# How to Set Up Delivery Platforms Without Losing Money on Fees
Let’s be honest: the relationship between Brisbane restaurant owners and delivery platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Menulog is... complicated. It’s a classic "can’t live with them, can’t live without them" scenario. While these apps can send your kitchen into a frenzy of orders, their 30% commission fees can eat your profit margins faster than a hungry teenager eats a HSP.
At Local Marketing Group, we’ve seen too many local cafes and restaurants work themselves to the bone just to pay the delivery giants. This guide is designed to help you set up these platforms strategically, ensuring that every bag that leaves your shop actually puts money in your pocket.
Why this matters
In the current Australian economy, delivery isn't just a luxury; for many, it’s a primary discovery tool. If you aren't on the apps, you're invisible to thousands of locals. However, if you set them up incorrectly, you're essentially volunteering your time and stock for free. We’re going to fix that.---
Prerequisites: What you’ll need before starting
Before you sit down with a coffee to tackle this, make sure you have the following ready to go:- Your ABN and Business Details: You'll need your Australian Business Number and GST status.
- High-Quality Photos: Not just "good" photos—great ones. (We’ll talk about why this matters for your pricing later).
- A Digital Menu: A PDF or link to your current dine-in menu.
- Bank Details: For those weekly (or daily) payouts.
- A Calculator: We’re going to be doing some "Delivery Math."
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Step 1: The "Delivery Math" – Protect Your Margins First
This is where most people get stuck, and honestly, the platforms don't make it easy to see how much you're actually losing. Before you even sign up, you need to calculate your Markup Strategy. The Reality Check: Most platforms charge between 25% and 35% commission. If your food cost is 30% and your labour is 30%, a 30% commission leaves you with just 10% to cover rent, electricity, and profit. That’s too thin. The Fix: You must increase your prices on the apps. In Australia, it is standard practice to mark up delivery prices by 15% to 25% compared to your dine-in menu.- Pro Tip: Don't just do a flat 20% across the board. Look at your high-margin items (like chips or soft drinks) and mark them up more aggressively. Keep your "hero" items slightly more competitive.
Step 2: Choosing Your Platforms (Don't Sign Everything)
You don't have to be everywhere at once. In Brisbane, Uber Eats usually has the highest volume, but DoorDash is growing rapidly in the suburbs like Chermside or Upper Mt Gravatt.- Uber Eats: Best for volume, highest fees.
- DoorDash: Great merchant tools and often slightly more flexible on delivery radiuses.
- Menulog: Often has lower commission rates if you use your own drivers (Self-Delivery).
Step 3: The Sign-Up Process (The Paperwork Grind)
Go to the "Merchant" or "Partner" pages of your chosen platform.- Uber Eats: restaurants.uber.com
- DoorDash: get.doordash.com
- Menulog: menulog.com.au/info/join-us
- Watch out here: Ensure your address matches exactly how it appears on Google Maps. If the pin is wrong, drivers will end up in the alleyway behind your shop, and your food will get cold while they circle the block.
Step 4: Optimising Your Menu for Delivery
Not everything on your dine-in menu should be on your delivery menu. This is a common mistake.- Remove "Travel-Unfriendly" Items: If your soufflé collapses in 30 seconds or your ice cream melts by the time it hits the Story Bridge, leave it off.
- Create Bundles: This is the secret to beating the fees. Create "Family Deals" or "Date Night Packs." It’s easier to hide the commission in a $60 bundle than a $15 burger.
- Add Modifiers: Ensure every item has "Add-ons." Want extra bacon? $2.50. Want a side of aioli? $2.00. These small, high-margin additions are what make delivery profitable.
Step 5: Professional Photography (The "Hunger" Factor)
People eat with their eyes. On a delivery app, your photo is your entire sales pitch.- Avoid: Dark, blurry photos taken on your phone in a messy kitchen.
