Foodhub Fees and Commission: What Does Foodhub Cost Restaurants?
What Foodhub charges
Foodhub charges restaurants a commission on each order placed through its platform. The rate is lower than Just Eat and Deliveroo, which is a central part of Foodhub’s pitch to restaurant operators.
The relevant question for any restaurant is not just the headline commission rate. It is what the full cost looks like when you account for all fees, customer charges, and the long-term impact of not owning your customer data.
How Foodhub’s fee structure works
Foodhub operates on a commission-based model. Restaurants pay a percentage of each order value to Foodhub for orders placed through the platform.
Foodhub has positioned itself as a low-commission alternative to Just Eat, which charges restaurants between 13% and 30% per order. Foodhub’s rates are generally lower than this, though the exact rate depends on your location, order volume, and the package you agree.
Key cost components to consider:
| Cost element | Notes |
|---|---|
| Commission rate | Percentage of each order paid to Foodhub |
| Payment processing | Typically built into the commission or charged separately |
| Customer service fees | May be charged to the customer on some orders |
| Menu management | Some plans may include setup or listing costs |
| Promoted placement | Enhanced visibility within the app can cost extra |
For the current specific commission rate, contact Foodhub directly. Rates can change and vary by region and negotiation.
The real cost calculation
A percentage commission on orders sounds manageable until you do the arithmetic at volume.
If a takeaway processes £20,000 per month through Foodhub at a 6% commission rate:
- Monthly commission: £1,200
- Annual commission: £14,400
At 10% commission, the same takeaway pays £24,000 per year.
For most takeaways, these are material sums. They represent staff hours, ingredient costs, or the margin that makes the difference between a business that builds equity and one that constantly breaks even.
What you do not get with Foodhub
Understanding the full cost means accounting for what you give up, not just what you pay directly.
Customer data. When a customer orders through Foodhub, their contact information and order history belong to Foodhub. You receive the order, but you cannot contact that customer, market to them, or build a loyalty programme around them. They are Foodhub’s customer, not yours.
Brand experience. Your restaurant appears on Foodhub’s platform alongside competitors. Customers browse a list rather than engaging with your brand specifically. The experience is consistent with Foodhub’s interface.
Control. Foodhub controls your ranking, visibility, and the fees you pay. Any of these can change without notice.
Customer lifetime value. A customer who orders through Foodhub is worth one order to you. A customer in your own loyalty programme, ordering from your branded app, is worth the cumulative value of every future order they place.
Foodhub vs direct ordering: a cost comparison
The most useful comparison is not Foodhub versus Just Eat. It is Foodhub versus a direct ordering platform.
Flipdish online ordering charges a flat monthly fee with no per-order commission. Restaurants get a branded ordering website, a mobile app on iOS and Android, and full access to their customer data.
| Foodhub | Flipdish Direct Ordering | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Per-order commission | Flat monthly fee |
| Customer data | Owned by Foodhub | Owned by you |
| Branded mobile app | No | Yes — iOS and Android |
| Loyalty programme | No | Yes |
| Commission per order | Yes | No |
| Brand experience | Listed on Foodhub | Your own brand |
| Marketing tools | Limited | AI-powered |
At moderate volumes, a flat-fee model typically costs less in total than marketplace commission. At higher volumes, the saving is substantial.
When Foodhub makes sense
Foodhub can be a reasonable choice for restaurants that:
- Are in areas with meaningful Foodhub customer adoption
- Want marketplace visibility at lower cost than Just Eat or Deliveroo
- Are starting out and want to test demand before investing in their own platform
- Do not yet have the customer base to drive significant direct order volume
In these cases, Foodhub provides access to order volume at a cost that may be acceptable while the business establishes itself.
When Foodhub becomes expensive
Foodhub becomes expensive when:
- Your order volume grows and commissions compound month over month
- You want to run a loyalty programme but cannot access customer data
- You want to run targeted promotions but have no direct marketing channel
- You recognise that Foodhub’s algorithm, not your restaurant’s reputation, is what drives your orders
These are signals that a direct ordering platform would serve you better.
Moving to direct ordering
Switching to direct ordering does not mean abandoning marketplace reach overnight. Many restaurants run both: staying listed on Foodhub for discovery while directing existing customers to their own ordering channel.
The process works like this:
- Set up your own ordering website or branded app through a platform like Flipdish
- Promote direct ordering on packaging, receipts, and social media
- Run a first-order incentive to convert loyal customers to your own channel
- Build a loyalty programme to retain customers once they switch
- Monitor direct order volume against Foodhub volume over time
- Reduce Foodhub dependency as your direct channel grows
Flipdish AI Marketing can help automate this process, identifying the right customers to target and sending campaigns that bring them back to your own channel rather than a marketplace.
What to check before signing with Foodhub
Before agreeing to any arrangement with Foodhub:
- Get the exact commission rate in writing
- Understand whether customers are also charged service fees
- Clarify the contract length and notice period
- Ask about any minimum volume requirements or marketing contribution obligations
- Confirm what happens to your listing and order data if you leave the platform
These questions will give you a clear picture of the true cost and the flexibility of the arrangement.
The bottom line
Foodhub is cheaper than Just Eat. That is true. But commission is still commission, and for a takeaway or restaurant doing real volume, the cumulative cost of per-order fees adds up.
The alternative — a direct ordering platform like Flipdish — means paying a flat monthly fee, owning your customer relationships, and building a business that is not dependent on a marketplace algorithm or subject to unilateral fee changes.
If you are evaluating Foodhub and want to understand what direct ordering would cost in comparison, Flipdish online ordering pricing gives you a starting point.
See also:
