SkipTheDishes is Canada’s largest home-grown delivery platform, operating across all provinces and serving thousands of restaurant partners. For Canadian restaurants, understanding SkipTheDishes’ fee structure is essential because it differs from U.S.-focused platforms in several ways — most notably, provincial commission caps that limit the maximum rate platforms can charge in certain jurisdictions. This page walks you through the complete calculation for determining your true SkipTheDishes cost per order in Canadian dollars, including the critical distinction between full-service and self-delivery models.
Like all delivery platforms, the commission rate in your SkipTheDishes agreement does not represent your total cost. Payment processing fees, promotional charges, refund deductions, and adjustment corrections all add to the effective rate. For a restaurant processing $15,200 CAD per month in SkipTheDishes orders, the difference between the contracted commission and the effective rate can represent $450 to $900 CAD per month in charges that most operators do not separately track. Whether you use SkipTheDishes’ couriers or your own delivery team, the methodology below gives you the framework to calculate every dollar the platform costs you.
How to Calculate SkipTheDishes Fees: Step-by-Step
Calculating your total SkipTheDishes cost requires distinguishing between the full-service and self-delivery models, then layering on the additional fees that apply to all orders:
Step 1: Identify your delivery model and commission rate. SkipTheDishes offers two primary models. Full-service (Skip provides the courier) typically charges 25% to 30% commission on the order subtotal. Self-delivery (you provide the driver) charges a lower rate, typically 15% to 20%, since the platform only provides the marketplace and order management.
Step 2: Check provincial commission caps. Several Canadian provinces have enacted legislation limiting delivery platform commissions. If your restaurant operates in a province with a cap, the maximum commission SkipTheDishes can charge may be lower than your contracted rate. Verify whether caps apply in your jurisdiction and at what level they are set.
Step 3: Add payment processing fees. SkipTheDishes charges approximately 2.5% to 3.0% per transaction for credit and debit card processing. This fee applies to every order regardless of the delivery model.
Step 4: Factor in promotional costs. If your restaurant participates in SkipTheDishes promotional programs — discounted delivery, percentage-off offers, or featured placement — your share of the promotional cost appears as a payout deduction. These charges are separate from the base commission.
Step 5: Subtract refund deductions. Customer refunds charged back to the restaurant appear as payout deductions. Track these separately, as they can add 1–2% to your effective rate depending on your refund frequency.
Step 6: Calculate your effective rate. Sum all deductions for a payout period, divide by gross order revenue in CAD, and multiply by 100. This gives you the true percentage of each order that goes to SkipTheDishes.
SkipTheDishes Fee Components at a Glance
| Fee Component | Typical Rate | Applied To | Calculation Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission (Full-Service) | 25% – 30% | Order subtotal (CAD) | Subtotal × rate |
| Commission (Self-Delivery) | 15% – 20% | Order subtotal (CAD) | Subtotal × rate |
| Pickup Commission | 10% – 15% | Order subtotal (CAD) | Subtotal × rate |
| Payment Processing | 2.5% – 3.0% | Total transaction (CAD) | Transaction × rate |
| Promotional Costs | Variable | Promoted orders | Restaurant share of discount |
| Refund Deductions | 1% – 2% of revenue | Refunded orders | Full or partial order value |
| Error Adjustments | Variable | Retroactive | Corrections to prior periods |
Key takeaway: The difference between full-service and self-delivery on SkipTheDishes is substantial — 10 to 15 percentage points in commission alone. For a restaurant doing $15,200 CAD per month, switching from full-service (25%) to self-delivery (15%) saves $1,520 CAD per month in platform fees before considering your own delivery costs. Provincial caps may further reduce your rate depending on your location.
Example Calculations
A restaurant using self-delivery on SkipTheDishes (15% commission) receives an order with a $35.00 CAD subtotal.
