SPECIAL REPORT
FIRST-PARTY DELIVERY MAY NOT HAVE THE ADVANTAGES RESTAURANTS THINK IT DOES
W hen it comes to delivery, restaurants almost always prefer customers to order directly, rather than through a third party. Orders placed through a restaurants’ own website or app are better for all involved, or so the thinking goes. Customers get a lower price by avoiding the markups and fees on third-party delivery apps, and restaurants get more data on those transactions and more control over the experience. But consumers themselves say they are almost equally happy ordering directly or through a third-party app like DoorDash, Uber Eats or Grubhub, suggesting that restaurants may need to do more to entice customers to use their direct channels. That’s according to a secret shopper study from researcher Intouch Insight, conducted exclusively for Restaurant Business and sister publication Nation’s Restaurant News. The analysis of transactions from more than 300 consumers found that those who ordered first-party delivery were satisfied about 88% of the time, while those using a third-party app had a satisfaction rate of 90%. And, notably, first party’s biggest expected benefit—price—was not really a factor. First-party customers paid an average of $26.28 for their food, while third-party users paid slightly more at $26.72. The difference was 44 cents, or less than 2%. (Shoppers were instructed to order one entree, a side and a drink. Third-party users could order from anywhere, while first- party customers could choose from a list of 10 quick-service options.) This pricing parity may not be as surprising as it seems. Third- party delivery apps have been working to make themselves more affordable for a couple of years. Compared to a similar Intouch Insight study conducted last year, third-party service fees declined an average of 82 cents in 2025, for an average total of $5.14. Fees were actually higher for first-party orders, clocking in at $5.96, on average. Customers did note price markups on third-party delivery apps. Entrees on the apps were $1.85 more expensive, on average, than they were on the restaurant’s regular menu. Restaurants often hike their prices on third-party delivery apps to help cover the commissions charged by the apps.
Direct ordering has lost its pricing edge versus third-party apps, and customers say they’re equally happy using either method, according to new research from Intouch Insight.
JOE GUSZKOWSKI
JOSEPH.GUSZKOWSKI@INFORMA.COM
24
RESTAURANT BUSINESS OCTOBER 2025
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