The trap is conflating two very different costs. Delivery aggregators such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Menulog can take 20-35% commission per order, dwarfing any card-acceptance fee and settling on their own cycle. Your own in-store eftpos and contactless costs are a separate, far smaller line. Reading both clearly is the first step to controlling what you actually pay to get paid.
Why takeaway & fast food fees sit where they do
In-store takeaway leans heavily on debit and contactless, the cheapest categories, which can pull a blended rate toward the lower end. Pushing it up are tiny ticket sizes where fixed per-transaction components bite, plus any Amex, international or premium-rewards cards from tourists and late-night crowds. Note that aggregator commissions of 20-35% sit entirely outside this range; they are a marketplace and delivery charge, not a payment-processing fee, even though both reduce what lands in your account.
What to look for in a provider
For a high-count, low-value takeaway, prioritise fast contactless approval and a fee structure that suits small tickets: watch per-transaction minimums and flat monthly charges, which hurt when the average sale is under $20. Decide whether simple flat-rate pricing or interchange-plus better fits your debit-heavy mix, and check how surcharging is handled if you pass on costs. Keep delivery aggregators in a separate column entirely; their commissions are negotiated with each platform, not your acquirer. The right setup clears queues quickly without letting fixed fees erode margin on cheap orders, though actual rates always depend on your volume and negotiated terms.