Last Updated on June 25, 2026
What to Spend and Where
Executive summary
Most takeaways are entirely dependent on delivery platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats, paying 14 to 30% commission on every order. That commission eats the profit margin on most orders, but breaking free of the platforms feels impossible because that is where the customers are.
This page breaks down what each marketing channel actually costs for UK takeaways in 2026, including the real cost of platform dependency and what it takes to build direct ordering that you control.
Key facts
Key takeaways
- Delivery platform commissions range from 14% (Just Eat basic) to 30% (Deliveroo, Uber Eats with delivery). On a £20 order, that is £2.80 to £6.00 gone before you factor in food costs.
- A direct ordering website or app costs £30 to £150 per month and typically charges 0 to 5% commission, saving you £3 to £5 per order compared to third-party platforms.
- Google Ads CPCs for takeaway keywords are low at £0.50 to £3, making it affordable to drive traffic to your own ordering system.
- Your Google Business Profile is free and should link directly to your own ordering page, not Just Eat. Every order you redirect from a platform to direct ordering saves you 15 to 25% in commission.
- Leaflet drops remain effective for takeaways, with a typical cost of £50 to £150 per 1,000 and a response rate of 1 to 3%. In densely populated areas, this is one of the cheapest ways to acquire a new customer.
How to read this page
This is a reference page, not a blog post. Jump to the section that matters to you.
If you want to know what Google Ads costs for takeaways, go to Section 3. If you want SEO and website costs, go to Section 4. If you’re looking at platforms and directories, go to Section 5. For budget templates, skip to Section 6. If you want to know what to avoid, go to Section 7.
All figures are in GBP and reflect UK market data as of early 2026.
Google Ads costs
Google Ads is the fastest route to building direct orders outside of delivery platforms. When someone searches “pizza delivery [area]” or “Indian takeaway near me,” you can appear above the Just Eat and Deliveroo listings and send them straight to your own ordering system.
Cost per click by keyword
| Keyword | Average CPC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| takeaway near me | £0.50 – £2 | Massive volume, broad intent |
| [cuisine] takeaway [area] | £0.50 – £2.50 | Specific intent, good conversion |
| pizza delivery [area] | £1 – £3 | High intent, competitive in cities |
| indian takeaway near me | £0.50 – £2 | High volume, good conversion |
| chinese takeaway near me | £0.50 – ¢2 | High volume, price-sensitive audience |
| food delivery [area] | £0.50 – £2 | Broad, captures all cuisines |
| order food online [area] | £0.50 – £2 | Direct ordering intent |
| kebab delivery [area] | £0.30 – £1.50 | Lower CPC, good margins |
Cost Per Direct Order (Google Ads)
Compare this to £3-£6 platform commission per order. Google Ads often costs less than the platform fees you would otherwise pay.
What to budget
Most takeaways that use Google Ads spend £100 to £400 per month. The goal is not to replace platform orders entirely, but to build a direct ordering channel alongside them. If you can shift 20 to 30% of your orders from platforms to direct, the commission savings alone pay for the ad spend.
The economics: on a £20 average order, Just Eat charges £2.80 to £6.00 in commission. Your own ordering system charges £0 to £1.00. If Google Ads costs you £4 to acquire a direct order, and that customer orders directly 10 times over the next year, you save £28 to £50 in platform fees.
Watch out
Google Ads only work if you have a functional direct ordering system. Sending people to a website that says “call us to order” or “find us on Just Eat” wastes your ad spend entirely. Set up a proper online ordering system before running ads.
SEO and website costs
SEO for takeaways is primarily about your Google Business Profile and appearing in the local map pack. Most takeaway customers search on mobile and order within minutes, so your local listing is more important than your website.
Local SEO Retainer
Google Business Profile management, citation building, review strategy
Website with Online Ordering
Menu display, online ordering integration, mobile-optimised
What you get for the money
| Service | Cost | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile optimisation | Free (DIY) or £100 – £250 one-off | Photos, menu, ordering link, hours, review strategy |
| Direct ordering system | £30 – £150/mo | Flipdish, OrderYOYO, ChowNow, or similar |
| Website build with ordering | £500 – £2,000 | Menu, ordering widget, mobile-optimised |
| Monthly local SEO | £100 – £300/mo | GBP management, review responses, local citations |
| Menu photography | £150 – £400 one-off | Professional shots of 15-25 dishes |
The most impactful action for any takeaway is getting your Google Business Profile right with professional food photos and a direct ordering link. When someone searches “curry near me,” your GBP listing is the first thing they see. If it links to your own ordering system instead of Just Eat, you save the commission on every order.
Delivery platform and directory costs
Delivery platforms dominate the UK takeaway market. Understanding their cost structures is essential for managing your margins.
| Platform | Commission (Self-Delivery) | Commission (Platform Delivery) | Other Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just Eat | 14% | 25 – 30% | Tablet fee £50/mo, marketing add-ons extra |
| Deliveroo | 20 – 25% | 25 – 30% | Activation fee, marketing fees optional |
| Uber Eats | 13% (pickup) | 25 – 30% | Marketing fees optional, surge pricing |
| Flipdish (own app) | 0% (flat monthly fee) | N/A (self-delivery only) | £99 – £299/mo depending on features |
| OrderYOYO | 0 – 5% | N/A | Monthly fee from £30/mo |
The platform maths
On a £20 order with 30% food costs (£6) and 30% platform commission (£6), your margin is £8 before rent, staff, energy, and packaging. On the same £20 order through your own system with 3% payment processing, your margin is £13.40. That is a 68% margin improvement per order. The question is not whether direct ordering is better, it is how to get customers to use it.
