Transparency

Data Sources & References

VAYA makes specific claims about delivery platform commission rates, rider earnings, and customer pricing. This page lists every source behind those claims so you can verify them independently.

Research & Data

The evidence behind our claims

Every figure we publish about competitor commission rates, rider earnings, or customer pricing is based on published research, union-documented demands, or widely reported industry data. Where we use approximations (~28%) we say so explicitly.

Academic Research
The Economics of Ride-Hailing: Driver Revenue, Expenses and Taxes
University of Oxford — Department of Social Policy and Intervention · June 2025
Analysis of 1.5 million actual Uber trips in the UK, documenting rider earnings after platform deductions, fuel costs, insurance, and vehicle depreciation. The study found riders earn an average of 71p per trip after all deductions — significantly below the National Living Wage when working hours are factored in.
Claims this supports:
Rider underpayment figures 71p average earnings per trip Platform commission impact on rider income
Oxford SPI → spi.ox.ac.uk
Union / Worker Rights
IWGB Couriers & Logistics Branch — Published Pay Demands
Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) · 2024–2025
The IWGB Couriers and Logistics Branch publicly documented their pay demands to Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat — a minimum of £5 per delivery plus £2 per mile. These demands were made following strike action in 2024. The platforms declined to meet the demands in full.
Claims this supports:
UK riders demanded £5 min + £2/mile Platforms said no VAYA meets and beats this demand
IWGB → iwgb.org.uk
Platform-Reported Data
Uber Eats, Mr D Food & Deliveroo — Restaurant Commission Structures
Multiple sources: platform terms, business press, restaurant trade bodies · 2023–2025
Commission rates of 25–30% have been widely reported across the restaurant industry, confirmed by multiple trade bodies including the UK Hospitality Association, the Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA), and documented in platforms' own merchant terms of service. Rates vary by restaurant size, location, and negotiated terms. VAYA uses ~28% as a representative average and labels it as an approximation throughout.
Claims this supports:
25–30% commission rate ~28% average used in calculations Restaurant menu markup to cover commission
RASA → rasa.org.za
Industry Research
DoorDash 2025 Restaurant & Consumer Trends Report
DoorDash Inc. · 2025
Annual trends report covering consumer discovery behaviour on delivery platforms. Key findings used by VAYA: 37% of consumers discover restaurants through the delivery app (not via direct search); 55% of first-time orders come from customers browsing rather than searching for a specific restaurant.
Claims this supports:
37% restaurant discovery through app 55% of first orders from browsing Platform as discovery channel argument
DoorDash Resources →
Industry Research
Online Ordering Benchmark Report — Direct vs Third-Party
Paytronix Systems Inc. · 2025
Research comparing customer spend behaviour across direct restaurant ordering channels versus third-party delivery platforms. Key finding: customers ordering through the restaurant's own channel spend 35% more per transaction than those ordering through third-party platforms.
Claims this supports:
35% higher spend through direct channel Restaurant-customer relationship value
Paytronix Resources →
VAYA Ground Research
VAYA Restaurant Survey — Observatory & Riverlands Precinct, Cape Town
Go Platform Ltd t/a VAYA · June 2026
Primary research conducted by VAYA's ground team across 25+ restaurants in Observatory and the Riverlands Precinct, Cape Town. 16 detailed interviews completed. Key findings: 100% of restaurants on delivery platforms mark up their app menu prices to cover commission; 9 of 16 restaurants surveyed are likely or very likely to try a new delivery platform; the #1 objection to a flat-fee model is slow-month risk (directly addressed by the R2/order safety net).
Claims this supports:
100% restaurant menu markup 9/16 likely to try new platform Restaurant pain point validation Commission rate survey data
Request data → hello@vaya.app
Media Reported
SA Delivery Rider Strike Action — Platform Pay Demands
Multiple SA media outlets including Business Day, Daily Maverick, News24 · 2024
SA delivery riders organised strike action in 2024, publicly demanding a minimum of R6/km from Uber Eats and Mr D Food. At the time of the strike, riders were earning approximately R1.20/km after platform deductions. The platforms declined to meet the demand. These figures were widely reported across South African business and general media.
Claims this supports:
SA riders earning R1.20/km Strike demand of R6/km Platforms declined the demand
Daily Maverick →
Market Exit
Bolt Food South Africa — Market Withdrawal
Bolt / TaxifyFood · 2022–2023
Bolt Food launched in South Africa competing on the same commission model as Uber Eats and Mr D Food at a marginally lower price point. Despite backing from Bolt's broader ride-hailing infrastructure and significant capital, Bolt Food withdrew from the South African market. The withdrawal is publicly documented and widely cited as evidence that competing on commission at lower rates alone is not a sustainable strategy.
Claims this supports:
Bolt Food SA withdrawal Commission model competition is unsustainable Different model required to compete
Business Insider SA →
⚠ Important — About These Figures
Commission rates, rider earnings, and consumer statistics vary by market, platform, time period, and individual circumstances. Where VAYA uses specific figures (e.g. ~28% commission, R1.20/km rider earnings), these are representative averages based on the sources above — not rates confirmed directly by the named platforms. Individual restaurant commission agreements may differ. Rider earnings depend on order volume, vehicle type, zone, and working hours.

VAYA uses the tilde symbol (~) throughout its materials to indicate approximate figures. No claim in VAYA's marketing materials is intended to imply these are exact, current, or universally applicable rates for any specific platform.

If you believe any figure is inaccurate or requires updating, please contact us at hello@vaya.app. We will review and update promptly.

VAYA's own pricing (R7/km standard rate, R500/month rider subscription, R300–R800/month restaurant subscription) are VAYA's confirmed published rates, not approximations.