth leaving DoorDash for my own ordering?
It depends on volume. Direct ordering swaps 15–30% commission for ~3% processing plus a flat monthly fee — above a modest order count it's far cheaper. The calculator shows your break-even and savings. Most keep the apps for discovery and move direct-able orders to their own ordering.
What is the break-even?
It's the number of monthly direct orders where the platform's flat fee is covered by the commission you no longer pay. Beyond that point, every direct order is money kept.
Do I have to leave the apps completely?
No. Keep them for new-customer discovery; move repeat and direct-able orders to your own ordering, where you keep the margin and the customer.