Uber Eats Fees for Restaurants

Uber Eats is the second-largest delivery platform in the United States, and for many restaurants it represents a significant source of both revenue and cost. The fees Uber Eats charges restaurants extend well beyond the commission percentage in your merchant agreement. Service fees, logistics charges, Uber One subsidy deductions, promotional costs, and refund adjustments all reduce the amount that actually reaches your bank account. This guide breaks down every fee Uber Eats applies to restaurant orders and shows you how to calculate your true cost per order.

Understanding the full scope of Uber Eats fees is particularly important because the platform uses a tiered system where the commission rate depends on who handles delivery and what level of marketplace visibility the restaurant receives. Choosing the wrong plan — or not understanding the additional charges layered on top of the base rate — can erode margins that already operate on thin tolerances.

What Uber Eats Charges Restaurants

Uber Eats applies several categories of fees to restaurant orders. The following table summarizes every charge that can appear on your Uber Eats payment report:

For a line-by-line explanation of how each of these charges appears on your actual Uber Eats payout statement, see our guide on how to read an Uber Eats statement.

Uber Eats Commission Tiers Explained

Uber Eats structures restaurant partnerships into three primary service levels. The core variable is whether the restaurant uses Uber’s delivery network or handles delivery independently:

The Lite plan at 15% is designed for restaurants that already have their own delivery fleet or only want to offer pickup through the Uber Eats marketplace. The platform provides the ordering interface and payment processing, but the restaurant handles all fulfillment. This is the lowest-cost option but limits the restaurant to customers willing to pick up or within the restaurant’s own delivery zone.

The Plus plan at 25% is the most widely used tier. Uber provides delivery through its driver network, giving the restaurant access to a larger customer base without managing delivery logistics. Restaurants on the Plus plan are eligible for Uber One, which can increase order frequency from subscribers.

The Premium plan at 30% provides maximum marketplace visibility, priority search placement, and access to Uber’s full suite of promotional tools. This tier is designed for restaurants prioritizing volume growth over per-order margin.

Uber Eats Service Fees and Logistics Charges

The distinction between service fees and logistics fees is central to understanding Uber Eats pricing. These are conceptually separate charges, though they may appear bundled on your payment report.

The service fee (also called the marketplace fee) covers Uber’s role as the ordering platform: maintaining the app, processing customer payments, providing customer support, and giving the restaurant access to the Uber Eats customer base. This fee applies to all order types, including pickup.

The logistics fee covers the delivery operation: dispatching a driver, routing optimization, driver compensation, and delivery insurance. This fee only applies when Uber handles delivery (Plus and Premium plans). On the Lite plan, there is no logistics fee because the restaurant fulfills the order.

Understanding this split matters because it reveals the true cost of Uber’s delivery versus managing your own. If the logistics portion of the fee is 10–15% and you could deliver for less, the Lite plan may be more economical. For most restaurants, however, building a delivery operation from scratch costs more than the platform’s logistics fee.

Uber Eats Promotions and Marketing Costs

Beyond the base commission, Uber Eats charges for promotional and marketing programs that restaurants can use to increase order volume:

Sponsored listings. Restaurants can pay for higher placement in Uber Eats search results. These ads are typically charged on a per-order basis as a percentage of the order value (often 5–10%). The cost appears as a separate deduction on the payment report.

Customer promotions. Uber Eats runs platform-wide promotions (“buy one get one,” “$10 off your first order”) and restaurant-specific offers. When a restaurant participates, the discount cost is often split between Uber and the restaurant. The restaurant’s share appears as a payout deduction.

Uber One subsidies. Uber One is Uber’s cross-platform subscription program that offers free delivery on eligible restaurant orders. When an Uber One member orders from your restaurant, Uber waives the customer delivery fee. A portion of that subsidy cost may be passed to the restaurant, depending on the agreement terms.

These marketing charges can add 2–6% to the effective cost per order. For a detailed analysis of all the fees that appear beyond the base commission, see our guide to hidden delivery fees most restaurants miss.

Example: Total Uber Eats Cost Per Order

Common Uber Eats Fee Misunderstandings

The Lite plan eliminates logistics costs. While the Lite plan removes Uber’s delivery fee, the restaurant must absorb all delivery costs internally: driver wages, vehicle maintenance, insurance, and fuel. For restaurants without an existing delivery operation, these costs often exceed the platform’s logistics fee. The Lite plan is most cost-effective for restaurants already running their own delivery.

Uber One orders are standard-rate orders. Uber One subscriber orders may carry different fee economics than standard orders. The delivery fee subsidy that Uber One provides to customers may partially flow through as an additional restaurant charge. Track Uber One order deductions separately from standard orders to understand the true impact.

Promotional discounts are fully funded by Uber. Many restaurant operators assume platform promotions are entirely Uber’s cost. In practice, most promotions split the discount cost between the platform and the restaurant. Your share of the promotional discount appears as a payout deduction. Always review the terms before opting into promotional campaigns.

Refund adjustments are always the restaurant’s cost. Uber Eats automatically passes refund costs to restaurants, but responsibility depends on the reason: delivery errors and platform failures should be absorbed by Uber, not the restaurant. Without reviewing each adjustment, restaurants silently absorb costs that are disputable. For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on Uber Eats refund adjustments explained.

The payment report is easy to reconcile. Uber Eats payment reports batch hundreds of transactions together with multiple deduction categories. Reconciling the payment report against POS order data requires matching individual orders across systems with different formats and timelines. For a step-by-step approach, see our guide on how to audit delivery platform fees, or our platform-specific guide on reconciling Uber Eats payouts.

Uber Eats vs. Other Delivery Platforms

Uber Eats’ unique advantage is its integration with the broader Uber platform, giving it access to the existing Uber user base for delivery demand. However, its fee structure is broadly comparable to DoorDash and Grubhub. The primary differences lie in plan flexibility (Uber’s Lite plan for self-delivery) and the Uber One subscriber program. For a comprehensive comparison across all platforms, see our guide on how delivery platform commissions work.