Keeta Collection Order Commission Rise Upsets Merchants as Hong Kong Franchise Sector Watches Platform Costs

Takeaway costs are once again in the spotlight for Hong Kong restaurants. In its US West Coast edition on 27 September 2026, Sing Tao Daily reported that some merchants said Keeta had sharply increased commission on takeaway collection orders, with some small operators turning to other ordering channels to reduce their reliance on the platform. For Hong Kong’s franchise sector, the key question is whether outlets can retain sufficient profit and maintain customer relationships after platform fees change.

Merchants report higher commission, but exact increases need checking against contracts

The report quoted restaurants as saying that Keeta had raised commission on collection orders by more than threefold. It also cited frontline sales staff advising merchants to raise prices first, then offer discounts. Merchants interviewed expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that this approach could pass costs on to consumers while eroding small operators’ margins.

However, the report provided did not specify the commission rates before and after the adjustment, which merchants were affected, or when the changes took effect. The increases reported by individual restaurants therefore cannot be treated as a new fee structure applying uniformly across Hong Kong, nor can they be used to calculate the cost increase for any particular franchise brand.

Platform response highlights AI assistant

Responding to enquiries, Keeta stressed that alongside the commission increase, it had upgraded its AI assistant to help merchants generate more business. This explains the platform’s supporting services, but the report provided no measurable results, leaving insufficient evidence to judge whether additional business could offset the commission costs.

The report also said competition among takeaway platforms was shifting away from subsidies aimed at attracting customers towards a greater focus on fee adjustments. It cited market estimates suggesting that Keeta accounted for nearly 60% of Hong Kong’s market by order volume. This is an estimate, not a verified official statistic, and does not mean that all types of restaurant depend on the platform to the same extent.

Small operators turn to other ordering channels

Several small operators told the newspaper they were trying lower-fee platforms, bringing back telephone ordering to build a network of regular customers, and offering complimentary snacks to attract business. Their aim was to reduce reliance on third-party platforms.

These are responses adopted by the merchants interviewed, not proven solutions for every franchise outlet. For franchise businesses, the comparison should go beyond commission rates to include the net receipts generated by each channel and the staffing needed to handle orders directly. The report did not establish whether these small businesses were franchise outlets, so their experiences should not be presented as typical of franchise brands.

Franchise outlets should recalculate the economics of collection orders

In practical terms, brands and franchisees can start by checking platform notices and contracts to confirm whether collection and delivery orders attract different fees, then calculate commission, discounts and the cost of complimentary items separately. Before adjusting prices or introducing another ordering channel, they should also check the pricing and promotional provisions in their franchise agreements.

Practical tip: Use the outlet’s actual statements to calculate revenue and costs for each collection order before comparing alternative channels. Do not base decisions solely on estimated market share or the commission increases reported by individual merchants.