Should a cloud kitchen with no dine-in run its own delivery riders?
Updated 18 October 2026
Own riders give you control and no app cut, but you pay wages in quiet hours. Many cloud kitchens start with riders booked per order and add their own once orders are steady.
- Own riders: you decide quality and timing, but pay them even when it is quiet.
- Booked riders: pay per delivery and nothing in quiet hours.
- Mix: use your own rider for nearby addresses and a courier for far ones.
- Start small: begin with booked riders, then hire when volume is steady.
Own riders, booked riders, or both
Give orders to your own riders with a rider app, book couriers from your dashboard, or split by distance, all from one place.
Next questions
Sources (1)
- Menuthere guidance, Menuthere, read 30 September 2026