How to lower third-party delivery fees
To lower third-party delivery fees, start with the plan: DoorDash's Basic plan is 15% versus 30% on Premier. Then price the delivery menu to cover commission, push pickup at 6%, check whether your city caps fees, and move repeat customers to your own commission-free app, where a $30 order costs $1.17 in card fees instead of $9.
How it works
- Check which plan you're on with each app and drop to the lowest one that still gets you orders.
- Set delivery-app prices that cover the commission, and keep your own menu prices lower.
- Move regulars into your own app with a bag card and a first-order reward.
What it costs
| Nomback plan | Monthly | One-time setup |
|---|---|---|
| Your own ordering and rewards app (iPhone and Android) | $99 | $399 |
| App and website | $129 | $399 |
| Website only | $79 | $149 |
No commission on any order and no fee added to your customers. Card payments go through Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢. Apple charges $99 a year and Google $25 once for the developer accounts, which are in your name. Month to month, and live in about two weeks. Full pricing.
1. Change plans
DoorDash sells three delivery plans: Basic at 15%, Plus at 25% and Premier at 30%, with pickup at 6% (DoorDash). The higher plans buy more visibility and a bigger delivery radius. Many owners are on Plus by default and never look again.
| $30 order | Commission | You keep before processing |
|---|---|---|
| Premier 30% | $9.00 | $21.00 |
| Plus 25% | $7.50 | $22.50 |
| Basic 15% | $4.50 | $25.50 |
| Pickup 6% | $1.80 | $28.20 |
| Your own app | $0 (card fee $1.17) | $28.83 |
2. Use your city’s fee cap
Some cities cap what delivery apps can charge. New York City's Local Law 79 of 2025 caps fees at 15% for delivery, 5% for basic service and 3% for transactions, with an optional 20% "enhanced" tier a restaurant can opt into (NYC Local Law 79). San Francisco passed a permanent 15% cap in 2021 (Restaurant Dive). If your city has one, check that your invoices follow it.
3 to 6. The rest of the list
- Price the delivery menu. Charge more on the apps to cover commission, and say in your bag card that the app price is lower.
- Push pickup. At 6% on DoorDash pickup or $0 in your own app, pickup is the cheapest order you get.
- Dispute error charges. DoorDash lets you dispute error charges within 14 days; see our error charges guide.
- Move regulars to your app. This is the only fix that takes commission to zero. A QR card in every bag and a first-order reward do most of the work.
Questions owners ask
What is the lowest DoorDash commission?
DoorDash's Basic plan is 15% on delivery, and pickup is 6%. Premier is 30%.
Can I negotiate DoorDash's commission?
Large chains negotiate. Independents usually choose among the published plans, so the plan is your lever.
Is it legal to charge more on DoorDash?
Generally yes, and it's common. Some cities have rules about delivery fees, so check yours.
Do fee caps apply where I am?
Only in places that passed them, like New York City and San Francisco. Check your city and state.
What's the cheapest way to take delivery orders?
Your own ordering with your own drivers: no commission, just card processing. Nomback's DoorDash Drive delivery is coming soon.
How much does my own app cost?
Nomback is $99 a month and $399 setup, no commission.
Related: How to get off DoorDash without losing your customers, Owner.com alternative without the 5% fee on your customers, An ordering app for Chinese restaurants that does not take a cut.
Sources
- DoorDash merchant pricing
- NYC Local Law 79 of 2025 (Int. 762-B)
- Restaurant Business: NYC Council lifts delivery fee cap
- Restaurant Dive: San Francisco permanent 15% cap, Jun 2021
- Stripe pricing
- Nomback pricing
Prices and fees were checked on October 30, 2026. They change, so check the source before you decide.