Should You Start Your Own Delivery or Stick to Swiggy/Zomato? Cost Analysis
Compare costs of self-delivery vs aggregators. Break-even orders, delivery partner salaries, and platform fees for Indian restaurants.
Quick Answer
Swiggy/Zomato charge 18–28% commission. Self-delivery costs ₹60–100/order (rider + fuel + packaging). Break-even for own delivery: 15–20 orders/day within 3 km. Use platforms for discovery, DineCard QR menu for direct repeat orders.
True cost of aggregator delivery
Commission is just the start. Add payment processing, packaging, ad boosts, and customer discounts — total platform cost reaches 35–40% of order value.
- Commission: 18–28% of order value
- Payment processing: 1–2% additional
- Packaging: ₹25–45 per order
- Marketing boosts: 5–15% optional but often necessary
- Total platform cost: 35–40% of gross order value
Cost of self-delivery
Own delivery team: 1 rider per 8–12 orders/hour. Salary ₹12,000–18,000/month + fuel ₹3,000–5,000 + packaging ₹25/order.
Per-order cost: ₹60–100 all-in for a restaurant doing 20+ deliveries/day.
- Rider salary: ₹12,000–18,000/month full-time
- Fuel: ₹3,000–5,000/month
- Packaging: ₹25–45/order
- Phone/data for rider: ₹500/month
- Per-order cost at 20 orders/day: ₹60–80
Break-even analysis
Self-delivery breaks even at 15–20 orders/day within 3 km radius. Below that, platform delivery is cheaper (no fixed rider cost).
Hybrid model works best: platforms for new customers, direct for repeat orders.
- Break-even: 15–20 orders/day within 3 km
- Below 15 orders/day: platforms cheaper (no fixed cost)
- Above 30 orders/day: self-delivery saves ₹30,000–50,000/month
- Hybrid: platforms for discovery + direct for repeat customers
Building direct delivery channel
Convert platform customers to direct via QR menu card in every delivery bag, WhatsApp ordering, and 10% direct-order discount.
DineCard QR menu with WhatsApp link makes direct ordering frictionless.
- Packaging insert: DineCard QR + "Order direct, save 10%"
- WhatsApp ordering link in DineCard menu footer
- Direct order discount: 10% (still cheaper than 25% commission)
- Track: direct orders as % of total delivery monthly
When to use each channel
Use Swiggy/Zomato for new customer discovery and peak overflow. Use direct for regulars within 3 km.
Goal: grow direct to 30–40% of delivery volume within 6 months.
- Platforms: new customers, peak overflow, beyond 3 km radius
- Direct: repeat customers, within 3 km, large orders
- DineCard: ₹99/month — enable direct channel immediately
- Review channel mix monthly — optimize for margin
Frequently Asked Questions
At what volume does self-delivery become cheaper than Swiggy?
15–20 orders/day within 3 km. Below that, platform variable cost (commission only on actual orders) beats fixed rider salary.
Can I use Swiggy for discovery and direct for repeat orders?
Yes — this hybrid model is optimal. Use platform for new customers; convert regulars to direct via DineCard QR menu and WhatsApp ordering.
How does DineCard enable direct delivery orders?
DineCard QR menu with WhatsApp order link lets customers order direct — zero commission. Insert QR card in delivery bags. Free 14-day trial at dinecard.in.
Should I leave Swiggy/Zomato entirely?
No — keep platforms for discovery. But grow direct to 30–40% of delivery volume to improve margins significantly.
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