Commission (15%): $35.00 × 0.15 = $5.25 CAD
Payment processing (2.5%): $35.00 × 0.025 = $0.88 CAD
Promotional costs: $0.00 CAD (not participating)
Total deductions: $6.13 CAD
Restaurant receives: $28.87 CAD out of $35.00 CAD
Effective platform rate: 17.5%
Self-delivery keeps the platform cost low, but the restaurant must separately account for driver wages, fuel, and vehicle costs. For restaurants with efficient delivery operations, self-delivery on SkipTheDishes often yields the best per-order economics of any Canadian delivery platform.
A restaurant using SkipTheDishes full-service delivery (25% commission) receives an order with a $42.00 CAD subtotal. The restaurant participates in a promotional discount program.
Commission (25%): $42.00 × 0.25 = $10.50 CAD
Payment processing (2.5%): $42.00 × 0.025 = $1.05 CAD
Promotional cost (restaurant share of discount): $1.80 CAD
Refund adjustment (partial refund on prior order): $0.00 CAD
Total deductions: $13.35 CAD
Restaurant receives: $28.65 CAD out of $42.00 CAD
Effective rate: 31.8%
The effective rate is 6.8 percentage points above the contracted 25%. On a $42 order, that means $2.85 CAD in charges beyond the base commission — charges that accumulate quickly across hundreds of monthly orders.
A restaurant processes 400 SkipTheDishes orders per month at an average order value of $38.00 CAD using full-service delivery at a 25% commission rate. Approximately 15% of orders are pickup.
Monthly gross revenue: 400 × $38.00 = $15,200 CAD
Commission on delivery orders (340 × $38 × 25%): $3,230.00 CAD
Commission on pickup orders (60 × $38 × 12%): $273.60 CAD
Payment processing (2.5%): $380.00 CAD
Promotional costs: ~$165.00 CAD/month
Refund deductions (~1.3% refund rate): ~$197.60 CAD
Error adjustments: ~$28.00 CAD
Total monthly deductions: $4,274.20 CAD
Effective monthly rate: 28.1%
Over a year, this restaurant pays $51,290 CAD in total SkipTheDishes fees. The gap between the blended contracted rate (approximately 23%) and the 28.1% effective rate amounts to $775 CAD per month — or $9,302 CAD annually — in charges beyond the base commission.
For a broader look at the fee structures restaurants often overlook, see our guide on hidden delivery fees restaurants miss.
Full-Service vs. Self-Delivery Cost Comparison
The choice between SkipTheDishes full-service and self-delivery is the most impactful fee decision for Canadian restaurants on the platform. Here is how the platform costs compare:
| Metric | Full-Service (Skip Courier) | Self-Delivery (Your Driver) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission rate | 25% | 15% | 10% savings |
| Per-order cost on $38 CAD order | $9.50 CAD | $5.70 CAD | $3.80 CAD savings |
| Monthly platform savings (400 orders) | — | — | $1,520 CAD |
| Annual platform savings | — | — | $18,240 CAD |
Self-delivery saves approximately 10 percentage points in platform commission. For 400 orders per month, that translates to $1,520 CAD in monthly platform fee savings. However, restaurants must factor in their own delivery costs — driver wages ($14–$18 CAD per hour in most provinces), vehicle expenses, and insurance. Self-delivery is typically cost-effective when a restaurant has a compact delivery zone with high order density, keeping per-delivery driver costs below the $3.80 CAD platform fee savings.
Provincial Commission Cap Impact
Several Canadian provinces have introduced legislation capping delivery platform commissions for restaurants. These caps directly affect your SkipTheDishes fee calculation:
| Province | Cap Status | Effect on Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Commission cap enacted | Maximum commission limited; verify current cap rate |
| Ontario | Cap considered/enacted | May limit full-service commission below 25–30% |
| Alberta | No cap as of March 2026 | Standard contracted rates apply |
| Quebec | Cap discussions ongoing | Check current provincial legislation |
If you operate in a province with a commission cap, your SkipTheDishes commission cannot exceed the capped rate regardless of what your contract states. However, caps typically apply only to the commission component — payment processing fees, promotional charges, and refund deductions may still be charged on top of the capped rate. This means provincial caps reduce but do not eliminate the gap between contracted and effective rates.
