Ordering DoorDash in Boston? Here's how much more you're really paying.

"Most restaurants pay delivery apps a 15% to 30% fee on each order. In response, some Boston area restaurants told Boston.com they have started to charge more for menu items on the apps compared to what they charge in the restaurant. "You can't really eat the cost of losing 15% or 30% of your sale. The margins are too tight," said Marc Sheehan, chef and co-owner at Northern Spy in Canton."

"Ordering through third-party apps - like DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub - can cost diners at least 80% more than picking up takeout, and 600% more than cooking at home, according to a LendingTree report. Those higher prices affect not just Boston-area customers, but the restaurants, too."

"The apps are a "lose-lose" for customers and restaurants, said Daniel Roughan, owner of Source Restaurants in Cambridge. Yet he estimated that 80% of his takeout sales come from third-party apps. "Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil," said Roughan."

Third-party delivery apps like DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub significantly increase food costs for consumers, with delivery orders costing at least 80% more than takeout and 600% more than home-cooked meals. Restaurants absorb substantial fees ranging from 15-30% per order from delivery platforms. Unable to absorb these costs due to tight profit margins, Boston-area restaurants have responded by marking up menu items on delivery apps by 20-50% compared to in-restaurant prices. Despite the unfavorable economics for both customers and restaurants, delivery apps have become essential to business operations, with some establishments reporting that 80% of takeout sales originate through third-party platforms.

Read at Boston.com