What you're paying today to Glovo and TheFork (2026 figures)
Let's start with the numbers, which is where it hurts. These are the verified data as of 2026.
| Platform | Typical commission | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glovo | 25% to 35% per order (typically 30%) | Variable per agreement. Covers logistics + visibility in the app. |
| Just Eat | 11% to 14% | Cheapest delivery option but lower volume. |
| Uber Eats | 15% to 30% | Depends on the package contracted. |
| Deliveroo | 28% to 35% | Similar model to Glovo. |
| TheFork Pro | €30/mo + 0.95% + €0.50 + VAT per booking | Effective since January 2025. Bookings via own website don't pay commission. |
| TheFork Pro+ | €75/mo + 0.95% + €0.50 + VAT per booking | Higher plan with more visibility and management tools. |
Last year a restaurant owner in Cala d'Or came to see me. He'd been on Glovo for two years. His numbers: €250,000 in annual delivery orders, 30% commission. €75,000 paid to Glovo in two years. When I did the maths on a napkin, he went quiet for a while. It took him two years to realise how much he was losing each month.
The problem isn't just the visible commission. There's hidden cost: special packaging, transaction fees, forced discounts during campaigns, VAT applied on the total commission. The effective commission ends up higher than the contract percentage.
When Glovo and TheFork DO make sense
Before demonising the platforms, there are cases where they're the right call. Worth recognising.
When Glovo makes sense
- Recent opening, no organic traffic or fixed clientele. Glovo gives you volume on day one.
- Marginal volume, where without Glovo that extra revenue wouldn't exist. If paying 30% for something you wouldn't have without the platform still leaves margin, it's additional income.
- Location with low foot traffic, where delivery is the main channel and not optional.
When TheFork makes sense
- Launch or repositioning, when you need to capture first customers via the platform's visibility.
- Tourist restaurant in an area where customers search on TheFork before Google.
- No own booking system, while you build it. The Free plan holds you through the season.
The mistake isn't being on these platforms. The mistake is staying on them as the only channel when you already have enough own clientele to sustain your volume without paying commission.
When they stop making sense
There are three clear signs. When two or three appear at once, it's worth considering the change.
Sign 1 · Your unit margin per order is tiny
A pizzeria in Palma with an average ticket of €25. Pizza + drink + delivery. The pizza costs €8 to produce. Delivery and packaging add €4. Gross margin before commission: €13. Glovo commission at 30%: €7.50. Real margin: €5.50 per order. Serving more, earning the same.
Sign 2 · Most of your TheFork bookings are clientele who already knew you
A restaurant with 60 bookings/month via TheFork Pro. Paying €30 for the plan plus 0.95% + €0.50 per diner. They calculated how many were truly new via TheFork and how many were customers who would have come anyway (they searched on Google and booked on TheFork because it was the first visible button). 40 out of 60 already knew them. Real cost per truly new customer: between €5 and €8.
Sign 3 · You don't have a single own acquisition channel
If everything coming into the restaurant goes through Glovo, TheFork and similar platforms, you're a hostage. The day the platform changes its algorithm, raises commissions, or your venue drops in ranking, you have no Plan B. An own website with local SEO, a customer database and a WhatsApp Business channel are your insurance.
The indicator I use most with clients: if more than 60% of your volume comes from platforms, your business isn't yours. You're their dark kitchen without knowing it.
The maths: 1-year savings if you left
Real case with rounded numbers from a client who migrated in 2025.
Before: restaurant in Palma with 200 monthly bookings via TheFork Pro and 80 monthly delivery orders via Glovo (average ticket €22).
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| TheFork Pro fixed plan | €30 | €360 |
| TheFork Pro variable (200 bookings × 2 diners × €0.50 + 0.95% of €50) | ~€290 | ~€3,480 |
| Glovo (80 × €22 × 30%) | €528 | €6,336 |
| Total platform commissions | ~€848 | ~€10,176 |
After migration: own website with integrated booking system, direct order form and local SEO campaign. Initial investment of €2,500 (custom site + booking integration). Recurring cost: hosting + domain (~€150/year) and ~€50/month in basic maintenance. Kept Glovo only for one-off out-of-zone orders.
In the first year recovered 70% of the previous volume in direct orders. Estimated savings on commissions from month 6: ~€6,000/year. Recovered the website investment in less than six months. The detail of website pricing is at how much does a website cost in Mallorca in 2026.
How to build the alternative
Leaving Glovo and TheFork isn't just saying "I'm out". It's building the alternative before leaving. These are the minimum components.
