What is the Best Food Delivery App for a Restaurant in Latin America?

The Explosive Growth of Food Delivery Apps in Latin America

Whether running a taqueria, bakery, or sushi bar, food delivery apps are now major sales outlets.

As of 2024, the online food delivery market in Latin America is valued at over USD 3.8 billion, with Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia being the key players.

Rappi has taken control of many markets within Latin America, while iFood dominates its home market of Brazil. Each food delivery app service has differing commission rates, consumer penetration, and areas of operation.

In Brazil, iFood leads with a large market share, compared to Mexico, where Rappi and Uber Eats are more dominant. Didi Food and PedidosYa operate more effectively in some smaller towns but have fewer users.

Together, let's find out what is the best food delivery app for a restaurant in Latin America.

This article will help you choose the top food delivery apps based on the costs they charge, consumer familiarity, and their available coverage, ensuring better profits for your restaurant.

Along the way we will also answer questions such as:

• ✅ How much are commission fees for iFood?

• ✅ How much are commission fees for Rappi?

• ✅ How much are commission fees for DiDi Food?

• ✅ How much do food delivery apps charge restaurants?

• ✅ Which food delivery app is best for restaurants in Colombia?

• ✅ Which food delivery app is best for restaurants in Brazil?

• ✅ Which food delivery app is best for restaurants in Mexico?

The Importance of Food Delivery Apps for Restaurants in Latin America

Food delivery apps make it easier for restaurants to reach more customers quickly. They provide a simpler way to attract new customers than traditional advertising. You don't need to set up delivery yourself.

In Latin America, these apps are must-haves for restaurants.

In 2024, consumers in Brazil spent more than $18.8 billion (USD) on food delivery apps, creating an important connection between restaurants and customers. Owners can't afford to choose carelessly regarding which food delivery app platform to work with because this will impact the profits made, customer loyalty levels, and the flow of business operations.

iFood processes approximately 60 million monthly orders, while Rappi operates across nine different Latin American countries.

Top 10 Food Delivery Apps in Latin America

The Cost of Doing Business with Food Delivery Apps

Food delivery apps are in the business of making money and they do this by charging restaurants commission fees.

There is no one standard commission fee, but as a restaurant owner, you should plan for a range of 15% to 30% of the order value as the fee that your restaurant will need to pay a food delivery app.

Based on our research, we have compiled a table of the top 10 food delivery apps in Latin America, including their commission fees, discounts, and strategies to offset fees.

This table will help you understand the costs associated with each app and how they can impact your restaurant's bottom line. Review it carefully to make an informed decision about what is the best food delivery app for a restaurant in Latin America, but more importantly, which one is the best for your restaurant.

Commission Fees & Payment Terms: Top Food Delivery Apps in Latin America (2025)

Market Penetration in Latin America: A Country-by-Country Strategy

Latin America is a diverse region made up of distinct countries, each with its own street conditions and distances from a city center to residential neighborhoods. Additionally, Internet coverage and the prevalence of smart phones based on socioeconomic conditions can vary widely in rural areas.

This makes a big difference when it comes to food delivery apps. What works in Brazil may not work in Colombia, and even then, what works in one city may not work in another as not all are at the same level of infrastructure. For restaurants, market penetration is more than just downloads. It's about getting orders in each country.

In Mexico, Rappi and DiDi Food have almost equal market shares.

Consumers stick to their apps, but they also watch the prices closely. Free delivery and first-order discounts attract them. Restaurants need to grasp this behavior. They should pay for their apps to increase visibility and boost orders.

The logistics network varies by area. Urban zones have good infrastructure for Rappi and DiDi. Rural regions, however, pose a challenge. To reach rural areas, PedidosYa now uses bikes and motorcycles. Meanwhile, iFood has delivery-only kitchens (ghost kitchens) in Brazil for wider coverage and faster delivery.

To connect with your audience, ask these questions:

• ✅ Where are the customers? Which app do they prefer?

• ✅ Should I have different apps for big cities and small towns?

• ✅ Which language is used there—Portuguese or Spanish? And how does that impact the way food delivery apps create their partnership materials?

• ✅ What promotions work best — discounts, fast delivery, or unique products?

Understanding your audience means more than just counting downloads. Also consider: language, preferences, payment methods, delivery expectations, and trust in brands.

