Has Takeout Peaked? Where Should You Put Your Effort in 2027?
During the pandemic, takeout saved a lot of restaurants. Many owners built their whole business around it. Now the growth has slowed.
That doesn’t mean takeout is dying. It means you need to know which side of your business actually earns, and put your effort there. This page shows an owner or manager how.
Dr. Paul Borosky, Business Consultant, has helped 1,000+ owners find which part of the business pays.
Talk to Dr. PaulCall or text (321) 948-9588.
Last Updated: November 2026
Real World Help From Dr. Paul
How This Guide Works
Need it quick? Doctor Owl and the 3 steps below. Want to see it play out? Watch Frankie at Fast Frankie’s pizza shop in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series find out his busiest channel was his least profitable.
- Split last month’s sales into dine-in, your own takeout, and third-party delivery.
- For each, subtract fees and packaging. Note what’s left per order.
- Pick the channel that earns the least and decide: fix it, raise prices on it, or shrink it.
Which Channel Was Really Paying at Fast Frankie’s?
Delivery apps sent Fast Frankie’s dozens of orders a night. Frankie loved the volume. His bank account didn’t.
Doctor Owl asked, “Is this a fire, or a foundation?” Thin delivery margins were a slow fire. They looked at it with Dr. Paul’s Organize-Plan-Grow™ Strategy.
- Organize. Marco split the sales. After app fees and boxes, a delivery pie earned about half what the same pie earned at a table or at the pickup window.
- Plan. Frankie raised app prices to cover the fee and pushed pickup orders through his own website with a small perk.
- Grow. Marco tracks what each channel keeps per order every month.
Illustration only: moving 10 delivery orders a night to pickup kept about $1,800 more a month.
The busiest channel wasn’t the best one.
Is Off-Premise Dining Still Growing?
Not like it was. Technomic’s 2027 predictions say off-premise growth has leveled off after its pandemic peak, signaling a return to balance.
Guests want both: the energy of a dining room and the convenience of takeout. Technomic says smart operators will design for both, meeting diners wherever they are.
Why Can’t You Count on Takeout to Keep Growing?
If you built your business around takeout and delivery, don’t expect those sales to keep climbing on their own. If you neglected your dining room, it may be time to bring it back.
Either way, the channel with the most orders isn’t always the one that pays. You have to look at what you keep.
How Do You Decide Where to Put Your Effort?
- Know what each channel keeps. Fees, packaging, and labor change the math a lot.
- Price delivery to cover its costs. Many restaurants charge more on apps. That’s normal.
- Push your own pickup. Direct orders skip the app fee.
- Don’t let the dining room slip. Guests who come in often spend more and come back.
What Do You Keep From Each Kind of Order?
Illustration only. Round numbers, not a real restaurant.
The same pizza earns you less when an app takes a cut. Your own pickup orders keep almost as much as dine-in.
Illustration only. Round numbers, not a real restaurant. Before labor and rent.
Want Help Sorting Out Your Channels?
Bring a month of sales by order type to a free 15-minute call with Dr. Paul. You leave knowing which channel to push and which to fix, and what more help would cost if you want it.
Or call or text (321) 948-9588.
What Do Owners Ask About Takeout and Dine-In?
Should I drop third-party delivery apps?
Not always. They can bring new guests. Just price them to cover the fees, and push repeat guests to order direct.
Is it okay to charge more on delivery apps?
Yes. Many restaurants do. Your costs are higher there, and guests are paying for convenience.
How do I bring guests back into the dining room?
Give them a reason: a dine-in only special, a better atmosphere, or an event night.
About the Author
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, helps owners see which parts of the business really pay. His clients are in all 50 states and Canada.
Sources
- Technomic, 2027 U.S. foodservice trend predictions (October 19, 2026).