Top Cheapest Food Delivery App in 2025

Opting for the cheapest food delivery app is a smart move, as restaurant industry statistics show that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, online ordering became increasingly evident. 

As dining habits shift toward home and office eating, enabling delivery and online ordering ensures your restaurant can reach customers who prefer off-site dining but still want to enjoy your restaurant’s food.

To help you do just that, this article will guide you in finding the best budget-friendly delivery service for your restaurant, breaking down fees and other charges while highlighting smart options.

Why restaurant owners need a food delivery service: What the data shows?

• According to A3Logics, a global IT services and consulting firm, the global food delivery market is projected to reach $1.41 trillion by the end of 2025, up from $156.75 billion in 2024, reflecting a 10.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

• Research from Restroworks, a cloud-based restaurant management platform, indicates that 84% of Gen Zers prefer using an app to order food delivery.

• According to Fundera by NerdWallet, a small business loan marketplace, 60% of American consumers order takeout or delivery at least once a week. This highlights the delivery and online ordering statistics of the modern American diner.

• As reported by Purdue University in the September 2024 Consumer Food Insights (CFI) Report, nearly two-thirds of consumers have used a food-ordering app at least once, whether for takeout, delivery, or both.

• Bloomberg Second Measure, a financial analytics service, shows that in April 2020, combined sales for major meal delivery services grew 162% year over year and 59% compared to the previous month. This highlights the dramatic surge in app-based ordering during periods of heightened demand. 

Top 10 cheapest food delivery apps in 2025

With the rise of restaurant order system online and delivery, it's normal to question what food delivery app is the cheapest. Here are the top options:

1. DoorDash

DoorDash is a leading on-demand delivery platform connecting consumers with local merchants. Its 2023 Community Impact Report highlighted that 88% of users value the platform for flexibility, 70% of merchants report increased profits, and nearly 1 in 5 independent merchants say their business wouldn’t exist without it.

DoorDash has become a go-to platform for restaurants looking to expand their reach. Understanding how its commission structure works is key for evaluating its cost-effectiveness.

Commission Fees (DoorDash Marketplace)

• Basic: 15% per order
• Plus: 25% per order
• Premier: 30% per order
• Pickup orders: 6%
  

Commerce Platform (Online Ordering) – Own your website orders:

• Starter: $0/month, 0% commission (card fees apply)
• Boost: $54/store/month
• Pro: $249/store/month
• Processing Fees: 2.9% + $0.30 per online order
  

Note: With these plans, you own your website orders. There’s 0% commission, but standard credit card processing fees apply.

Customer Fees

Delivery: $1.99–$5.99

• DashPass subscription: $9.99/month or $96/year (free delivery, lower service fees)
• Service: 10%–15% of subtotal
• Small orders: $2.50 for orders under $10–$12
  

Fees Not Charged: There are no setup fees, no subscription for the basic storefront, and no hidden service fees on website orders.

2. Uber Eats

Uber Eats is a global powerhouse in the food delivery industry. As of early 2025, it had an estimated 88 million users, highlighting its massive reach. In 2024, the platform partnered with over 1 million restaurants worldwide and is now active in 11,500+ cities across roughly 45 countries.

It's important to examine the platform's commission structure to understand how partnering with it benefits your restaurant’s profit.

Marketplace commission plans (Delivery and Pickup)

• Lite: 15% per delivery order
• Plus: 25% per delivery order
• Premium: 30% per delivery order
• Self-delivery: 15% per order
• Pickup: 6%
  

Webshop (Online Ordering)

• Processing fee: 2.5% + $0.29 per order
• Delivery fee: 25% may apply for self-delivery or Uber Direct
• Uber Direct flat fee: Starts $6.99 per order
• Activation fee for new locations: $500 (one-time, deducted weekly)
  

Customer Fees

• Delivery: Varies, generally 25%
• Service: 10%–15% of subtotal
• Small orders: $2 for orders under $12
• Uber One subscription: $9.99/month or $96/year
  

Fees Not Charged: Restaurants do not need to pay a monthly subscription (unless using additional services), and there are no hidden platform fees beyond the listed commissions.

3. Grubhub

Grubhub is a leading online and mobile food delivery platform based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2004, it connects consumers with local restaurants for delivery and pickup orders through its website and mobile app. As of 2025, Grubhub partners with over 375,000 restaurants across more than 4,000 U.S. cities.

With so many successful users, understanding its commission plans is essential for evaluating how it fits into your delivery strategy.

Marketplace commission plans

• Partner: 5% per order (pickup/self-delivery)
• Plus: 15% per order
• Premium: 20% per order

Note: This includes a 10% delivery fee if Grubhub drivers handle delivery for Grubhub Direct (online ordering)

Grubhub Direct (Online Ordering)

• Delivery fee: $1.99
• Setup fee: $99
• Hosting fee: $49/month per location

Note: Grubhub’s standard credit card processing fee (3.05% + $0.30) still applies to all orders.

