To compare online ordering fees across small and large baskets, calculate the total restaurant-paid fee for each basket size, including an allocated share of monthly charges. Then divide that fee by the food-and-drink subtotal. Run the same calculation for each quote using your expected order mix.
A fixed charge per order weighs more heavily on a small basket. A percentage charge grows with the basket. Monthly subscriptions add another wrinkle: their cost per order falls as volume rises. The cheapest quote at $15 may not be the cheapest at $60, and neither result alone tells you which quote fits your restaurant.
Get the whole fee structure in writing
Ask each provider for a quote that separates recurring charges, order-based charges and charges that arise only in certain situations. Use the same service scope for every quote: one location versus one location, for example, and pickup and delivery if you need both.
Your quote checklist should cover:
- Fixed charges: monthly or annual software fees, required add-ons, setup, hardware and any minimum commitment.
- Variable charges: provider commission, payment processing percentages, per-transaction charges and any charges that change by order channel or payment method.
- Delivery and exceptions: dispatch or courier charges, cancellation charges, refunds, chargebacks and other fees that may occur outside a normal completed order.
- Guest charges: delivery, service or other checkout fees, including who sets them and who receives them.
Ask what each percentage is applied to. A rate based on the food subtotal can produce a different bill from a rate based on a total that also includes guest fees, tips or other amounts. Ask whether processing charges apply when an order is refunded and whether a subscription changes after an introductory period.
The provider supplies its rates and terms. You supply the expected order count, basket sizes, pickup and delivery mix, and estimates for costs such as food and labor. Use your own order history if you have it; otherwise, make a conservative estimate and check the decision at a lower volume too.
Fleksa's plans page, checked November 2026, lists Fix at $199 per month per location with 0% Fleksa commission on direct online orders. Processing, delivery or dispatch, hardware or add-ons, and applicable sales tax are separate. That is a starting point for a quote, not an all-in cost per order. Confirm current pricing and the setup you need before comparing it with another offer.
Calculate fees at representative basket sizes
Start with three subtotals that resemble your business: a small order, a typical order and a larger group order. Use the food-and-drink subtotal consistently. Keep tips and guest-paid fees separate unless the quote says a percentage is calculated on them.
The following example is hypothetical and is not a Fleksa quote. It assumes 200 completed orders per month and two offers covering the same ordering services:
- Offer A: $100 monthly, plus 2% of the food subtotal and $0.30 per order.
- Offer B: $40 monthly, plus 4% of the food subtotal and $0.10 per order.
Assume those variable charges represent the full quoted processing and ordering fees for ordinary completed orders. The table includes both fixed and variable charges. It excludes delivery, hardware, setup, tax and exception costs such as refunds and chargebacks; add those separately when comparing real quotes. Dividing each monthly charge by 200 allocates $0.50 per order for A and $0.20 for B.
| Food subtotal | Offer A: fee and rate | Offer B: fee and rate | Lower fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $1.10; 7.33% | $0.90; 6.00% | B by $0.20 |
| $30 | $1.40; 4.67% | $1.50; 5.00% | A by $0.10 |
| $60 | $2.00; 3.33% | $2.70; 4.50% | A by $0.70 |
Read each percentage as the allocated ordering fee divided by that row's food subtotal, not as the provider's advertised rate. For the $30 order under A, the calculation is $0.50 in allocated monthly cost, plus $0.60 in percentage charges, plus $0.30 per order. The total is $1.40, or about 4.67% of $30.
At this volume, the offers are equal at a $25 subtotal. Below that, B costs less per order; above it, A costs less. The crossover changes when order volume changes because the monthly charges are spread across a different number of orders. If your volume is seasonal, repeat the worksheet for a slow month and a busy month rather than relying on one annual average.
Separate the guest's bill from your costs
A guest-paid delivery fee is neither food sales nor automatically the amount you pay a courier. Track the guest charge, the amount you receive from it and the actual dispatch cost on separate lines. Also ask whether the provider retains any part of a guest fee and whether that fee changes the processing base.
