Want to save ‘substantial’ money on restaurant delivery food, Boise? Here’s a secret.

With diners concerned about safety at seated restaurants, delivery food has taken on a prominent role this year.

But are you paying more for delivery orders than you need to?

There’s a way to potentially save money while helping your favorite Boise restaurant navigate tough times, says Hoss Grigg, co-owner of Big Daddy’s Barbeque in Meridian.

Before turning to a third-party service such as Uber Eats, DoorDash or Grubhub, check to see whether you’re able to order directly from a restaurant’s website, he says.

You might discover cheaper prices. Significantly cheaper.

“In most cases, if you can figure out a way to order direct, you’re gonna save,” Grigg says.

The online ordering process at Big Daddy’s website might not be quite as slick as a third-party service — especially initially. “It does take more time,” Grigg says. “You’re not going to do it sitting at a stoplight.”

But the savings? “It’s substantial,” he says.

The Large Family Platter at Big Daddy’s BBQ, which feeds six to eight people, costs $110.99 plus a $5.99 delivery fee when ordered from the restaurant’s website. If you buy that same huge meal through Uber Eats, it’s priced at $138.73, plus any additional surcharges and delivery fees that might be incurred.

“People unfortunately don’t understand that,” Grigg said. “And that’s part of the problem with the third-party services.”

Restaurants create their own menu prices. But because they get charged for delivery — usually about 30 percent, owners say — many set higher food prices on third-party services to help offset that cost. A Bourbon BBQ Burger is $17.85 on Uber Eats. On Big Daddy’s website, it’s $11.99. That’s a 39 percent difference.

In the case of that Large Family Platter, Big Daddy’s makes more money when it’s ordered through the restaurant’s website as opposed to a third-party service, Grigg says. It also allows the restaurant to obtain valuable marketing data for tracking and facilitating future orders.

Uber Eats, DoorDash convenience

Don’t get Grigg wrong. Third-party services have their benefits. They allow restaurants to offer delivery when it wouldn’t be practical from a business perspective.

“We truly attribute our ability to make it through — especially the beginning of the pandemic — to the Ubers and the Grubhubs of the world,” Grigg says, “simply because we were already in place on those platforms.”

When you order directly through Big Daddy’s website, food is delivered by DoorDash drivers. The restaurant has a separate arrangement with DoorDash that allows its food to be priced less than it is on third-party services, he says.

There’s also no denying that third-party services open up a delicious world of possibilities for food-perusing customers.

“A consumer jumps on Uber to order a sandwich,” Grigg says, “and they end up ordering barbecue.”

Convenience is the main reason that consumers use third-party delivery, says John Berryhill, owner of Bacon in downtown Boise.

“They already have their profile set up, so it’s quick and easy, and they know what to expect,” he says. “They’ll even use their choice third party for pickup.”

Bacon adds about 12-15 percent to its third-party delivery menu prices, depending on the item, Berryhill says. Bacon offers its own delivery, too, which is free in the downtown core through its website. Ultimately, though, Bacon has embraced third-party delivery. The Bacon website points customers to Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub.

Free delivery

Sometimes, third-party services advertise free delivery, too. The Bacon staff has become intimately familiar with Uber Eats’ popular weekend promotions. “You never know when it’s gonna happen till they post it,” Berryhill says, “then BOOM! For the 45-minute time frame, you’re hammered with orders.”

Ultimately, ordering directly through a restaurant’s website is just better for the business owner, Grigg says. Whether it’s a mom-and-pop operation or a national chain, you, the customer, are going to the institution first — rather than the middleman.

“That’s the way we try to spin it ever more so than the savings,” Grigg says. “The savings are there without a doubt. But ultimately, it’s about trying to make that connection with the customer, to make them comfortable enough to order straight from our website. These days, if you’re not trying to figure out a way to make that digital connection, you’re sunk, in my opinion.”

This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 4:00 AM.