Americans expect to pay delivery fees when ordering food online, but many don’t realize they may also be paying more for the food itself.
I recently discovered that my regular order of an Indian sweet (called Chamcham) was listed at $17.49 (1lb) on Bikanervala’s website but cost $22.74 on Uber Eats. That’s an extra $5.25, or roughly 30%, before delivery fees and other charges.
And I may not be the only one overlooking these markups.
A new survey commissioned by restaurant technology company Olo found that while 74% of Americans expect delivery charges, only 27% expect individual menu items to cost more on third-party delivery apps.
Those extra costs matter as inflation continues to squeeze household budgets. Consumer prices increased 3.7% in September from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Now, a new food-ordering app promises to eliminate menu markups, allowing customers to enjoy the convenience of ordering from home without paying inflated prices.
To test that promise, I compared the cost of a cheeseburger and Little Fries from Five Guys across four ordering platforms in New Jersey on October 21. You can see the results below.
New Olo app offers restaurant brands without menu markups
Restaurant technology company Olo launched its consumer app on October 20, offering customers access to regular restaurant menu prices at more than 250 brands, without the markups commonly found on third-party delivery platforms.
The app launched with national and regional restaurant brands, including:
- Waffle House
- Five Guys
- First Watch
- Dave’s Hot Chicken
- Del Taco
- Din Tai Fung
Customers can order for pickup or delivery, depending on the restaurant and location.
Unlike DoorDash and Uber Eats, Olo says it doesn’t charge restaurants commissions on orders placed through its consumer app.
DoorDash’s published merchant pricing lists delivery commissions of 15%, 25% and 30%, depending on the plan.
Uber Eats also charges restaurant marketplace fees that can reach 30%.
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Restaurants sometimes pass those costs along through higher menu prices, although markups vary by restaurant and platform.
Olo says eliminating those markups can save customers an average of 15% to 30% per menu item compared with traditional delivery apps.
The push toward lower online food prices extends beyond restaurants.
In September, Instacart expanded its partnerships with grocery retailers offering the same everyday prices online as in stores.
The company said more than 90% of its active U.S. customers now have access to at least one grocery retailer without markups.
I compared Five Guys pickup prices across 4 delivery platforms
To see whether Olo delivers on its promise of lower prices, I compared the cost of ordering a cheeseburger and Little Fries for pickup from Five Guys in New Jersey on October 21.
The results showed that Olo offered the lowest menu subtotal at $18.28, compared with $20.88 on DoorDash and $22.92 on Uber Eats.
|
Platform |
Menu subtotal |
Fees and taxes, net |
Final total |
|
Five Guys direct |
$19.10 |
$1.27 |
$20.37 |
|
Olo |
$18.28 |
$2.53 |
$20.81 |
|
DoorDash |
$20.88 |
$1.38 |
$22.26 |
|
Uber Eats (Uber One) |
$22.92 |
$0.37 |
$23.29 |
Prices exclude tips. Uber Eats includes a $1.15 discount for Uber One members; its undiscounted total was $24.44. Olo includes a $0.91 network fee with taxes. Restaurant branches were not confirmed as identical across all four quotes.
Olo’s final total was $1.45 lower than DoorDash’s and $2.48 lower than Uber Eats’ discounted total. However, ordering directly from Five Guys was still 44 cents cheaper than Olo.
The comparison also highlights how promotions can change the equation.
Uber Eats was advertising a buy-one-get-one-free cheeseburger offer, which could provide greater value for customers ordering multiple burgers. This promotion was not reflected in the single-cheeseburger comparison.
How Olo makes money without restaurant commissions
Olo isn’t new to the restaurant business.
Founded in 2005, the company already powers digital ordering for more than 800 restaurant brands across approximately 90,000 locations.
It was acquired in 2025 for about $2 billion by private equity firm Thoma Bravo, which has also backed major cybersecurity companies including Proofpoint and Sophos.
Alongside its existing restaurant technology business, Olo collects a 5% network fee from customers on every order placed through its new app, including pickup.
Delivery orders may carry additional charges, meaning lower menu prices don’t necessarily guarantee the lowest final bill.
The app is available nationwide on iOS and Android, although participating restaurants and delivery options vary by location.
For customers tired of paying extra just for the convenience of ordering food online, Olo offers another option. But the price check shows that comparing the final bill, including fees and promotions, remains the best way to determine where the real savings are.