- The Pro Move: Use natural light. Take photos near a window during the day. If you can afford it, hire a local Brisbane food photographer for a two-hour session. It will pay for itself in a week.
Note: Uber Eats often offers a free professional photoshoot for new merchants. Take it. Even if you don't use them forever, those photos are yours to use.
Step 6: Setting Up the Hardware
Once approved, the platform will send you a tablet (usually a Samsung or iPad) and a printer (optional but recommended).- Location matters: Place the tablet where your Front of House staff can see it clearly, but away from the customer's reach.
- The Notification Sound: Warning—the Uber Eats "ping" will haunt your dreams. Set the volume loud enough to hear over a coffee machine but not so loud it scares your dine-in guests.
Step 7: Packaging That Protects Your Brand
If a customer pays $30 for a meal and it arrives soggy or leaked in the bag, they won't blame the driver; they'll blame you.- Vented Containers: Crucial for fried foods (chips, calamari) so they stay crisp.
- Tamper-Proof Seals: Use stickers to seal the bags. It gives customers peace of mind and prevents "chip theft" by drivers (it happens!).
- The Personal Touch: Drop a business card in the bag with a "Order Direct Next Time & Save 10%" offer. This is how you migrate customers off the high-fee platforms and onto your own system.
Step 8: Managing the Workflow (The "Kitchen Chaos" Step)
This is where most people get frustrated. The orders come in all at once.- Integrated POS: If possible, link your delivery apps directly to your Point of Sale (like Square, Lightspeed, or Revel). This means orders go straight to the kitchen printer without staff having to manually re-type them into the till.
- Buffer Times: On busy Friday nights, don't be afraid to increase your "Prep Time" on the tablet. It’s better to tell a customer it will take 40 minutes than to promise 20 and be late.
Step 9: The "Pause" Button is Your Friend
Don't be a hero. If your dine-in restaurant is slammed and the kitchen is 30 minutes behind, pause the tablets.It is better to lose an hour of delivery sales than to send out five sub-par meals and get five 1-star reviews. One bad review on these platforms can tank your "ranking," making you less visible to future customers.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring the Data: Check your weekly statements. Are you losing money on specific items? Adjust the price or remove them.
- Bad Menu Names: Don't call it "The Special." Call it "Double Wagyu Beef Burger with Truffle Mayo." Use keywords people actually search for.
- Forgetting GST: Remember that the platform takes their commission after GST is calculated. Talk to your accountant to ensure your bookkeeping reflects this correctly.
- Not Responding to Reviews: Even a simple "Thanks for ordering, glad you liked the tacos!" helps your algorithm ranking.
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Troubleshooting Common Issues
- "My tablet won't connect to Wi-Fi": Most of these tablets are locked down. Restart the device. If it’s still failing, check if your shop's Wi-Fi has a "Guest" portal that requires a login—these tablets hate those. Use a private, password-protected band.
- "The driver never showed up": This is frustrating. Mark the order as "Issue with Driver" in the app immediately so the customer gets notified it's not your fault.
- "I'm not getting any orders": Check your "Store Hours" in the manager portal. Sometimes they default to weird times. Also, ensure you have at least 5-10 items with photos.
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Next Steps
Setting up the platforms is just the beginning. To truly win at the delivery game, you need to start driving your own traffic.- Claim your Google Business Profile: Ensure your "Order Online" button points to your preferred platform (or your own website).
- Run a "First Order" Promo: Uber Eats allows you to run a "Spend $30, Save $5" promo. These are great for getting your first 20 reviews.
- Build Your Own System: Once you're comfortable, look into tools like Commission-Free Ordering (like Bopple or HungryHungry) to keep 100% of your profit from loyal regulars.
Need help navigating the digital side of your Brisbane restaurant? We live and breathe local hospitality marketing. Contact the team at Local Marketing Group and let’s get your kitchen humming without the fee-induced headaches.
You’ve got this! It’s a bit of a learning curve, but once those systems are in place, it becomes second nature.