Where your money actually goes
The platforms publish only pieces of the answer, and the pieces differ
by platform and order type. Here is what their own pages say:
The restaurant pays a commission out of the food
price. DoorDash lists 15%, 25%, or 30% on delivery orders, depending
on the plan.
The courier gets the delivery fee on Uber Eats, which
Uber says goes to couriers (or to merchants who deliver themselves),
with couriers paying a portion to Uber for services such as payment
processing and support. For grocery orders delivered by a courier,
Uber says all but $0.10 of the service fee goes to the courier too.
Neither page gives a full breakdown of a typical order, and DoorDash’s
split of its customer fees isn’t on the merchant page we checked. What
stays true either way: tips
matter to drivers, and cutting your tip hurts the person who
brought you food.
Sources: DoorDash, “DoorDash Commission
Rates & Pricing” (checked October 2026);
Uber, “Grocery Delivery across the
US: Fees, Pricing and Membership Guide” (September 10, 2026). Uber’s
service-fee split is stated for grocery orders.
Deep dive: NPR’s podcast series
“Delivery Wars” explored the full
economics of this industry—interviewing drivers who make as little
as $2 per hour after expenses, restaurant owners squeezed by 30%
commissions, and the platforms burning cash to grab market share.
Research from the Berkeley Labor Center (2024)
found that after expenses, many gig drivers earn below minimum wage.
A 2025 Human Rights Watch report
documented algorithmic wage practices that keep pay opaque and
unpredictable.