- Own website with local SEO optimised for keywords like "pizzeria Palma centre" or "Mediterranean restaurant Cala d'Or". Showing up on Google Maps with a good listing is half the work.
- Integrated booking system. Options like CoverManager, Octotable or Tableo if you prefer third-party software with no per-booking commission. Or a custom module within your site.
- Direct order form for delivery. Connection with WhatsApp Business or own system that sends the order to the kitchen and prints a ticket.
- Integrated payment gateway (Stripe, Redsys). Typical commission between 1% and 1.8% per transaction. Far below Glovo's 30%.
- Customer database. Every order or booking feeds your CRM. Email, phone, history. That's worth more than any platform algorithm.
- Own delivery or local partner with no exclusive contract. In Mallorca there are local courier options without going through the big platforms.
If your case is restaurants in Mallorca, I cover it in more detail here: web design for restaurants in Mallorca.
Transition strategy without falling off the cliff
The mistake I see most is leaving all at once. The reality is that the first month after closing your Glovo account, online orders drop. Sometimes up to 40%. Not because your food is worse, but because your customer now has to learn to find you through a different channel.
I remember a restaurant owner who closed Glovo overnight because he was fed up. The first two months online orders dropped 40%. He'd call worried. I told him: "hold on until month six". From month four onwards local SEO started picking up searches like "food delivery Cala d'Or" and orders came back, all direct. No commission. By the sixth month I told him: "that's it, you're free now". The first month is scary, the sixth month you're free.
An ordered transition strategy, in four phases.
- Month 0: build the alternative. Own site, bookings, order form, database. Before lowering anything from Glovo or TheFork.
- Month 1-2: coexistence. Promote the direct channel (in-venue signage, QR code on table, messages to your database), keep Glovo and TheFork.
- Month 3-4: reduction. Lower TheFork plan to Free. Restrict hours or zones on Glovo. Commission starts dropping without losing volume.
- Month 5-6: disconnection. If direct data sustains volume, close or keep platforms at minimum. If not yet, extend a couple more months.
No rigid plan. Each case adjusts the pace to its reality. The important thing is it's orderly, not impulsive.
My approach and how I work with restaurant owners
If you've been on Glovo or TheFork for a while and want to consider leaving, this is how we approach it.
- 20-min call. I ask how many orders come in via platform, average ticket, what tools you use today and how much you pay in real commissions.
- Estimated savings calculation. I give you a written 12-month projection with your current volume.
- Closed proposal in two or three days. Own website, booking system (custom or CoverManager/Octotable integration), order form, Stripe/Redsys setup, training. Scope, deadlines, price.
- Design in Figma. Two rounds of revision included. Pixel-perfect.
- Custom development with own code in PHP, Astro or Tailwind. Technical SEO out of the box.
- 6-month transition plan with monthly milestones to reduce Glovo/TheFork without falling off the cliff.
- 30-day post-deploy guarantee.
My approach is covered in detail here: web design for restaurants in Mallorca.
Frequently asked questions
Glovo charges between 25% and 35% per order, typically 30%. The commission covers logistics (rider) and app visibility. Variations apply per individual restaurant agreement. There are also additional charges for transaction and forced discounts during campaigns.
Since January 2025, the Pro plan costs €30/month plus 0.95% + €0.50 + VAT per confirmed booking. The Pro+ plan costs €75/month with the same variable commission. The Free plan has no monthly fee but offers reduced visibility. Bookings via the restaurant's own website or phone don't pay commission.
An own website with direct order form and own delivery or local courier. Per-transaction commission with Stripe or Redsys between 1% and 1.8% vs Glovo's 30%. The important thing: customers in your database, not the platform's.
CoverManager, Octotable, Tableo and Reserver are options offering booking systems with no per-booking commission (fixed monthly fee). For restaurants with decent organic traffic, the most efficient is integrating a booking module within the own site.
At first, partially yes. In most cases I've seen, online orders drop between 30% and 50% the first two months after leaving Glovo. From month four onwards, if you've worked local SEO and communicated the direct channel, volume recovers and almost everything is direct (no commission).
A corporate website for a restaurant with integrated booking module and direct order form starts at €1,950 in my case. If you need a full online shop with catalogue, cart and checkout for own delivery, it starts at €2,150. Recurring cost: hosting (€50-150/year) and domain (€10-15/year).
Depends on your current commission volume. If you pay €800/month in combined commissions (Glovo + TheFork), a €2,500 website pays for itself in just over three months, assuming you keep volume via direct channel. The key is not losing volume during the transition, hence the 6-month plan.