For a separate hypothetical delivery order, suppose the food subtotal is $30, the guest pays a $4 delivery fee that the restaurant receives in full, and dispatch costs the restaurant $6. Before ordering and processing fees, the restaurant has $34 in food and delivery receipts and a $6 dispatch expense. The guest fee offsets $4 of that expense, leaving a $2 delivery shortfall. It does not make delivery free for either party.
That illustration excludes tips, tax, processing, food, labor, subscriptions and exceptions. In a real quote, ask whether the $4 is passed through in full and whether processing is charged on $30 or $34. If the guest sees a service fee as well, include it in the guest's total even if your restaurant never receives it.
A lower restaurant-paid fee can still come with a higher checkout total for the guest. Review both sides before deciding whether to absorb a charge, change a guest fee or adjust a minimum order. Your restaurant website and checkout should make the amounts clear enough for a guest to understand before placing an order.
Compare monthly contribution, not just rates
Now apply the basket table to the orders you expect. In the first hypothetical example, suppose the 200 monthly orders consist of 80 at $15, 80 at $30 and 40 at $60. Food sales total $6,000: $1,200 plus $2,400 plus $2,400.
Offer A's ordering fees total $280: $88 for the small orders, $112 for the middle orders and $80 for the large orders. Offer B's total $300: $72, $120 and $108 respectively. Those totals include the allocated monthly charges. A costs $20 less for this particular mix, even though B is cheaper for each $15 order.
For a simple contribution comparison, assume the same $1,800 in food costs, $600 in order-related labor, $300 in dispatch expense and $200 in guest delivery fees received by the restaurant under either offer. Also assume the quoted ordering fees above already cover processing on the food subtotal, with no extra processing charge on guest fees in this example.
- Offer A: $6,000 food sales + $200 guest fees − $1,800 food − $600 labor − $300 dispatch − $280 ordering fees = $3,220.
- Offer B: $6,000 food sales + $200 guest fees − $1,800 food − $600 labor − $300 dispatch − $300 ordering fees = $3,200.
These are contribution estimates, not profit. They include the stated fixed and variable ordering fees and the listed operating costs, but exclude setup, hardware, tax, refunds, chargebacks and other exception costs, as well as rent and other overhead. Add relevant items before making a decision. If an offer changes staffing, guest charges or dispatch arrangements, those differences belong in the comparison too.
Under these assumptions, A has the higher contribution by $20 a month. That small difference could disappear if A has extra charges or the order mix shifts toward smaller baskets. Check the result against your actual volume and ask for the complete terms. For a broader channel comparison, see the guide to direct and marketplace contribution.
Use the numbers to negotiate and decide
Give each provider the same three basket sizes and expected monthly volume. Ask for a written estimate showing the restaurant-paid amount for each order, the monthly total and any costs left out. Request a separate example for a refund and for a delivery order so exception and dispatch charges do not hide behind a standard pickup quote.
Then change one assumption at a time. What happens if volume drops? What if more orders are small? What if delivery represents a larger share? A quote that wins by a few dollars under one mix deserves a closer look at its minimums, contract term and included services. Ask a qualified adviser about contract, legal or tax treatment when needed.
Use this checklist on your current setup, then ask Fleksa about restaurant online ordering and verified availability in your US location. Bring your basket sizes and order count so you can request a comparable written quote.
Frequently asked questions
Why can a small order have a higher effective fee rate?
A per-order charge and an allocated share of a monthly fee take up more of a small subtotal. Divide the total restaurant-paid fee for that order by its food subtotal to see the effect.
Should I count a guest delivery fee as restaurant revenue?
Track it separately from food sales and confirm how much the restaurant receives. Compare that receipt with the actual dispatch expense; do not assume the two amounts are equal.
Is the lowest processing rate the cheapest option?
Not necessarily. A processing rate is only one part of the operating cost. Include subscriptions, per-order charges, delivery, add-ons and expected exception costs, then compare the totals at your likely order volume and basket mix.
