What Fees Get Added to My Food Delivery Order?

UK delivery apps can add up to seven distinct fees to a single order. Here is the complete list, what each one is for, and which you can skip.

The full fee menu

Delivery fee. Pays the courier. £1.49-£4.99 standard, up to £8-£10 with surge. Goes mostly to the driver.

Service fee. The platform's cut, 5-15% of basket. Funds operations, support, profit. Independent of delivery.

Small order fee. £1.99-£2.99 if under threshold (usually £10-£15). Mostly platform-kept.

Surge / busy multiplier, applied to the delivery fee during peak hours, weather events or undersupplied zones. 1.2x-2.5x. Goes to the driver.

Bag or packaging fee. £0.30-£0.80 on some chains. Goes to the restaurant.

Tip, optional. Goes to the courier in full on Uber Eats and Deliveroo; varies on Just Eat.

VAT, already included in displayed prices in the UK. Not a separate line.

Total overhead on a £20 menu basket typically lands at £6-£12, or 30-60% of the food cost.

Which fees are avoidable

You can skip:

  • Service fee: order direct from the restaurant.
  • Small order fee: hit the threshold or skip the order.
  • Surge multiplier: order at off-peak (2-5pm or after 9pm).

You cannot fully skip:

  • Delivery fee: but subscriptions or restaurant-paid free delivery can eliminate it on eligible orders.
  • Tip: optional but expected on most orders.

Which fees are negotiable in principle

None directly with the platform. There is no customer service line that will reduce a service fee on demand. But the total you pay is heavily affected by:

  • Platform choice (compare the three big apps).
  • Direct vs app ordering.
  • Time of day.
  • Promo code usage.
  • Subscription status.

What a real receipt looks like

A typical UK weekday-evening order, £20 menu basket, no surge:

  • Items: £20.00
  • Delivery fee: £2.99
  • Service fee: £1.80
  • Small order fee: £0.00 (over threshold)
  • Tip: £2.00
  • Total: £26.79

Same order during Friday peak with surge:

  • Items: £20.00 (or £22 if items repriced)
  • Delivery fee: £4.99
  • Service fee: £1.80
  • Surge: bundled into delivery fee
  • Tip: £3.00
  • Total: £29.79-£31.79

What is the typical fee on a UK food delivery order?

£5-£12 of overhead on a £20 menu basket, split across delivery fee (£2-£5), service fee (£1-£3), small-order fee where applicable, tip and any surge.

Are tips required on UK delivery apps?

No, tipping is voluntary. UK courier base pay assumes a tip is added on most orders, but there is no obligation to tip. £1-£3 is the typical range for a standard order.

Can I see the full fee breakdown before ordering?

Yes. Every UK app shows a full breakdown at checkout. The breakdown is real, but the headline price displayed on the restaurant page often hides the service fee and small-order surcharge until checkout.