What percentage does Shef take from makers?

Shef has publicly cited a 15% commission on maker revenue to cover marketing, payment processing, and support. Some 2026 reporting puts the effective take closer to 30% once other fees are included. Confirm current terms directly with Shef before signing up.

Can a MEHKO maker sell on DoorDash?

No. California's MEHKO law prohibits third-party delivery services from delivering home kitchen food (the one exception is for customers whose disability prevents pickup). Delivery must be by the operator or their employee, or the customer picks up. Ordering marketplaces that don't deliver are allowed.

What does DoorDash charge restaurants?

DoorDash's published partnership plans charge 15% (Basic), 25% (Plus), or 30% (Premier) commission on delivery orders, plus 6% on pickup orders. Uber Eats has a similar 15/25/30% structure.

What does Makinson Street charge makers?

3% of the plate price on card orders, plus Stripe's standard processing fee (2.9% + 30¢). In-person payments are fee-free. No listing fees, no subscription, no ads.

Makinson Street vs. Shef vs. DoorDash: What Each Platform Takes From a Home Cook (2026)

The short answer

On a $20 plate, a home cook nets about $18.52 on Makinson Street (3% commission plus Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢; in-person payments are fee-free), roughly $17 on Shef (which has publicly cited a 15% cut, with some 2026 reports putting the effective take higher), and $14–$17 on DoorDash or Uber Eats (15–30% commission by plan). The bigger difference is legal: California MEHKO permits prohibit third-party delivery, so DoorDash and Uber Eats aren't an option for a permitted home cook at all.

The comparison

Platform economics for a home cook, as published or reported in 2026. Confirm current terms with each platform.
	{{app}}	Shef	DoorDash / Uber Eats
Commission on card orders	3%	15% publicly cited; some reports put the effective rate higher	15% (Basic) / 25% (Plus) / 30% (Premier)
Payment processing	Stripe: 2.9% + 30¢, passed through	Included in commission	Included in commission
In-person / cash payments	Fee-free	Not supported	Not supported
Listing or subscription fee	None	None	None (but paid ads and promotions)
Who delivers	Maker, or customer pickup	Shef arranges delivery	Platform couriers
Legal for MEHKO makers?	Yes — ordering marketplace, no third-party delivery	Depends on delivery arrangement and county	No — third-party delivery is prohibited (HSC §114367.5)
Permit verified before listing	Yes, every maker, displayed on profile	Food safety certification required; varies by state	Requires a commercial food facility permit
Maker sets own price	Yes	Yes, within guidelines	Yes, but platform markups common
Maker sets own schedule / menu days	Yes	Yes	Yes
Payout	Stripe, automatic	Weekly	Weekly (daily for a fee)
Customer relationship	Direct — messages, reviews, regulars	Through platform	Through platform; customer data withheld

What a $20 plate nets, and what 90 plates a week nets

	Per $20 plate	90 plates/week, per year (4,680 plates)
Makinson Street, card	$18.52	$86,670
Makinson Street, in-person	$20.00	$93,600
Shef at 15%	$17.00	$79,560
Shef at 30% (reported effective)	$14.00	$65,520
DoorDash / Uber Eats, 15% plan	$17.00	$79,560
DoorDash / Uber Eats, 30% plan	$14.00	$65,520

Over a year at full MEHKO volume, the gap between Makinson Street and a 30% platform is more than $21,000 — before counting the ingredients you'd have bought either way.

Why the legal column matters more than the fee column

California's MEHKO law, AB 626, defines a home kitchen operation as one where food is eaten on site, picked up by the customer, or delivered by the operator or their employee (Health & Safety Code §113825). The follow-up bill AB 377 (2019) made the delivery rule explicit in §114367.5: food from a MEHKO "shall not be delivered by a third-party delivery service," the person delivering must be an employee, family member, or household member of the permitholder, and the single exception is for customers whose disability prevents them from picking up. §114367.6 binds the platform too — an intermediary "shall not use, or knowingly facilitate the use of, a third-party delivery service." That's why you don't see MEHKO makers on DoorDash — being there would put their permit at risk. The law does allow internet food service intermediaries: marketplaces that handle listing, ordering, and payment but not delivery. Those platforms must register with CDPH, display the maker's permit number, and disclose that food is made in a home kitchen. That's the category Makinson Street is built for; here's how we verify each maker.

Where Shef fits

Shef is the largest venture-backed home-cook marketplace in the U.S. and operates a delivery model in many markets, which is a different legal footing than a MEHKO in California — it has historically relied on makers working under cottage food or commercial-kitchen arrangements depending on the state. It's a real option, with real demand. The trade-offs are the commission, a platform-mediated customer relationship, and menu and pricing guidelines. If you want the widest reach and don't mind the cut, it's worth a look; if you want to keep your regulars and your margin, that's what we're for.

What Makinson Street doesn't do

We don't deliver. Makers arrange pickup or do their own delivery. That's the law for MEHKOs, and it keeps the price down.
We don't run ads against you. There are no paid placements or promoted listings.
We don't take a cut of cash. If a regular hands you $20 at the door, that's yours.

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