The internet changed everything.

It changed how we communicate, how we learn, how we entertain ourselves, and how we shop. The distance between desire and action had never been shorter.

Sooner or later, food was destined to follow the same path.

For food businesses, going online felt almost like discovering the Holy Grail: more visibility, more customers, more orders. An opportunity that, until then, had mostly belonged to the biggest players.

For the first time, anyone could compete.

But every opportunity attracts competition. And year after year, the game became harder.

Running a food business was already demanding. Then came websites, advertising, promotions, algorithms, reviews, social media, and the need to constantly optimize every online activity.

Competing online became another full-time job.

Many businesses did not struggle because they lacked passion or because they were not good at what they did. They simply could not fight two battles at once: serving their customers and mastering an increasingly complex digital world.

So they chose what seemed like the only possible solution: selling through food delivery apps.

While thousands of businesses fought to survive, food delivery platforms were building their empires. They became the intermediaries between businesses and customers, gaining the power to set the rules, take a share of every sale, and control the customer relationship.

Commission Fees Are Only the Most Visible Cost

It is easy to assume that the main drawback of food delivery apps is the commission charged on each order. In reality, the problem runs much deeper: it is about losing control over your own business.

When a significant share of sales depends on an external platform, the business remains subject to whatever contractual changes that platform decides to make, with virtually no room for negotiation.

The commission rates charged for handling orders or deliveries can change overnight. A seemingly limited adjustment can force a business to reconsider its prices, promotions, portion sizes, delivery areas, and other decisions that had previously seemed settled.

A commission fee, then, is not just a cost. It becomes an external variable capable of affecting the entire business model.

Visibility Belongs to the Platform Too

That lack of control can also work against us through the algorithm.

Customers do not necessarily find us because they were looking for us. They often choose us based on recommendations and rankings created by a third party, which positions our business alongside its competitors according to parameters over which we have limited influence.

An advantage that works in our favor today may no longer be considered relevant by tomorrow’s algorithm. The visibility we earn is therefore not an asset we own: it can increase, decrease, or disappear because of decisions beyond our control.

The situation becomes even more complicated when the platform allows businesses to purchase sponsored placements. To maintain a prominent position, we may find ourselves having to continuously outspend our competitors.

At that point, commission fees are joined by a variable advertising cost, necessary simply to maintain the same visibility within an ecosystem we do not own.

Before Customers Choose Us, We Have to Win a Direct Comparison

Even if we set aside every algorithmic change, our offer is rarely highlighted without first having to win an overly direct comparison with the competition.

Food delivery platforms use standardized layouts for every business they host. Our ability to communicate what makes us different is often reduced to photographs, prices, reviews, and a short description.

These elements are not always enough to convey the quality of the product, the story behind the business, the care devoted to its ingredients, or the overall value of the experience we offer.

When every option is presented in the same way, price begins to carry more weight. A customer who has never ordered from us may not recognize the value of our brand and simply choose the cheapest alternative or the one supported by the most aggressive promotion.

The result is that every offer begins to look the same. The brand loses strength, and competition moves onto ground that puts even more pressure on margins.

The Greatest Cost Emerges Over Time

The most significant damage is the one that unfolds over the long term.

By relying entirely on third-party apps, we give up building an ecosystem of our own around the strength of our brand. Orders may increase, but the relationship with the people placing them still belongs to the platform.

We do not fully control the customer journey, we cannot freely showcase the value of our offer, and we have limited opportunities to turn a first order into a lasting relationship.

Each sale therefore contributes to the growth of the intermediary, but not necessarily to building a customer base that truly belongs to us.

This does not mean that food delivery apps should be abandoned. They can still serve as a useful channel for reaching new customers and generating orders. The problem begins when they become the only channel and the entire online side of the business depends on their terms.

Building a proprietary e-commerce platform should therefore not be seen as a complete alternative to being present on delivery platforms, but as a strategy to use alongside them. A way to gradually regain control over margins, positioning, data, and customer relationships.

Delivery apps can generate orders. But only an ecosystem we own allows us to turn those orders into a business that is truly ours.