Food Delivery Annual Drain
Food Delivery Annual Drain Calculator
What this calculator does
Delivery apps hide their cost in small fees. This calculator stacks every charge per order, annualizes it, and shows what that money would be worth if invested instead.
The math, with a worked example
True order cost = subtotal × (1 + markup% + service% + tip%) + delivery fee. Weekly cost = true order cost × orders per week. Annual cost = weekly × 52 + subscription × 12. Two $28 orders per week with 15% markup, 10% service fee, 20% tip, and a $2.99 delivery fee cost $87.18 per week. Add a $9.99 monthly subscription and the annual true cost is $4,653.
Why this matters
Delivery apps price the same meal 3 times: menu markup, service fee, and tip stack up before the delivery fee lands. Two $28 orders a week at those rates is $87 weekly — over $4,600 a year with the subscription — for food that costs half that at the counter.
Methodology and transparency
True order cost = subtotal × (1 + markup% + service% + tip%) + delivery fee, × orders per week, × 52, plus 12 × subscription. The markup percentage is the fee most people don't know they're paying: app menu prices typically run above in-store prices before any labeled fee, and the default here is an estimate — spot-check one real order against the same items in-store to calibrate it. Everything runs in your browser; no data is sent or stored.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08
Common questions
Why count the subscription?
Because the subscription only exists to make delivery feel cheaper. It is part of the true annual cost even if you forget you pay it.
Does this include tax?
Tax is on top of the true cost. The calculator focuses on the fees that are unique to delivery.
What is the counterfactual?
It is the future value of the annual delivery cost if you invested it at your expected return instead.