The food isn't what makes delivery apps expensive. It's the higher menu prices, the delivery fee and the service fee stacked on top, on an order you placed because you were tired.
- A £12 meal can cost around £18 by the time it reaches your door.
- Two orders a week at that price is about £1,870 a year.
- Swapping just one a week for something easy at home saves around £730 a year.
Figures for the 2026/27 tax year · last checked 2026-10-09
Where the money actually goes
On a delivery app you pay for the food three times over. The dish often costs more on the app than it does in the restaurant, then a delivery fee and a service fee go on at the checkout.
- The food, at the restaurant's own price£12
- Higher menu price on the app£2
- Delivery and service fees£4
You pay£18
A typical example, not a quote. Mark-ups and fees vary by app, restaurant, distance and time of day, and a tip or small-order fee would add more.
That's half as much again on top of the food, before a tip.
What the habit adds up to
One order doesn't matter. The pattern does.
| How often | A week | A year |
|---|---|---|
| One £18 order a week | £18 | about £940 |
| Two a week | £36 | about £1,870 |
| Three a week | £54 | about £2,810 |
Now compare swapping one of those weekly orders for a meal at home that costs about £4. That's £14 a week back, or roughly £60 a month.
- Invested at 5% a year
- £24,700
- Total you paid in
- £14,400
Illustration only. Assumes 5% a year growth before inflation and charges. Investments can fall as well as rise. About £9,300 after 10 years and £24,700 after 20, from £7,200 and £14,400 paid in.
Why it's so easy to overspend
Delivery apps are very good at their job.
- Your card is saved, so paying takes one tap and never feels like spending.
- Fees appear at the end, after you've already decided what you want.
- Minimum spends and "free delivery over £20" nudge you to add a side or a drink you didn't want.
- Offers and notifications arrive at exactly the time you're hungry and tired.
None of this is a scam. It's just designed to make the expensive choice the easy one.
Worked example
Jordan orders twice a week, usually on Wednesday after a long day and on Friday as a treat. At about £18 a time that's £1,870 a year.
Jordan keeps the Friday order, because that one is actually enjoyed. For Wednesdays there's now a frozen pizza and a couple of batch-cooked meals in the freezer. That one change saves about £730 a year, and the Friday takeaway is still there.
Paying less without giving it up
- Collect it yourself. Picking up usually removes the delivery and service fees in one go.
- Order direct. Many restaurants have their own website or phone line with lower prices than the apps.
- Check the total, not the menu. Look at the final checkout price before you commit, and compare it with the restaurant's own menu.
- Plan for the lazy night. Most takeaways are ordered because cooking feels like too much. A freezer meal you actually like beats willpower.
- Add some friction. Remove your saved card or move the app off your home screen. Having to type the card number is often enough.
Be careful with delivery subscriptions. A monthly pass that gives "free delivery" only pays for itself if you order a lot, and once you've paid for it you'll want to use it. The service fee and higher menu prices still apply.
Takeaways aren't a failure. Food you enjoy with people you like is a good use of money. The aim is to order because you chose to, not because the app was the easiest thing at 8pm.