Ordering delivery in BC: what the fee cap covers, what you still pay and how to save

If you order food through a delivery app in British Columbia, the price on your screen is often higher than in the restaurant, and the bill has several lines you did not choose. It helps to know what the provincial cap on delivery fees does and does not do.

What is the BC cap on delivery fees?

British Columbia first capped what delivery platforms could charge restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, as an emergency measure. The province later made the cap permanent through the Food Delivery Service Fee Act, and the government's page on it was last updated in January 2026. According to the government, the law applies to food delivery platforms that serve 500 or more restaurants, so smaller services fall outside it.

The cap limits the fee for core services to 20 percent of the order value, not counting taxes and tips, combining two earlier caps. The law also bars platforms from cutting driver pay to make up for the cap. The exact figure is set in the legislation and regulation, so check the government's page for the current rule.

Does the cap lower your bill?

Not directly. The cap limits what a platform charges the restaurant, not what you pay. Your bill can still include:

• a delivery fee
• a service fee, set by the platform
• a small-order fee
• taxes on the food
• a tip for the driver

Platforms set these themselves. Because the cap limits the restaurant's cost, some restaurants have raised menu prices on the app so that the cap bites less. That means the same dish can cost more on an app than at the counter.

How can you check the real price?

Compare the same item on the restaurant's own website or on the shelf in the restaurant. If the app price is higher, you are paying for the convenience. For a big order, the difference adds up.

Why does it matter to the restaurant?

Many independent restaurants say delivery apps eat into already thin margins. A restaurant that pays a platform a fifth of the order value, plus payment processing and packaging, may make little on a delivery order. A cap helps, but it does not make delivery profitable for every business.

How can you order in a way that helps your local restaurant?

• Order directly from the restaurant by phone or through its own website, if it takes orders. The business keeps more of what you pay.
• Collect it yourself. Pickup avoids delivery and service fees on most platforms.
• Tip the driver, since driver pay depends on tips as well as fees.
• Order in a group. One big order to one address spreads the delivery fee.
• Plan ahead. Ordering before peak times means shorter waits and fewer fees.

What about drivers?

Many delivery drivers are classed as independent contractors rather than employees. The BC law about the cap includes a ban on lowering their pay to offset it. If you want to help, a tip in cash or through the app helps directly.

Why do the menu prices differ between app and restaurant?

Part of the reason is the commission. When a platform takes a share of each order, a restaurant that does not raise its app prices loses money on every delivery, so some raise them on the platform only. Others keep prices the same and accept the thinner margin. Neither choice is dishonest, but it explains why a burger can cost a dollar or two more on a screen than at the counter.

What should you do if there is a problem with an order?

Contact the platform through the app first, with a photo if food is missing or damaged. Complaints about the cap itself, such as a restaurant being charged more than it should, go to the provincial government rather than the diner.

Will the rules change?

Delivery rules are still being debated in several provinces, and the cap may be adjusted. The BC government's page carries the current rules.

How does this compare with Ontario?

Ontario's rules are different, so a diner there should not assume the same cap applies. Each province's government publishes its own pages on the subject.

How can you keep your favourite independent places in view?

The simplest way to help a restaurant is to know which ones you love. In the Mosey app you rate the dish you ate and add a tag, and you can keep a list of the independent places you want to keep going back to. Share the list with friends so they can add their own, and rate your next favourite dish as soon as you finish it.

More guides to read next:

• BC liquor rules for diners: bringing your own wine, ID, PST on drinks and what is on the bill
• Kelowna food and wine guide: Bernard Avenue, the farmers market and winery lunches
• Penticton and Naramata wine country guide: benches, orchards and where to eat

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.