What Most Restaurants Get Wrong
Using the commission rate as the total cost. SkipTheDishes’ commission — whether 15% for self-delivery or 25% for full-service — is only the largest single component. Payment processing, promotions, and refunds consistently add 3–5 percentage points. Always calculate total deductions to find your effective rate.
Not comparing full-service and self-delivery economics. Many restaurants default to full-service delivery without running the numbers on self-delivery. The 10-percentage-point commission difference is significant, but only yields net savings if your own delivery costs are lower than the fee gap. Calculate your per-delivery cost (driver time, distance, fuel) and compare it against the $3.80 CAD platform fee savings on a $38 order.
Assuming provincial caps solve everything. Commission caps limit the platform’s headline rate, but non-commission fees are typically excluded from the cap. A restaurant in a province with a 20% cap may still face a 24–26% effective rate after adding processing fees, promotions, and refund deductions. The cap is a floor of protection, not a ceiling on total costs.
Not reconciling payouts against POS data. SkipTheDishes payouts batch multiple days of orders and apply various deductions before depositing funds. Without matching each payout against your POS records and checking every deduction, billing errors and incorrect refund charges go undetected. For a structured approach to auditing platform charges, see our guide on how delivery platform commissions work.
Want to see how much SkipTheDishes fees may be costing your restaurant beyond the contracted commission?
Estimate Your Revenue DiscrepanciesYour Actual vs. Contracted Rate
The most important number to track is the gap between what your SkipTheDishes contract says you pay and what you actually pay. Here is the framework:
| Metric | How to Calculate | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| Contracted Rate | Commission % from your SkipTheDishes agreement | The baseline cost you agreed to pay |
| Effective Rate | Total deductions ÷ gross order revenue × 100 | Your actual cost including all fees |
| Rate Gap | Effective rate − contracted rate | The hidden cost above your agreement |
| Monthly Gap Cost | Rate gap × monthly gross revenue (CAD) | Dollar amount of fees beyond commission |
| Annual Gap Cost | Monthly gap cost × 12 | Yearly impact of the rate gap |
For a restaurant doing $15,200 CAD per month on SkipTheDishes full-service (25% contracted), a 3.1% rate gap means $471 CAD per month — or $5,654 CAD per year — in charges above the commission. Tracking this gap monthly helps you identify whether costs are stable, increasing due to promotional spend, or being inflated by incorrect refund deductions.
Estimate how much delivery fee discrepancies may be costing your restaurant.
Try the Delivery Reconciliation CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Apply your contracted commission rate to the order subtotal (25–30% for full-service, 15–20% for self-delivery). Add payment processing (2.5–3.0%), promotional costs, and refund deductions. Check whether provincial commission caps apply in your province. Divide total deductions by gross revenue to find your effective rate, which is typically 3% to 5% above the base commission.
Full-service means SkipTheDishes provides the courier at a 25–30% commission. Self-delivery means you use your own drivers at a 15–20% commission. The 10-percentage-point difference makes self-delivery cheaper in platform fees, but you must account for driver wages, fuel, and vehicle costs. Self-delivery works best for restaurants with a compact delivery zone and high order density.
Several provinces cap the maximum commission delivery platforms can charge restaurants. These caps limit the commission component but typically do not cover payment processing, promotional charges, or refund deductions. Even with a cap in place, your effective rate may be 3–5 percentage points above the capped commission. Check your province’s current legislation for the exact cap rate and what it covers.
SkipTheDishes typically pays restaurants on a weekly schedule. Payouts include all orders from the prior period minus commissions, payment processing, promotional charges, refund deductions, and adjustments. Because payouts batch multiple days of orders together, reconciling against daily POS data requires order-by-order matching to identify any discrepancies.
Download your SkipTheDishes payout report and compare each order’s deductions against your contracted rates and any applicable provincial caps. Verify commission percentages, check payment processing fees for consistency, and review every refund deduction against actual customer complaints. Calculate your effective rate per payout period and track it over time. A delivery reconciliation tool automates this and flags discrepancies instantly.