How do I stop paying delivery-app commission in the Gulf?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
Don't drop the apps overnight; build your own channel alongside them and move repeat customers across. Delivery apps in Saudi Arabia and the UAE take roughly 15% to 25% of each order; your own system — a website, QR codes and WhatsApp — charges a flat monthly fee and 0% commission. With Menuthere you start on the Free plan at $0 and keep the full value of every direct order.
- In Saudi Arabia, 2026 reports put HungerStation's commission at 15% to 25%, some guides up to 30%; each restaurant's rate is set in its contract.
- Keeta entered at lower rates (roughly 12%–20%) plus a share of promotion costs; Mrsool is about 15%–25%.
- Menuthere is 0% commission on every plan, including Free, which includes 50 orders a month at $0.
- Don't delete the apps suddenly: keep them for discovery, and move regulars to your own link, QR code and WhatsApp.
- Paid plans (Lite $17/month, Pro $39/month) add your own domain, online payments and WhatsApp on your own number.
Move your orders to your own channel
Menuthere gives you an ordering website, printable QR codes and WhatsApp ordering on your own number, with 0% commission on every order and a Free plan to start. Payments go straight to your account.
How much do Gulf delivery apps actually take?
The apps don't publish their rates; each is set in a restaurant's contract. In Saudi Arabia, 2026 reports put HungerStation at roughly 15% to 25%, and in 2022 the newspaper Al Eqtisadiah — working from merchants' contracts — put it at 23% (the highest of five apps, with an 18% average). Keeta entered at lower rates (12%–20%) plus a share of promotion costs, and Mrsool is about 15%–25%. Treat these as approximate and check your contract.
| App | Approx. commission | Source |
|---|---|---|
| HungerStation | 15%–25% (some guides to 30%) | Flow 2026; Al Eqtisadiah 2022 (23%) |
| Keeta | 12%–20% + promo share | Flow 2026; 36Kr 2024 |
| Mrsool | 15%–25% | SEC-INTEL and Online eMenu 2026 |
| Your own system (Menuthere) | Flat monthly fee, 0% per order | Menuthere pricing |
Is a flat fee cheaper than commission?
It depends on your volume. Commission grows with sales, so the more you sell on an app, the more you pay. A flat fee stays the same whether you take 10 orders or 1,000. For example, at 300 orders averaging SAR 60 and a 20% rate, you pay the app about SAR 3,600 a month; a fixed paid plan costs the same no matter how orders grow. On Menuthere's Free plan there is no fee up to 50 orders a month.
- Commission = a cut of every order, rising as you grow.
- A flat fee = one monthly amount, staying the same.
- You still pay the payment gateway's card fee, which is separate from Menuthere and goes to the gateway.
Should I leave the apps completely?
Not necessarily, and rarely all at once. The apps bring discovery and new customers, while your own channel keeps repeat orders commission-free. The safest path: keep the apps, put a QR code and link on tables, receipts and packaging, and move regulars to WhatsApp and your site. Compare the two in Talabat/HungerStation or my own site.
How do I take payment without a delivery app?
You can take cash or payment on pickup for free, or share a payment link or your account details. In the UAE, where Stripe opens accounts, you can take card payments online on the Lite plan through your own account; in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman card payments depend on a local gateway being supported, so check before promising it. Either way the money reaches your account, and Menuthere never takes a commission on the order itself.
Who this is a good fit for
- A Gulf restaurant, café, bakery or cloud kitchen with repeat customers that wants to cut the apps' cut.
- Owners who can send customers to their own link through QR codes, Google, Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Those who want to start free and upgrade only when the extra features pay for themselves.
Who this is not for
- A brand-new place with no customer base: the app's marketplace can bring the first orders while you build your own channel.
- Owners who want the app to handle drivers and discovery entirely; here the apps stay useful alongside your channel.
Common follow-up questions
How much is HungerStation's commission from restaurants?
HungerStation doesn't publish its rate; it is set in each restaurant's contract. 2026 reports put it at roughly 15% to 25%, and Al Eqtisadiah put it at 23% in 2022. Check your contract for your actual rate.
Can I start for free?
Yes. The Free plan is $0 and includes 50 orders a month, your menu, an ordering website and QR codes. Past 50 orders the menu turns view-only until the 1st, or you upgrade to an unlimited paid plan.
Does Qatar cap commission?
Qatar regulated delivery through Committee Decision 3 of 2020, capping the customer's delivery charge (QAR 10 by bike, QAR 20 by car), and its 2026 guideline requires every fee in the contract and bans hidden charges. Check your contract and the authority.
Read next
Sources (4)
- Delivery platform commissions in Saudi Arabia (15–25%), Flow, read 25 October 2026
- Delivery-app commission comparison (HungerStation 23%, 18% average), Al Eqtisadiah, 25 November 2022
- Qatar caps order-delivery charges, Qatar Tribune, read 25 October 2026
- Menuthere pricing — 0% commission on every plan, Menuthere, read 25 October 2026