For example, McDonald's and Starbucks are present everywhere in Latin America, and they often partner with specific apps in each country. These partnerships influence how customers see the brand and lead other restaurants to choose the same platforms for exposure and trustworthiness.

In Latin America, the market is segmented into different regions. The best way for a restaurant to succeed is by aligning with the most popular apps in its country, tailoring strategies to the languages spoken and user behavior patterns, while being flexible enough to try new things if things don't go well.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but a strategy based on data and general user preferences per country should always yield results.

Public Perception of Food Delivery Apps in Latin America

In Latin America, the choice of food delivery app is based on people's perception, rather than just commission fees and delivery speed. In 2025, the app's treatment of customers, restaurant owners, and drivers matters a lot. Many apps have been adopted for use, so it's essential to take the reputation of those apps seriously.

Rappi's Reputation: Popular but Polarizing

Rappi is known all across Latin America, especially in Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. The food delivery app is widely used, so complaints about late orders, poor customer service, and unsatisfactory experiences from drivers were bound to happen across such a large footprint. Such complaints have gone viral on social media even though they are only isolated occurrences. Due to unfavorable coverage, such as labor disputes, many people have lost trust in how Rappi operates, so some prefer other platforms to this one.

iFood: Dominant in Brazil, Generally Trusted

In Brazil, iFood has a large clientele that uses it for food delivery. Most users trust it because there's reliability in the service provided, as well as a variety of restaurants available. Complaints have arisen over its high commission fee, alongside driver strikes. Consequently, management spearheaded a campaign to support local businesses and improve conditions for drivers, aiming to earn trust among customers. Though this had positive effects, some still think of iFood like a profit-driven corporation. Yet, based on brand recognition score and user reviews, iFood is regarded as the most trusted food delivery app in Brazil.

PedidosYa: Reliable, Low-Drama Choice

PedidosYa is very well-liked in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. It does not get the attention that Rappi or iFood do; however, people usually feel good about it. It is a dependable food delivery platform. The service is good, and there aren't many problems that go viral. For customers and restaurants who prefer a more predictable option, PedidosYa is a great choice.

DiDi Food: Budget-Friendly but Still Building Trust

DiDi Food offers lower prices than competitors in Mexico and Peru. Most users say it is fast and cheap, though some are unsure about the service's reliability. People's perception varies between cities. A few are still cautious due to its unfamiliarity or concerns about data security, given its Chinese origins.

Why Delivery Driver Behavior Shapes Brand Image

Driver behavior highly influences how the public views food delivery apps. Negative experiences, like being late or rude, reflect poorly on the app. Customers generally share bad experiences online. On the contrary, when drivers excel, they earn loyalty for the brand.

Why Popular Views Should Affect Your Decision

When opting for an online food ordering service for your eatery, look past solely download statistics or percentage cut. Consider what your clientele already thinks about the platform. If the program has a bad reputation locally, it could damage views of your establishment and your association. By selecting a service with a solid general perspective, you're expanding your delivery scope, but also aligning with a name people already trust.

What Extra Value Do Food Delivery Apps Offer to Restaurants?

Food delivery apps not only connect restaurants with customers who order meals. They go beyond that. Great food delivery apps give restaurants the means to use digital tools in their operations. It helps in growth.

Data-Driven Insights: Valuable Analytics and Reporting

Some food delivery apps, like Rappi or iFood, share insights on sales with restaurants. Restaurant owners can see how many meals are sold, when customers place orders, and which promotions are effective. They use this info to make smart choices about the menu and delivery times.

By studying this data, restaurants can better promote their meals to specific customer groups. Thus, they can sell more food.

Marketing Help and Visibility Boosts

Food delivery apps support restaurants with promotional features. Uber Eats and iFood enable restaurants to run discounts and show special listings on the app. Such exposure is great for small or new eateries wanting to gain a customer base or expand their existing one. Some food delivery apps promote well-performing restaurants, allowing them to reach a broader audience outside their immediate area.

Also, those food delivery service platforms have social media marketing tools that let restaurants engage this audience across various channels. Hence, the eateries can use Rappi's “RappiPass” promos or run special campaigns targeted at frequent customers.

