When owners say, “DoorDash customers think we are expensive,” they are usually seeing fee-stack perception, not only base menu price.
If you do not model order-size economics, low-ticket orders can quietly drag channel margin.
Quick Summary
- DoorDash checkout is a stacked-fee system, not one number
- Fee pressure is usually harsher on small baskets
- Build menu floors by order-size band, not one blended average
- Reprice low-ticket items and add-on logic first
What DoorDash Public Docs Show
DoorDash transparency materials describe common checkout components such as:
- delivery fee
- service fee
- additional or location-specific fee layers
DashPass public help also describes membership economics that can shift fee perception by customer segment.
For operators, that means basket size and customer membership mix can change conversion and price sensitivity at the same menu price.
Order-Size Benchmark Method
Use this simple model:
effectiveFeeRate = totalCheckoutFees / foodSubtotal
netMenuRetention = 1 - effectiveFeeRateThen connect to your item economics:
contribution = (menuPrice x netMenuRetention) - variableCostExample bands
Assume three observed basket bands:
- Small basket: subtotal $15
- Mid basket: subtotal $28
- Large basket: subtotal $45
If effective fee pressure is highest in the small band, your low-ticket items need stronger price-floor protection than your bundle items.
Worked Example (Small Basket Risk)
Assumptions:
- Item price in app: $11.99
- Effective retention after fee/promo dynamics: 72%
- Variable cost (food + packaging + channel labour): $7.10
netRevenue = 11.99 x 0.72 = $8.63
contribution = 8.63 - 7.10 = $1.53If that item gets a merchant-funded discount, contribution can approach zero quickly.
10-Minute Weekly Fee-Pressure Check
- Split delivery orders into 3 basket bands
- Compute net retention by band from payout data
- Identify SKUs with lowest contribution in low-basket band
- Adjust modifier pricing, bundle thresholds, or minimum order logic
- Recheck after 7 days
This is faster and more reliable than waiting for monthly blended averages.
Practical Moves That Usually Work
- Raise floor on low-ticket, high-labour items
- Push bundles that move customers into mid/large basket bands
- Price modifiers with channel-specific floors
- Limit deep discounting on already thin items
The goal is not fewer orders. The goal is profitable orders.
Common Mistakes
- Pricing from one blended channel percentage
- Ignoring basket-size effect on fee pressure
- Discounting low-ticket items without floor checks
- Confusing top-line delivery sales with healthy contribution
Related Guides
- DoorDash Fees Breakdown (2025-2026)
- US Delivery App Pricing Guide
- US Delivery App Promotion ROI Calculator (2026)
- US Menu Add-On Pricing Playbook (2026)
- Prime Cost Guide
KitchenCost helps you set channel-specific menu floors and modifier pricing before fee pressure erodes margin.
Try KitchenCost.