Food delivery businesses send quotes before taking on catering deliveries, recurring restaurant or meal-prep routes, event runs, and corporate lunch programs. Clients typically compare your price per delivery or per route against other couriers and against the cost of a third-party app, so a clear breakdown helps.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
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Invoice_1001_Client_2026-10-14.pdf
Distance and timing drive the price, and a stated window sets expectations for what counts as late.
Hot, cold, fragile, or oversized orders may need special bags, coolers, or a larger vehicle, which affects your price.
A single drop is priced differently than a 15-stop route or a daily recurring run.
State whether you place food, set up chafing dishes, or only hand off at the door so there is no confusion about the catering fee.
If the kitchen or recipient is slow, the time you wait has a cost that should be agreed before the job.
Food is perishable, so state what happens if the order is cancelled late or no one is available to receive it.
These small costs can add up on city or event deliveries and are often disputed when not discussed upfront.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Standard local delivery (first 3-5 miles) | per delivery | $7-15 |
| Additional mileage beyond base distance | per mile | $1-2.50 |
| Catering delivery with basic setup | flat fee | $35-100 |
| Wait time at pickup or drop-off (after grace period) | per 15 minutes | $5-12 |
| Scheduled route or multi-stop run | per hour | $20-35 |
| Rush or same-day surcharge | per order | $5-20 |
| Meal-prep box delivery route | per stop | $4-9 |
| Large or multi-item order surcharge | per order | $5-25 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
Add fuel, insurance, maintenance, and your time to get a floor price. Then add a margin so a short run with a long wait still pays.
Offer lower per-stop pricing for clients who commit to a minimum number of deliveries a week. It rewards volume and gives you predictable income.
List rush, after-hours, holiday, and large-order fees in the quote. Clients accept them more readily when they are part of the original price.
Restaurants often weigh your price against third-party commission, which can run 15 to 30 percent of an order. Showing a flat fee per delivery makes the comparison easy.
A flat fee is usually easier for clients, as long as the distance, setup, and time on site are defined. Use an hourly rate with a minimum if the event timing is uncertain.
Fuel prices and your schedule change, so 14 to 30 days is common. For event dates, note that the date is held only after a deposit or signed approval.
Yes, if your quote states the order size it is based on and lists a surcharge or rate for additional items or stops. Confirm the change in writing before the delivery.
It is a good idea. A short agreement covering the route, schedule, rate, payment terms, and how either side can end it prevents most disputes with regular clients.
Use the Food Delivery invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Food Delivery invoice template