GrabFood vs Foodpanda vs GoFood: Which is Best for Your Restaurant?

Choosing the right delivery platforms—and managing them effectively—is crucial for restaurant success in Southeast Asia. Each platform has different strengths, commission structures, and customer bases.

This guide breaks down the major platforms and helps you develop a winning multi-platform strategy.

Platform Overview

GrabFood

Market Position: The largest food delivery platform in most of Southeast Asia, part of the Grab super-app ecosystem.

Key Strengths:

• Massive user base from ride-hailing integration
• Strong brand recognition
• Reliable driver network
• GrabPay integration for seamless payments

Commission Range: 25-35% depending on market and partnership tier

Best For: Restaurants seeking maximum reach and order volume

Foodpanda

Market Position: Strong #2 player across SEA, aggressive on promotions and market expansion.

Key Strengths:

• Competitive commission rates for new partners
• Heavy promotional activity drives discovery
• pandapro subscription increases customer loyalty
• Strong presence in residential areas

Commission Range: 25-32%

Best For: Restaurants looking to capture deal-seeking customers

GoFood

Market Position: Dominant in Indonesia through Gojek's super-app, expanding regionally.

Key Strengths:

• #1 platform in Indonesia
• Deep local market understanding
• Strong merchant support programs
• GoFood festival and promotional events

Commission Range: 20-30% in Indonesia

Best For: Essential for any restaurant operating in Indonesia

ShopeeFood

Market Position: Growing challenger leveraging Shopee's massive e-commerce user base.

Key Strengths:

• Access to Shopee's 200M+ users
• Integrated with ShopeePay
• Aggressive market-entry pricing
• Cross-promotion with e-commerce

Commission Range: 20-28%

Best For: Restaurants wanting to capture younger, digital-native customers

Commission Comparison

Understanding commission structures is essential for profitability:

| Platform | Base Commission | Self-delivery | Premium Placement | |----------|----------------|---------------|-------------------| | GrabFood | 30% | 20% | +5-10% | | Foodpanda | 28% | 18% | +5-8% | | GoFood | 25% | 15% | +5-10% | | ShopeeFood | 24% | N/A | +3-5% |

Rates vary by market and partnership agreements

Platform-Specific Optimization

Each platform has unique features to leverage.

GrabFood Optimization

Merchant tools to use:

• GrabAds for sponsored listings
• Grab Kitchen Analytics for performance insights
• Self Pick-up option for margin improvement

Algorithm tips:

• Response time heavily impacts visibility
• Maintaining 4.5+ rating is crucial
• Consistent availability boosts ranking

Promotions:

• Bundle deals perform well
• Flash sales during off-peak hours
• GrabUnlimited partnership for recurring customers

Foodpanda Optimization

Merchant tools to use:

• pandabox (cloud kitchen spaces)
• Sponsored placements
• Performance dashboard

Algorithm tips:

• Order acceptance rate matters significantly
• Quick prep times improve ranking
• High photo quality increases conversion

Promotions:

• Percentage discounts drive volume
• Free delivery thresholds increase order size
• Combo meals for value perception

GoFood Optimization

Merchant tools to use:

• GoBiz merchant app
• GoFood Partner dashboard
• Marketing campaigns

Algorithm tips:

• Reviews are heavily weighted
• Prep time accuracy is monitored
• Menu completeness improves visibility

Promotions:

• PayLater integration drives higher AOV
• Flash vouchers for visibility spikes
• Festival participation for brand exposure

Multi-Platform Strategy

Running on multiple platforms is now standard practice. Here's how to manage it effectively.

Why Go Multi-Platform?

1. Reach more customers - Each platform has different user demographics
2. Reduce dependency - Don't let one platform control your business
3. Compare performance - Understand what works on each platform
4. Negotiate better terms - Leverage volume across platforms

Challenges to Address

Menu consistency Keeping menus synchronized across platforms manually is error-prone. When you run out of an item, you need to update 3-4 different systems.

Order management Managing separate tablets for each platform creates chaos during peak hours. Orders get missed, mistakes increase, and staff gets overwhelmed.

Data fragmentation Each platform provides different reports in different formats. Understanding your overall business performance becomes difficult.

Pricing strategy Should you price differently on each platform? How do you account for varying commission rates?

The Solution: Unified Management

Modern restaurants solve these challenges with integrated platform management:

All Platforms → Single Dashboard → Kitchen Display

Benefits:

• One screen to manage all orders
• Menu changes sync automatically
• Unified sales and performance data
• Simplified staff training

Platform Selection by Business Type

Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)

Recommended platforms: All major platforms

QSRs benefit from maximum exposure. Fast prep times and standardized menus work well across all platforms. Focus on:

• Speed and consistency
• Value-focused promotions
• High volume operations

Casual Dining

Recommended platforms: GrabFood, Foodpanda, GoFood

Higher-value orders mean commission impact is significant. Consider:

• Menu optimization for delivery
• Premium photography
• Building brand presence

Cloud Kitchens

Recommended platforms: All platforms essential

Cloud kitchens depend entirely on delivery orders. Multi-platform presence is mandatory. Prioritize:

• Running multiple brands per platform
• Data-driven menu optimization
• Aggressive promotional strategy

Fine Dining

Recommended platforms: Selective presence

High-end restaurants should be cautious about delivery. If participating:

• Limited menu of travel-friendly items
• Premium packaging investment
• Consider own delivery to control experience

Measuring Platform Performance

Track these metrics for each platform:

Volume Metrics

• Orders per day
• Revenue per platform
• Average order value

Profitability Metrics

• Commission paid
• Net revenue per order
• Customer acquisition cost

Operational Metrics

• Cancellation rate
• Average prep time
• Customer rating

Comparative Analysis

Create a monthly scorecard:

| Metric | GrabFood | Foodpanda | GoFood | |--------|----------|-----------|--------| | Orders | 450 | 320 | 280 | | Revenue | $4,500 | $2,880 | $2,520 | | Commission | $1,350 | $806 | $630 | | Net Revenue | $3,150 | $2,074 | $1,890 | | Rating | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 |

Use this data to adjust strategy, promotional spending, and resource allocation.

Action Steps

1. Audit current platform presence - Are you on all relevant platforms?
2. Standardize your menus - Ensure consistency across platforms
3. Set up unified management - Stop juggling multiple tablets
4. Track performance separately - Understand each platform's ROI
5. Optimize continuously - Use data to improve operations

Managing multiple delivery platforms? klikit consolidates GrabFood, Foodpanda, GoFood, and more into one dashboard. Sync menus, manage orders, and track performance across all platforms. [See how it works](/demo).