Nobody likes a fee that appears out of nowhere at the last step of checkout. So we decided early on that every fee on Pinch would follow a rule simple enough to explain in one article, and that you would see the exact amount on every restaurant card before you even open a menu. This is that article.
The delivery fee
The delivery fee pays the courier who brings your food, and it depends on one thing: how far they ride. We measure the straight-line distance from the kitchen to your address and multiply it by 1.35, because Lisbon’s streets twist, climb and double back. That gives a fair estimate of the real road distance without tracking anyone.
The first kilometre is included in a base fee of €0.99. Every kilometre after that adds €0.45. The fee never goes above €4.99, however far the kitchen is, and we round it up to the nearest price ending in 9 so the number is easy to read. For example, from Praça Luís de Camões to Tejo Ramen Bar in Mouraria is about 1.9 km by road. That is €0.99 plus €0.45 for the extra 0.9 km, which comes to €1.41 and shows as €1.49.
Some kitchens pay for your delivery themselves. Restaurants can offer free delivery above a basket value they choose, and a few sponsor delivery on every order. When that happens, you see it on the card as free delivery, and the courier is still paid in full.
The other fees, and when they apply
Two smaller fees can appear in your basket. Both are shown line by line in the totals, and both disappear completely when you collect your order yourself.
- Small order fee: if your basket is under €10, we add the difference, up to €3. A €8 order pays €2; add a drink and it is gone.
- Service fee: 5% of your basket on delivery orders, never less than €0.39 and never more than €2.49. It pays for support, payments and live tracking.
- Courier tip: optional, chosen by you at checkout, and passed on in full. Every cent goes to the courier.
- Pickup: no delivery fee, no service fee and no tip. You pay the menu price.
The same rules run everywhere you see a price. The estimate on a restaurant card, the summary in your basket and the total at checkout are all calculated by one engine on our server, so they always agree. If you change your address, every fee updates before you pay, never after.
Why not a flat fee? Because a flat fee means people next door to a kitchen pay for people on the other side of the city. Distance-based fees keep short trips cheap and long trips honest, and the cap stops a craving for one particular dish from turning into an expensive surprise. We think that is fair, and we would rather show you the maths than ask you to trust us.
Still have a question about a specific order? The fee breakdown is on every receipt and on the order’s tracking page. Tap the info icon next to any fee on Pinch and you will land right back here.
