All posts COSTS · 5 MIN READ

The real cost of commission-based ordering, and the zero-commission alternative

Aggregators and many QR platforms take 3–30% of every order. This post works out what that does to a restaurant’s year, and how flat-fee, zero-commission ordering changes the maths.

Athul Sekhar · Updated September 2026

Commission costs you most on your best nights

A percentage fee takes the most when you’re busiest. ₹4 lakh of Friday dinners at 5% is ₹20,000, and that’s every week. A flat fee costs the same on your best night as on your quietest.

Higher prices to cover commission

To cover commission, many restaurants raise their prices on the apps. Guests notice, and some order less. On direct orders with no commission, you can charge your normal menu price.

Don’t pay commission on your regulars

Aggregators charge you the same commission for a regular who’d have come anyway. Direct QR ordering keeps your regulars ordering from you, and the data stays with you.

What a flat fee looks like

Zervoo charges per venue, per month. There’s no fee per order, extra staff logins are free, and commission is zero. The maths is simple, which makes it easy to budget for.

A year of commission against a year of flat fee

Put a year side by side. This is what the same direct orders cost at a 10% and a 15% per-order commission. A flat fee per venue stays the same whichever column your year lands in, and it does not grow with your best months.

When aggregators still make sense

For discovery. A new kitchen in a new city can borrow an aggregator’s audience. The mistake is paying that price for guests who already know you. For the monthly numbers and a step-by-step plan, read how to reduce Zomato and Swiggy commission.