At some point, almost every home baker gets the question: “Do you deliver?”

Maybe it starts with a loyal customer who can’t easily get to you. Maybe you’re watching other bakers in your area offer it and wondering if you’re leaving sales on the table. Or maybe you’ve already said yes a few times and realized you need an actual system.

Delivery can be a genuinely great addition to your business — but going in without a plan can quietly cost you time and money. Here’s everything you need to think through before you decide.

🚗 Reasons to Offer Delivery

There are real, meaningful reasons why delivery can help your business grow:

• You reach more customers. Not everyone can come to you. Delivery removes the barrier for busy parents, customers without reliable transportation, or anyone who simply prefers the convenience.
• It feels like a premium service. Hand-delivering a beautiful box of cookies or a custom cake creates a memorable experience — something big-box grocery stores can’t replicate.
• It can increase your average order value. Customers ordering for delivery often place larger orders to justify the fee, or they’re buying for events and gifts.
• You stay competitive. If other local bakers offer delivery and you don’t, you may lose customers simply because of convenience.
• You control the experience end-to-end. Unlike shipping, local delivery means you’re handling your products all the way to the customer’s hands — less risk of damage, everything arrives exactly how it left your kitchen.

⚖️ The Pros and Cons

Here’s a balanced look at what delivery can bring — and what it costs you.

📋 Things to Think About Before You Start

Before you add delivery to your offerings, work through these questions:

• What’s your delivery radius? Most home bakers set a specific radius — say, 10 or 15 miles — and stick to it. Think about where most of your customers live and what distance feels reasonable on a busy weekend morning.
• What’s your minimum order? It rarely makes sense to drive 20 minutes to deliver a single $12 box of cookies. Set a minimum order amount so the trip is always worth your time.
• When will you deliver? Many bakers batch deliveries on specific days (like Saturdays) or require orders by a certain cutoff. Defined windows help you plan and avoid last-minute scrambles.
• What if no one is home? Will you leave orders at the door or require someone to be there? Decide this before it happens.
• What if something is damaged? Have a clear policy ready so you’re not figuring it out in the moment.
• What’s your cancellation policy? Will you refund the delivery fee if an order is cancelled after you’ve already left?

🧮 How to Calculate Your Delivery Fee

The goal is simple: cover your real costs and respect your time. Here’s the formula:

• Mileage: Use the IRS standard mileage rate as your benchmark ($0.70/mile for 2025 — covers fuel, maintenance, and depreciation). Always use round-trip distance since you’re driving home after too. Example: 8 miles away = 16 miles round trip → 16 × $0.70 = $11.20
• Your time: Every minute you’re delivering is a minute you’re not baking. Assign yourself an hourly rate — many bakers use $15–$20/hour. Example: 30-minute trip at $15/hr → 0.5 × $15 = $7.50
• Add it up: $11.20 + $7.50 = $18.70 → round to a clean $18 or $20. A flat number is easier to communicate and still covers your costs.
• Consider tiered zones: Set flat fees by distance — for example, $10 within 5 miles, $15 for 5–10 miles, $20 for 10–15 miles. Easy to publish, easy to explain.

🎁 A Note on Free Delivery

Offering free delivery above a certain order threshold can be a great marketing tool — but make sure the math works first:

• When you offer free delivery, you’re absorbing that cost into your product margins rather than charging separately. Know what your average delivery costs before you commit.
• Free delivery as an occasional promo or loyalty reward? Smart move.
• Free delivery as a permanent, uncalculated policy? That can quietly eat into your profits over time.

💛 Final Thoughts

Delivery isn’t right for every baker, and it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Start small — maybe Saturdays only, within 10 miles, with a minimum order — and adjust as you learn what works.

The most important thing is to go in with your eyes open: know your costs, set your policies, and charge what’s fair to both you and your customer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a home baker offer delivery? It depends on your goals and capacity. Delivery can help you reach more customers, feel like a premium service, and increase average order value—but it also takes time away from baking and adds real costs like mileage and scheduling complexity. Starting small (a limited radius, a minimum order, specific delivery days) is a good way to test it before committing fully.

How do I calculate a fair delivery fee? Use this formula: Delivery Fee = (Miles × Mileage Rate) + (Drive Time × Your Hourly Rate). Use the IRS standard mileage rate as a benchmark and round-trip distance since you’re driving home too, then add your time at an hourly rate of your choosing—many bakers use $15–$20/hour.

What delivery radius should I set? Most home bakers choose a fixed radius, often 10–15 miles, based on where their customers actually live and what’s reasonable to manage on a busy day. Setting tiered pricing by distance zone (for example, $10 within 5 miles, $20 for 10–15 miles) is also a common approach.

Should I have a minimum order amount for delivery? Yes, most bakers do. Without one, it’s easy to end up driving 20 minutes to deliver a single small order that doesn’t cover your time or gas. A minimum order ensures every delivery trip is worth it.

Is offering free delivery a good idea? It can be, as a marketing tool or occasional loyalty reward, but only if you’ve calculated your actual delivery costs first. Offering free delivery as a permanent, uncalculated policy risks quietly eating into your profit margins over time.

What policies should I have in place before offering delivery? Decide in advance what happens if no one’s home, if an order is damaged in transit, or if a customer cancels after you’ve already left. Having clear answers ready avoids awkward, in-the-moment decisions.