Mainstream food delivery apps are increasingly being criticised for driving up the cost of takeaway, with mark-ups of 15–30% added on top of delivery, service, and small order fees. But for independent and culturally specific food businesses, the impact goes beyond price – it risks limiting access to heritage cuisines for the very communities they serve.
As a result, more restaurants and takeaways are rethinking how they reach customers and questioning whether third-party delivery platforms are helping or hindering cultural accessibility.
One such business is Tasty African Food, the UK’s largest West African food chain, which found that its Jollof rice – a staple of its menu – is priced 35% higher on mainstream delivery apps compared to its own platform.
That disparity prompted the brand to take back control by launching its own app, allowing customers to order at fairer prices while maintaining quality and accessibility.
Simi Olaleye, business development manager at Tasty African Food, said: “When staple dishes become significantly more expensive on delivery apps, it creates a real barrier to access. For us, launching our own app was about fairness – giving customers better value while protecting the integrity of our food and culture.”
By moving away from third-party platforms, Tasty African Food now offers customers lower prices, quicker deliveries, and exclusive rewards, while avoiding inflated mark-ups that disproportionately affect culturally rooted dishes.
The move reflects a broader shift among independent food businesses who are increasingly questioning whether mainstream delivery apps are compatible with community-led, culturally authentic food models.
As delivery continues to shape how people discover and experience global cuisines, the question remains: who controls the price of culture – the platforms, or the people creating it?
