Technology02/15/2026
Online Ordering & Delivery
Delivery accounts for 30-50% of revenue at many shops
20-30% App fees30-50% % Revenue from delivery10-15% Self-delivery savings
Delivery Platforms in Vietnam Compared (2025-2026)
GrabFood25-30% commissionLargest platform, most customers. Easy merchant dashboard. GrabKitchen program for cloud kitchens. Payment every 7 days.
ShopeeFood22-27% commissionLower fees than Grab. Lots of vouchers to attract customers. But average order value is lower and more deal-hunters.
BeFood (Be)18-25% commissionLowest fees. Vietnamese-owned app, growing fast. Fewer orders than the top 2, but less competition = easier to stand out.
GoFood (Gojek)20-25% commissionStrong in inner-city areas. Steady order volume but lower than Grab/Shopee. Payment every 14 days.
Self-delivery (Zalo/Hotline)VND 5-10K/order (~$0.20-0.40)Hire your own driver at VND 6-8M/month (~$240-320) or pay per order. 3-5km radius. Keep 100% of revenue but need to manage drivers.
How to Actually Profit from Delivery
+10-15%
Raise prices on apps
Most customers accept higher app prices for the convenience. Some apps let you set different prices from dine-in — take advantage of this.
10-15 items
Delivery-only menu
Only keep items that travel well (won't get soggy or spill), have high margins, and are easy to package. Cut soups, hot pots, and watery dishes.
+40-60%
Combo deals to increase order value
Bundle 2-3 items + a drink. A VND 45K order becomes VND 75K (~$1.80 to $3). Same commission %, but much higher absolute profit per order.
Zalo/Facebook
Build your own ordering channel
Regulars order via Zalo — you save 25-30% in app fees. Create a "VIP Customers" Zalo group with small perks to build loyalty.
Optimizing Your Menu for Delivery — Sell More, Lose Less
- >Pick items that survive 30 minutes: Food should still taste good after 30 minutes of transport. Rice dishes, dry noodles, banh mi, spring rolls = great. Pho, hot pot, crispy fried items = problematic (they get soggy or cold).
- >Packaging is your delivery storefront: Customers can't see your shop — they only see the box. Invest in quality containers (leak-proof, heat-retaining) with branded stickers. An extra VND 1-2K/order (~$0.04-0.08) but boosts experience and good reviews.
- >Great photos = more orders: Photograph your dishes properly (or use a phone with natural lighting). Shops with professional photos sell 30-50% more than those without on delivery apps.
- >Write detailed item descriptions: "Crispy chicken rice + seaweed soup + stir-fried veggies + steamed rice" beats "Chicken rice." Delivery customers can't ask questions — they must understand the dish from the description alone.
- >Monitor ratings and respond to reviews: A rating below 4.5 stars means the app reduces your visibility. Reply to all reviews (good and bad) within 24 hours. One unanswered negative review can cost you 5-10 potential customers.
Delivery Traps — Avoid These or Lose Money
Selling at dine-in prices on apps = guaranteed loss
App fees 25-30% + packaging 5-8% = losing 30-38% of revenue. You must raise app prices by 10-15% or create a separate menu with optimized portions.
Running promotions without doing the math
30% discount + free shipping + 27% app commission. A VND 50K item sells for VND 35K (~$1.40), app takes VND 9.5K, ingredients VND 18K, packaging VND 5K = only VND 2.5K left (5%). The more you sell, the more you lose.
Depending 100% on one app
If the app changes its algorithm, raises fees, or has a technical outage, you lose 50-70% of orders overnight. Always have at least 2 channels: 1 delivery app + 1 owned channel (Zalo, Facebook, website).
Delivery overloading your dine-in quality
During peak hours, the kitchen gets overwhelmed with delivery orders, making dine-in customers wait too long. Solution: cap delivery orders during rush hours, or dedicate a separate station/person for delivery.
Delivery is a powerful revenue channel — but only if you get the economics right. Target: delivery at 30-40% of total revenue (not over 50% to reduce app dependency), with delivery margins of at least 10% after all fees. If you're below that, revisit your pricing or cut low-margin items.
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