5 Best Third-Party Food Delivery Services

The best third-party delivery apps for restaurants have a large user network, are easy to use, and have clear fee structures.

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Erica Seppala
Editor & Senior Staff Writer

Last updated onUpdated November 6, 2025

REVIEWED BY

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Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through , we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent .

Looking for a reliable food delivery service for your small business?

Third-party delivery platforms handle online orders and deliveries so you can reach more customers without managing drivers yourself.

We’ve reviewed the top options that integrate with popular POS systems. Here are the best third-party food delivery services for small businesses.

Learn More About Our Top Picks

Company	Best For	Next StepsBest For
DoorDash Read More	Most popular food delivery app Suitable for restaurants, grocery, alcohol, & convenience 15 - 30% delivery commission fee	Most popular food delivery app Suitable for restaurants, grocery, alcohol, & convenience 15 - 30% delivery commission fee Visit Site Read More
Grubhub Read More	Strong marketing suite Suitable for restaurants, convenience stores, & liquor stores 15-30% delivery commission fee	Strong marketing suite Suitable for restaurants, convenience stores, & liquor stores 15-30% delivery commission fee Visit Site Read More
Uber Eats Read More	Large user network Used by restaurants, pharmacies, liquor stores, & more 15-30% delivery commission fee	Large user network Used by restaurants, pharmacies, liquor stores, & more 15-30% delivery commission fee Visit Site Read More
Instacart Read More	Widely used grocery delivery app Perfect for grocery stores & retail No pricing disclosed online	Widely used grocery delivery app Perfect for grocery stores & retail No pricing disclosed online Visit Site Read More
Drizly Read More	Best for alcohol delivery Suitable for liquor stores, wine markets, & other stores that sell alcohol No pricing disclosed online	Best for alcohol delivery Suitable for liquor stores, wine markets, & other stores that sell alcohol No pricing disclosed online Visit Site Read More
Show Fewer Options

Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

Table of Contents [hide][show]

5 Best Food Delivery Services For Small Businesses
DoorDash: Best Delivery App Marketplace
Grubhub: Best Marketing Features
Uber Eats: Best For A Large User Network
Instacart: Best For Grocery Stores
Drizly: Best For Alcohol Delivery
Why Should I Use A 3rd-Party Food Delivery Service?

5 Best Food Delivery Services For Small Businesses

Online ordering from restaurants is more popular than ever and is almost essential to compete in today’s market.

Here are our top 5 picks:

DoorDash: Best Delivery App Marketplace
Grubhub: Best Marketing Features
Uber Eats: Best For A Large User Network
Instacart: Best For Grocery Stores
Drizly: Best For Alcohol Delivery

How The Best Third-Party Delivery Services For Retailers Compare

	Delivery Commission Fee	Credit Card Processing Fees
DoorDash	15 - 30%	None for app orders
Grubhub	15 - 30%	Pair by merchants
Uber Eats	15 - 30%	None for app purchases
Instacart	Not disclosed	Not disclosed
Drizly	Not disclosed	Not disclosed

DoorDash: Best Delivery App Marketplace

DoorDash	Visit Site

Pros

Numerous POS integrations
No credit card processing fees (for orders placed on app)
Self-delivery, pickup, & white-label delivery options

Cons

High fees for on-demand delivery

Why We Chose DoorDash

DoorDash is one of the largest and most recognizable food delivery platforms, serving major cities and partnering with both national chains and local small businesses.

Its massive customer base makes it one of the best ways to get your restaurant in front of more potential customers.

Pricing

DoorDash pricing typically ranges from 15% to 30% per delivery order, depending on the plan you choose. You can also opt for DoorDash Storefront, a white-labeled solution that lets you integrate DoorDash delivery directly into your own website or online ordering app without marketplace commissions.

For pickup orders, DoorDash charges about 6% per order, while Drive (on-demand delivery) lets you use DoorDash’s drivers for a flat fee that usually ranges from $6.99 to $10.99 per delivery, depending on distance.

If you use DoorDash Storefront, you’ll only pay a 2.9% + $0.30 credit card processing fee per transaction — no delivery commissions or monthly software costs.

Integrations

DoorDash integrates with a variety of the best POS systems for small businesses, including Square (which is a great free POS option), Toast, Aloha, Clover, Harbortouch, and others.

You can also connect DoorDash to your POS using an order aggregation service like Chowly, Deliverect (through which you can integrate Lightspeed POS), and ItsaCheckmate.

Choose If You...

Don’t want customers to have to pay credit card processing fees
Want choice of POS integration
Are looking to increase revenue through the DoorDash marketplace

Get Started With DoorDash

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Grubhub: Best Marketing Features

Grubhub	Visit Site

Pros

Free Grubhub tablet, menu photoshoot, & menu consultations
Access to promotions and loyalty perks at higher plan levels
Self-delivery, pickup, & white-label delivery options

Cons

Passes payment processing fees to merchants

Why We Chose GrubHub

Grubhub is another leading third-party delivery service available in most major U.S. cities.

While fees can add up depending on the marketing package you choose, Grubhub makes it easy to estimate your costs with a pricing calculator that shows your projected monthly profit before signing up.

Pricing

Grubhub pricing for most restaurants ranges from 15% to 30% per order, depending on your marketing plan. The higher your marketing tier, the greater your visibility on the Grubhub app — and at those tiers, you’ll also unlock loyalty perks and promotions that help drive more orders.

Grubhub also offers on-demand delivery using its network of drivers, which starts at around 10% of the order total.

For payment processing, restaurants are charged a standard rate of 3.05% + $0.30 per transaction.

