The verdict in three sentences
A multi-restaurant delivery app is first a unit-economics problem: every order must pay the rider, the platform and the payment, while staying attractive. In 2026, the balance rests on a 15-25 % restaurant commission, customer delivery fees of 1,000-2,500 FCFA and an automatic Mobile Money split. Well calibrated, an order turns profitable at a reasonable average basket; badly calibrated, it loses money on every ride.
The crux: commission and ride cost
Aggregating several restaurants means splitting each payment across three parties: the restaurant, the rider and the platform. The Mobile Money split (Wave, MTN MoMo) automates this on every order. Ratings, live rider tracking and sub-40-minute rides do the rest of the experience.
| Item | Indicative 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Average basket | 6,500 FCFA |
| Restaurant commission (20 %) | 1,300 FCFA |
| Customer delivery fee | 1,500 FCFA |
| Real rider cost / ride | 1,800 FCFA |
| Mobile Money fee (~1.5 %) | ~120 FCFA |
| Platform margin / order | ~880 FCFA |
Unit economics and break-even
The platform earns on commission plus customer fees, minus rider and payment cost. Break-even comes with volume: fixed costs (app, support) dilute as rides climb.
| Monthly volume | Gross margin / order | Monthly gross margin | Estimated fixed costs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 orders | 880 FCFA | 880,000 FCFA | 1,200,000 FCFA | -320,000 FCFA |
| 2,000 orders | 880 FCFA | 1,760,000 FCFA | 1,400,000 FCFA | +360,000 FCFA |
| 4,000 orders | 880 FCFA | 3,520,000 FCFA | 1,700,000 FCFA | +1,820,000 FCFA |
Development cost for such an app runs from 3,000,000 to 8,000,000 FCFA (marketplace tier), a 2026 order of magnitude.
Mini case study
Fatou launches a delivery app in Dakar with 12 partner restaurants. In month one she reaches 900 orders: at 880 FCFA margin she makes 792,000 FCFA, below her 1,200,000 FCFA fixed costs. By raising customer delivery fees from 1,500 to 1,800 FCFA on long distances and reaching 2,200 orders by month three, her margin per order rises to ~1,050 FCFA and her result turns positive (+1,110,000 FCFA). The key: tune commission and fees, don't slash prices.
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FAQ
How does the Mobile Money split work?
On each paid order, the app automatically splits the amount between restaurant, rider and platform. Wave and MTN MoMo enable these payouts without manual handling.
What commission should I charge restaurants?
In 2026, the market range is 15-25 %. Below 15 %, the platform struggles to cover delivery; above 25 %, restaurants push back.
How to keep rides under 40 minutes?
By zoning the city, assigning the nearest rider and batching neighbouring orders. Live tracking reassures the customer and cuts support calls.
At what volume is it profitable?
With these assumptions, break-even sits around 1,600-2,000 orders/month. Beyond that, each extra ride is almost pure margin.
Let's talk about your project. We model your unit economics and build your multi-restaurant delivery app. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
