Should You Start Your Own Delivery or Stick to Swiggy/Zomato? Cost Analysis
Swiggy and Zomato charge 20-25% commission per order, plus GST. For a restaurant doing ₹2 lakh monthly delivery sales, that's ₹40,000-50,000 going to aggregators. Self-delivery sounds tempting, but let's break down the real costs.
What Self-Delivery Actually Costs
You'll need 2-3 delivery boys at ₹15,000-20,000 each, plus fuel (₹8,000-12,000), bike maintenance (₹3,000-5,000), and phone costs (₹2,000). Total: ₹45,000-70,000 monthly for basic coverage. Add insurance, incentives, and management headaches.
The Hybrid Sweet Spot
Most successful restaurants use both. Keep Swiggy/Zomato for customer reach and peak hours, but encourage repeat customers to order directly via WhatsApp or your own system. Offer a small discount (10-15%) for direct orders—you still save money versus aggregator commissions. Focus on regulars within 3-4 km who you can serve reliably.
Start hybrid: keep aggregators for volume, build direct delivery for loyal customers gradually. Going 100% self-delivery too early often fails due to order fluctuations and operational complexity.
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