Courier costs are one of the line items restaurants most often judge too narrowly. Using marketplace couriers feels appealing because it looks "ready-made" — but the price of that ready-made convenience is buried in the commission on every order. Comparing the real numbers against running your own courier team makes it much easier to make the right call.
The Real Cost of Marketplace Couriers
When you use marketplace couriers, the delivery fee is usually hidden inside the order commission. As your order volume rises, that cost rises right along with it in a straight line — what you pay per delivery doesn't stay fixed, it grows along with your revenue.
The Fixed and Variable Costs of Your Own Courier Team
Your own courier team carries fixed costs like salaries, insurance and vehicles — but those costs don't scale up in proportion to your order volume. Past a certain order density, a team with fixed costs becomes more advantageous than a commission-based model.
When Your Own Team Makes Sense
Once your daily delivery count crosses a certain threshold, the cost of running your own team drops below what you'd pay in marketplace commission. Being able to directly control delivery times during rush hours — deciding for yourself which order goes out first — also has a positive effect on customer satisfaction.
Why Live Tracking Makes a Difference
Your own courier app lets the customer see the courier's location live. That transparency cuts down "where's my order" calls and improves the customer experience — without relying on a third-party app.
The Bottom Line
Running your own courier team isn't the right answer for every restaurant, but once your order volume passes a certain point, comparing the costs is worth doing. A fixed-cost structure is usually more predictable for a growing business.