Customer Fees

• Subscription: Grubhub+ $9.99/month (free delivery over $12, 5% cashback on pickup)
• Delivery fee: 10%
• Service fee: 10%–15%
• Cashback pickup offers: 5%
  

Fees Not Charged: There are no commissions on Grubhub Direct (own orders), no additional hidden fees beyond processing and optional hosting/setup.

4. Robomart

Robomart‘s RM5 is a fully electric, Level-4 autonomous mobile store with 10 climate-controlled lockers. It can carry up to 500 pounds and enables multiple deliveries per trip for greater efficiency.

Robomart charges a flat $3 delivery fee per order with no commission, service fees, item markups, or hidden charges. It aims to cut delivery costs by up to 70% compared to traditional human-driven services.

Despite limited public disclosure, Robomart highlights:

• High customer satisfaction: 90% repeat customer rate
• Trusted partnerships: Collaborates with brands like Unilever, Mars, and Fatty Mart
• Wide variety of supported Stores: Snacks, groceries, pharmacies, cafes, ice cream shops, and fast food outlets

5. Postmates

Postmates is a U.S.-based on-demand delivery service that connects consumers with local restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores for quick delivery.

While there may be some confusion surrounding Postmates' existence following Uber Eats' 2020 acquisition, Postmates remains available for use by restaurant and convenience store partners and customers. Both platforms continue to operate independently.

To be clear, these are the costs associated with partnering with Postmates and Uber Eats 

Marketplace commission plans

• Lite: 15% per delivery order
• Plus: 25% per delivery order
• Premium: 30% per delivery order
• Self-delivery: 15% per order
• Pickup: 6%

Webshop (Online Ordering)

• Processing fee: 2.5% + $0.29 per order
• Delivery fee: 25% may apply for self-delivery or Uber Direct
• Uber Direct flat fee: Starts ~$6.99 per order
• Activation fee for new locations: $500 (one-time, deducted weekly)
  

Note: Postmates does not have its own separate online subscription service for ordering. Instead, Postmates' features and services have been merged into Uber Eats, including the Webshop offering

Customer Fees

• Delivery subscription: $9.99/month (Uber One)
  Delivery fee: $1.99–$9.99
• Service fee: 95% added (historical)
• Small cart fee: $1.99

Fees Not Charged: Restaurants are not charged a monthly fee (unless using subscriptions), there are no hidden processing fees, and there are no mandatory menu markups.

6. ChowNow

ChowNow is a commission-free online ordering platform built specifically for restaurants that want to take control of their digital presence without giving a big cut of sales to third-party delivery apps. Instead of charging per-order commissions (like Uber Eats or DoorDash), ChowNow works on a flat monthly or annual subscription fee model.

Here’s a breakdown:

Pricing Plans

• Monthly: Hub $119, Pro $299, Premier $328
• Annual: Hub $119, Pro $199, Premier $298

Additional Fees

• Setup: $119–$499
• Processing: 2.95% + $0.29
• Annual developer fee: $99 (for Apple apps)
• Printer: $250–$375
• Delivery (Flex Delivery): $3.99 per order

Customer Fees

• Customers pay only for meals and optional delivery
  

Fees Not Charged: No per-order commissions, service fees, or hidden delivery markups.

7. Toast delivery service 

Toast POS is a complete restaurant management software designed to save you money. Instead of paying solely for a delivery service, you invest in tools that streamline your restaurant operations.

With Toast, you get commission-free delivery and low delivery fees, giving you more control over your profits.

Monthly Plans

• Starter Kit: $0/month
• Pro: Starting at $69/month
• Build Your Own: Custom pricing

Note: All monthly plans include a robust set of restaurant management features. To enable a digital storefront with delivery and online ordering, you simply add an affordable fee. This allows you to maintain full control while avoiding steep third-party commission costs. 

Delivery Fees

• Uber Direct: $6.99 for 6 miles, incremental increases for longer distances
• DoorDash Drive: $7.49 for 5 miles, +$0.50/mile beyond
• Driver tip: 20% recommended
• Delivery service charge: $3.99
  

Fees Not Charged: No mandatory per-order commissions, no hidden platform fees, and optional subscriptions only for additional features.

8. Caviar

Caviar is a food delivery platform that connects customers with premium and local restaurants. Like Postmates, which Uber Eats acquired, Caviar was acquired by DoorDash in 2020, giving it access to similar features, pricing plans, and add-on options.

Commission fee on each order 

• Basic: 15% commission/order 
• Plus: 25% commission/order 
• Premier: 30% commission/order 
• Pickup orders: 12% commission

Commerce platform (Online Ordering)

• Starter: $0/month, 0% commission (card fees apply)
• Boost: $54/store/month 
• Pro: $249/store/month 

Note: Caviar’s online ordering is structured identically to DoorDash’s, using the same commission-free model for Storefront orders. 

Processing Fees

• 2.9% + $0.30 per online order (your own site)
• $0 on DoorDash app/website (covered by commission)

Customer Fees

• Delivery: $1.99–$8.99
• DashPass: $9.99/month or  $96/year (free delivery, lower service fees)
• Service: 15–18% of subtotal
• Small Order: $2.50 for orders under $10–$12
• Menu Markup: Caviar is slightly higher

Fees Not Charged: No setup fees for basic storefront, no hidden service charges, commission-free for own site orders.

