Restaurants plan boycott over high app fees, eye new local platform

ISTANBUL

Turkish restaurants are preparing to boycott major food delivery platforms over what they describe as excessive commission rates, which they say have sharply increased menu prices and squeezed their profit margins.

Commissions charged by popular delivery apps have reached up to 40 percent, creating what he called a “false inflation” effect on food prices, Turkish Restaurant and Entertainment Association (TÜRES) head Ramazan Bingöl told private broadcaster CNBC-e.

He said that these high fees have forced restaurants to raise their prices significantly, directly impacting consumers.

Bingöl offered a breakdown to illustrate the burden: For a 1,000-lira ($23.6) order, platforms typically take around 32 percent in commission (320 liras [$7.58]) and another 20 percent in value-added tax (64 liras [$1.5]) is added, leaving the restaurant with only 616 liras ($14.5) before expenses.

If a discount campaign is applied — often required for visibility on these platforms — the restaurant’s earnings can fall to as little as 516 liras ($12.2).

Bingöl emphasized that high commissions have contributed to inflated menu prices, estimating that prices could drop by around 10 percent if rates were lowered.

“Without fair terms, many small and medium-sized restaurants cannot survive online,” he warned, noting that many businesses are already struggling to cover basic operating costs.

TÜRES has announced that if no agreement is reached with the platforms, restaurants will collectively withdraw their listings and launch their own digital system.

The planned platform will charge members only 5–10 percent commission, far below current rates.

The move reflects a growing backlash among the majority of Turkish tradesmen and restaurant owners who say digital platforms have become indispensable but unsustainable due to their heavy financial demands.

By creating locally managed alternatives, industry representatives hope to keep more earnings in the hands of business owners and ultimately offer consumers affordable prices.