Integrations

Grubhub integrates with many popular POS systems, including Clover, Revel, Toast, and NCR.

It also integrates with third-party order aggregators, including Deliverect, Chowly (through which you can have Grubhub orders sent to your Square KDS), Ordermark, and ItsaCheckmate.

Choose If You

Need access to a strong marketing suite
Want free features like a menu photoshoot and consultation
Don’t mind paying processing fees for their customers

Get Started With Grubhub

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Uber Eats: Best For A Large User Network

Uber Eats	Visit Site

Pros

No payment processing fees on app orders
Self-delivery, pickup, & white-label delivery option
Simple, easy-to-use interface

Cons

Higher self-delivery fees

Why We Chose Uber Eats

Uber Eats is the second-largest food delivery platform in the U.S., trailing only DoorDash. The service isn’t limited to restaurants. Uber Eats also delivers retail items and prescriptions through partnerships with companies like NimbleRx.

Thanks to the massive Uber rideshare network, Uber Eats gives restaurants access to an enormous customer base and a reliable pool of drivers already active in most cities across the country.

Pricing

Uber Eats delivery commission fees for most businesses range from 15% to 30%, depending on the plan you choose. Pickup orders typically carry a 6% fee.

With a self-delivery model (if you use your own drivers but the Uber Eats platform), commissions begin around 15%. For orders placed through your own website or app using Uber’s Webshop solution, the fee drops to 2.5% + $0.29 per order.

Integrations

Uber Eats integrates directly with POS systems, including Lightspeed Restaurant and Toast, and aggregators Deliverect, Chowly (which you can use to connect with Square for Restaurants and other systems), and ItsaCheckmate.

You can also create your own POS integration within the system. And thanks to Uber Eats’ prescription delivery integration, Uber Eats can even be used with pharmacy POS systems.

Choose If You...

Want to take advantage of name recognition and an existing large user network
Don’t want to pay processing fees on app orders
Need a simple and easy-to-use interface that can be used to deliver more than food

Get Started With Uber Eats

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Instacart: Best For Grocery Stores

Instacart	Visit Site

Pros

Instacart shopper handles orders & delivery
Can grow your store’s sales with new online customer base
Includes delivery & curbside pickup options

Cons

Pricing for stores not disclosed online
Could take away from your own internal online sales

Why We Chose Instacart

Instacart specializes in grocery delivery but also supports alcohol and select retail orders.

Unlike restaurant-focused delivery platforms, Instacart’s process is largely automated for retailers. Its own shoppers handle fulfillment, and many stores appear on the app even without a formal partnership.

Pricing

Instacart doesn’t publish its business fees or make the onboarding process very transparent. If you want your store listed, you’ll need to reach out to Instacart directly.

The company does note that retailers can set their own prices on the platform, and those prices may be higher than what you charge in-store.

Integrations

Instacart doesn’t have built-in POS integrations, but you can use its API to integrate your POS transaction information with Instacart to reconcile your sales data.

You can also use the Instacart API to integrate Instacart into your eCommerce website.

Choose If You

Don’t want to do the work of marketing to both drivers and customers
Need more than basic food delivery services
Want to take advantage of Instacart’s online customer base

Get Started With Instacart

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Drizly: Best For Alcohol Delivery

Drizly	Visit Site

Pros

Includes staff training & dedicated account manager
Strong reporting features
POS integrations
$0 delivery fee for Uber One members

Cons

Delivery services not included in all states (stores must use their own delivery driver)
Pricing for stores not disclosed online

Why We Chose Drizly

Drizly is a leading alcohol delivery platform that connects liquor stores and other alcohol retailers with online shoppers.

Businesses can pay to list their store and products on Drizly, making it easy for customers to browse local inventory and order directly through the app.

Pricing

Drizly does not list its pricing for retailers, but states that stores do not have to pay any fixed costs. You only pay a percentage of each order (similar to DoorDash and other food delivery services).

Integrations

Drizly has direct integrations with several liquor store POS systems, including Lightspeed and Clover.

Choose If You...

Need a compliant delivery app that follows local and state laws and regulations for alcohol sales
Want a dedicated account manager that offers included staff training
Don’t mind employing delivery drivers directly

Get Started With Drizly

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Why Should I Use A 3rd-Party Food Delivery Service?

There are several advantages to using third-party delivery services.

Online Ordering Expands Your Reach

Listing your business on delivery apps puts your products in front of thousands of new customers who might not find you otherwise. If your kitchen can handle more orders, delivery is an easy way to boost sales without adding tables or floor space.

Customers Expect Delivery

More customers now expect online ordering and delivery options — often through their favorite apps. If you don’t offer delivery, you risk losing those sales to competitors who do.

You Can Use Multiple Apps

Most delivery platforms charge per order instead of a flat fee, so you can list your business on multiple apps at once. This helps you reach more customers and figure out which platforms deliver the best return.

Third-Party Delivery Can Cut Costs

Using a third-party app means you don’t have to hire drivers or manage delivery logistics. You’ll also save on in-house delivery software since most apps only charge when you make a sale.

Ideal For Ghost Kitchens

Ghost kitchens — restaurants without dining rooms — can use delivery apps to sell food without paying for a storefront. It’s also a great way to test a new concept before investing in a full restaurant.

Easy & Convenient Setup

Third-party apps are simple to start using, often requiring little more than signing up and syncing your POS. Orders flow in automatically, and the app handles the delivery process for you.

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Erica Seppala

Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick

Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.

View Erica Seppala's professional experience on LinkedIn.