Delivery Logistics and Operational Tools

The right food delivery app should have tools for efficient delivery management. Many of them integrate with point-of-sale (POS) systems used in kitchens, allowing for direct order management without manual entry. iFood and PedidosYa have this functionality as part of their suite of offerings.

Also, some food delivery apps offer delivery logistics that allow restaurants to track status in real time. Some even allow restaurants to manage the food delivery drivers, giving the restaurants more control over the delivery process and hence reducing operational costs.

Loyalty Programs and Customer Retention

Loyalty programs reward customers for their patronage by offering freebies or discounts. In return, the lifetime value per customer benefits the restaurant with more sales over the long term. Food delivery apps such as iFood and Rappi have built-in loyalty programs which help facilitate that long-lasting relationship between the restaurant and customers, both new and existing.

Specialized Features: Extra Services for Higher-End Restaurants

A few of these food delivery apps, such as iFood and Rappi are more oriented towards fine dining establishments or niche services. Some applications, such as those for gourmet meals, offer same-day delivery windows, which allow customers to pick a time for their dish ahead of time. It also means that quality is preserved (crucial for meals that need to be prepared at a specific time).

Brand Awareness for Restaurants

In Mexico, apps like DiDi Food also offer custom packaging options, enabling restaurants to deliver food more consistently with their brand and maintain the quality of their food. In Argentina, PedidosYa launched a similar service at the end of last year.

Support

With high-stakes restaurant delivery, support is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity. The quality of your support personnel makes the difference between a smooth operation and costly downtime whenever problems like payment disputes, delivery errors, or app glitches arise. This is great not just because of the food delivery service, but also because of the support that comes with it for restaurant owners.

For example, Rappi and iFood offer high-quality customer service that respond to the real needs of their restaurant partners (i.e., they need more than just an order-taking platform). Both feature dedicated support channels, intended to quickly resolve issues, such as 24/7 live chat or direct phone access to trained personnel. Being able to respond so quickly enables restaurants to fix any problems immediately, maintain their operations, and avoid service hiccups.

FAQs

How frequently do food delivery apps pay restaurants?

The food delivery apps in Latin America that we covered in this article all pay restaurants weekly.

How much are commission fees for Rappi?

Rappi charges a commission of 10% to 30% of the order value to restaurants and businesses. The variability of the rate is enormous, ranging from exclusive businesses with no competition to those that register without regard for their competitors, and, of course, legal issues.

How much are commission fees for iFood?

Commission costs for food delivery will generally be on the lower side if the order value is still high, given the frequency of orders. Generally, apps and other platforms charge 15% to 30% of the order value. This margin may still widely vary.

How much do food delivery apps charge restaurants?

Food delivery apps in Latin America are charging restaurants a commission of 15% to 30% of the order price. The additional cost is the payment of the platform for its services, including sales, listing, marketing, and order fulfillment.

Which food delivery app is best for restaurants in Colombia?

Rappi and Domicilios.com remain top choices for restaurants in Colombia, with Rappi leading the market thanks to its expansive partner network and a market share that often surpasses 50%.

Which food delivery app is best for restaurants in Brazil?

The best food delivery app for restaurants in Brazil is iFood. The app not only has several features, but it also shares over 50% of the traffic with vendors in the country.

Which food delivery app is best for restaurants in Mexico?

DiDi Food and Rappi are the two key players in the realm of Mexican restaurants. Here, we have DiDi Food, which is not only the best delivery service provider for express delivery but also the promptest. Rappi is not far behind as a top competitor and draws a lot of attention, as it offers a variety of products, including food and groceries, and consistently has the highest user engagement.

Conclusion

When selecting a food delivery app for your restaurant in Latin America, it's not just about the commission fees. You also need to examine the app's market penetration.

Many factors should be evaluated to determine what is the best food delivery app for a restaurant in Latin America. These include the app's market share, the languages spoken in the region, the types of promotions that work best, and how people perceive the app.

It is important to understand the local market and the preferences of your target audience.

In the end, the best food delivery app for a restaurant in Latin America will be the one that aligns with your business goals and meets the needs of your customers.

Investigate what people think about it and the extra services it provides. Also, check how dependable its support system is.

By recognizing these factors along with the distinctive characteristics of each app, you can make an educated choice that matches your business objectives.

Using the right food delivery app is vital for staying ahead in today's competitive landscape.