Budget templates by business size
Takeaway marketing budgets should focus primarily on shifting orders from high-commission platforms to direct ordering.
Single unit takeaway
| Channel | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Free | Link to direct ordering, food photos, reviews |
| Direct ordering system | £30 – £100 | Flipdish, OrderYOYO, or similar |
| Google Ads (local + cuisine) | £100 – £250 | Drive traffic to direct ordering |
| Leaflet drops (monthly) | £50 – £100 | With QR code to direct ordering |
| SMS marketing (existing customers) | £20 – £40 | Weekly specials, direct ordering offers |
| Total | £200 – £490/mo |
Multi-unit / growing takeaway
| Channel | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile (per location) | Free | Separate optimised listing per site |
| Direct ordering system | £100 – £300 | Multi-location ordering app |
| Google Ads | £300 – £800 | Per-location campaigns |
| Social media (Facebook + Instagram) | £100 – £300 | Food content, offers, local targeting |
| Leaflet drops | £100 – £200 | New area launches, seasonal promotions |
| SMS / email marketing | £40 – £80 | Customer database marketing |
| SEO retainer | £150 – £350 | Per-location local SEO |
| Total | £790 – £2,030/mo |
Red flags and wasted spend
Red flag 1: 100% Platform dependency
If all your orders come through Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats, you are paying 14 to 30% commission on every order and you have zero customer data. You cannot contact your customers, you cannot build loyalty, and you are one algorithm change away from losing visibility.
Red flag 2: No direct ordering option
A direct ordering system costs £30 to £150 per month. Even shifting 20% of orders to direct saves thousands in annual commission. If you do not have your own ordering channel, set one up this week.
Red flag 3: Poor food photography
On delivery platforms, your menu photos are the biggest factor in conversion. Poor photos lose orders. Invest £150 to £400 in professional photography of your top-selling dishes. The ROI is immediate.
Red flag 4: No customer database
Platform orders give you no customer data. Direct orders do. A database of 500 customers who have ordered directly means you can send weekly offers and drive repeat orders for pennies per message. This compounds over time and reduces platform dependency.
Red flag 5: Not using leaflets with QR codes
Leaflet drops are still one of the most effective channels for takeaways, but only if the leaflet drives direct orders. Include a QR code linking to your ordering system and a first-order discount. A 1 to 3% response rate on a 2,000-leaflet drop means 20 to 60 new direct customers.
Offline marketing costs
Offline marketing remains highly effective for takeaways, particularly in densely populated residential areas.
| Channel | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Menu leaflet drops | £50 – £150 per 1,000 | Include QR code to direct ordering. 1-3% response rate typical. |
| Fridge magnets | £100 – £300 per 500 | Keeps your phone number / ordering link visible in homes. |
| Packaging branding | £0.05 – £0.15 per item extra | Branded bags/boxes with direct ordering QR code and offers. |
| Car toppers / vehicle branding | £200 – £800 | Delivery vehicle branding with phone number and website. |
| Local sponsorship | £100 – £500/year | Sports teams, community events. Brand awareness in your delivery area. |
The most effective offline strategy for takeaways is a combination of regular leaflet drops (monthly in your core delivery area) and branded packaging with a QR code to your direct ordering system. Every bag that leaves your kitchen is a marketing opportunity.
Methodology
This page is based on a combination of publicly available UK market data, platform pricing, Google Ads benchmarking data, and industry research.
Sources include:
- Google Ads Keyword Planner data for UK takeaway and food delivery search terms (2025-2026)
- Published commission structures from Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats (2025-2026)
- Published pricing from Flipdish, OrderYOYO, ChowNow, and other direct ordering providers
- UK Food and Drink Federation market data
- Statista UK food delivery market reports
- Whito proprietary analysis of UK takeaway websites and ordering strategies
All prices are in GBP and were accurate as of May 2026. Platform commissions and fees change frequently, so verify current rates directly with each platform.
Whito is not affiliated with any of the platforms, agencies, or tools mentioned on this page.
About Whito
Whito helps UK businesses figure out what’s working and what’s not in their marketing. We’re not an agency and we don’t manage marketing campaigns for takeaways. We publish independent research, tools, and audits designed to give business owners the information they need to make better decisions about where to spend their marketing budget.
We built this page because too many takeaways are either spending nothing on marketing and relying entirely on word of mouth, or they’re paying agencies without knowing whether the price is fair. This page gives you the numbers so you can make your own call.
Common questions
How much does marketing cost for a UK takeaway in 2026?
Delivery platform commissions range from 14% (Just Eat basic) to 30% (Deliveroo, Uber Eats with delivery). On a £20 order, that is £2.80 to £6.00 gone before you factor in food costs.
What should a UK takeaway avoid when paying for marketing?
A direct ordering website or app costs £30 to £150 per month and typically charges 0 to 5% commission, saving you £3 to £5 per order compared to third-party platforms.
Where should a UK takeaway focus its marketing budget?
Google Ads CPCs for takeaway keywords are low at £0.50 to £3, making it affordable to drive traffic to your own ordering system.