9. GloriaFood

GloriaFood is an online ordering and delivery system that offers a robust set of free features, with optional advanced tools available at a low cost.

It’s more than just a delivery platform. It’s a comprehensive restaurant management system. GloriaFood’s online ordering and delivery tools centralize all pickup, delivery, and dine-in orders, giving you complete control over your business operations in one place.

Pricing breakdown 

• Free service plan 

Optional paid services 

• POS system: $49/month/location 
• Online/credit card payment: $29/month 
• Advance promo marketing: $19/month 
• Sales optimized website: $9/month 
• Branded mobile apps: $ 59/month 

Customers fee

• Delivery fee: Set entirely by the restaurant based on zones or the chosen delivery provider. GloriaFood does not standardize this.
• Online payment fees: Approximately 3.5%–5.5%, charged by the payment processor (not GloriaFood)

Note: GloriaFood is not a third-party delivery service like Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grab. It’s a restaurant-owned ordering and delivery management system with geofencing capabilities. You can manage your orders and assign deliveries directly through GloriaFood if you already have a delivery team.

Fees Not Charged: No commission fees, no mandatory subscription, no hidden delivery markups.

10. Unihop

UniHop boasts a 100% pickup rate and nationwide delivery coverage. One of the best things about UniHop is that it charges no commission, plus there’s no monthly subscription, transaction fee, or setup fee. 

It’s perfect for groceries, food, retail items, transport goods, furniture, or even sending a package to a friend. This makes it an ideal solution for anyone just starting a business.

All you need to pay is the delivery fee:

• Standard store deliveries: $14.99, with no upcharges and no service fees.
• Long-distance deliveries: For deliveries over 15 miles, the fee increases by $1 per mile.
• Oversize Deliveries: Deliveries requiring a large vehicle start at $29.99.

Note: UniHop encourages users to reach out to support for any further questions about pricing.

Fees Not Charged: No commission, no monthly subscription, no transaction or setup fees, no service markups.

Comparison matrix: What is the cheapest food delivery app

The cheapest delivery food app options are Robomart and Unihop, with their low or no fees and simple delivery charges. ChowNow and Toast Delivery balance affordability with more control over branding and operations. Uber Eats, Postmates, Caviar, DoorDash, and Grubhub generally involve higher commissions and processing fees but provide broader customer reach.

How to choose the right delivery app for your restaurant

1. Consider a restaurant ordering system

A major benefit of some restaurant ordering systems is that they operate on a commission-free basis. Instead of paying a percentage on every single order, you might pay a flat monthly charge for the platform itself. This is often a much better deal, as it allows you to keep more of your profit, especially as your online sales grow.

2. Consider a restaurant management platform

Choosing an all-in-one restaurant management software is one of the most cost-effective strategies for a restaurant today. This approach is advantageous because you get a full suite of integrated tools, like the best digital menu for restaurants and a third-party delivery app, or you can handle delivery in-house with your own team.

Instead of just getting one small piece of a service, you get an entire set of tools that work together perfectly. It's like buying a whole kitchen instead of just a single pan.

3. Choose the popular app, but budget-friendly 

Instead of just signing up, you need to choose a partnership plan that gives you the best return on your investment and a high profit margin possible.

For a restaurant, choosing a premium plan on a popular delivery app is like buying a front-row seat at a big concert.

By paying a higher commission fee, you get increased visibility and a guaranteed way to stand out. Instead of being buried at the bottom of a long list of restaurants, your restaurant is featured at the top of the app's home screen, in special sections, and in search results.

This increased visibility is a form of advertising. With millions of people using the app, it puts your restaurant directly in front of a huge number of potential new customers.

4. Think of costumers fee

Beyond the costs to your restaurant, you must also consider the fees charged to the customer, as this will have a major impact on your order numbers. If customers face a high combination of delivery fees, non-optional tips, service charges, and restaurant surcharges, they may choose not to order from you. 

The final cost to the customer can become so high that the fees alone are more expensive than the food they ordered, which is a major deterrent.

5. Balance quality and cost

Finding the cheapest delivery app is important, but you don’t want a situation where customer orders are late, incorrect, or not delivered at all. Beyond the cost, it’s essential to carefully review user and customer feedback to understand the app’s reliability and service quality. 

Disclaimer: Not all cheap options have low quality, but expensive apps are expensive for a reason.

Bring your meals straight to your customers’ doors with the right delivery partner

When you choose the cheapest food delivery app, the goal isn't just to find the cheapest option. It’s about finding the one that generates the highest profit, where the return on your investment far exceeds what you spend on the delivery service.

As much as possible, be smart and do some research. Decide whether you will use a third-party delivery platform or a restaurant management platform, which combines a delivery app, order management, and staff management into a single platform to help you.

To be clear, they are not two contrasting solutions but complementary strategies that you can use.

Be strategic and achieve the success that is waiting for you.

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