Marketing Strategy
Glovo vs Wolt Advertising: Which Delivery Platform Should Your Restaurant Prioritise?
Restaurants in Europe are facing a daunting reality: food delivery platforms like Glovo and Wolt are draining their profits. According to a recent survey, 53% of food establishments in the UK are losing up to 30% of their revenue to commission fees. In Germany, this number jumps to an alarming 60%.
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Food establishments losing revenue to commission fees
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Food establishments losing revenue to commission fees
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Average commission
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Average profit loss
As a restaurant owner, it's crucial to understand the impact of Glovo vs Wolt advertising on your business. Both platforms claim to help restaurants reach a larger audience, but at what cost? In this article, we'll dive into the world of food delivery advertising, exploring the pros and cons of each platform and providing actionable tips to optimize your marketing strategy.
Choosing the Right Platform
With Glovo and Wolt vying for dominance in the European food delivery market, it's essential to understand the differences between the two. Here are some key statistics to consider:
- Glovo operates in over 25 countries, with a strong presence in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. Wolt, on the other hand, is more prevalent in the Nordic region, with a significant presence in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
- Glovo has a more extensive restaurant network, with over 500,000 partner restaurants worldwide. Wolt, while smaller, focuses on higher-end restaurants and cuisines.
- Glovo offers a more extensive range of advertising options, including sponsored listings, banner ads, and geo-targeted promotions. Wolt, however, focuses on more targeted and personalized advertising, using AI-driven tools to optimize campaigns.
Restaurant Network Size
GlovoBest
restaurants500000Wolt
restaurants150000Total
restaurants650000Source: Glovo and Wolt reports
Advertising Strategies
When it comes to advertising on Glovo and Wolt, restaurants have a range of options to choose from. Here are some key strategies to consider:
- Sponsored listings: Both platforms offer sponsored listings, which allow restaurants to showcase their menu items and promotions to a larger audience. Glovo's sponsored listings are more expensive, but offer better visibility and targeting options.
- Geo-targeted promotions: Wolt's geo-targeted promotions allow restaurants to reach customers in specific geographic areas, reducing waste and increasing the effectiveness of ad spend.
- AI-driven advertising: Wolt's AI-driven advertising tools optimize campaigns in real-time, ensuring that restaurants reach the most relevant customers. Glovo, while offering some AI-driven tools, relies more on manual optimization.
Tips for Optimizing Your Advertising
To get the most out of Glovo and Wolt advertising, follow these tips:
- Set clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve from your advertising efforts, whether it's increasing sales, driving website traffic, or boosting brand awareness.
- Choose the right platform: Consider your target audience and the types of restaurants you want to reach. Glovo may be a better fit for a larger, more casual eatery, while Wolt might be more suitable for a higher-end restaurant.
- Optimize your ads: Use the advertising options and tools provided by each platform to optimize your ads and reach the most relevant customers.
Pro Tip
Don't forget to track your ad performance regularly to ensure you're getting the best ROI.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When advertising on Glovo and Wolt, avoid the following common mistakes:
- Not setting clear goals: Without a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, it's easy to waste ad spend on ineffective campaigns.
- Not optimizing ads: Failing to optimize your ads can result in wasted spend and poor performance.
- Not tracking performance: Not tracking ad performance can make it difficult to identify areas for improvement and optimize future campaigns.
Watch Out
Be cautious of fake or misleading reviews on Glovo and Wolt, as these can harm your restaurant's reputation and alienate potential customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the cost of advertising on Glovo and Wolt?
A: The cost of advertising on Glovo and Wolt varies depending on the platform and the types of ads you choose. On average, Glovo's sponsored listings can cost between €5-€10 per click, while Wolt's geo-targeted promotions can range from ��0.50-€5 per click.
Q: How do I track the performance of my ads on Glovo and Wolt?
A: Both platforms offer built-in tracking and analytics tools, allowing you to monitor ad performance and make data-driven decisions.
Q: Can I advertise on both Glovo and Wolt simultaneously?
A: Yes, you can advertise on both Glovo and Wolt simultaneously, but be sure to track performance and adjust your campaigns accordingly.
Q: How do I choose the right ad creative for my restaurant?
A: Consider your target audience, the types of restaurants you want to reach, and the types of ads available on each platform. Use high-quality images and clear, concise copy to grab customers' attention.
Q: Can I use my own ad creative on Glovo and Wolt?
A: Yes, both platforms allow you to use your own ad creative, but be sure to meet their formatting and content guidelines.
Q: How do I optimize my ads for maximum ROI?
A: Use the advertising options and tools provided by each platform to optimize your ads and reach the most relevant customers.
Conclusion
Glovo and Wolt advertising can be a powerful tool for restaurants looking to reach a larger audience and drive sales. By understanding the differences between the two platforms and optimizing your advertising strategy, you can get the most out of your ad spend and achieve your business goals. If you're struggling to navigate the world of food delivery advertising, consider reaching out to a marketing expert like DataLatte for personalized guidance and support.
If you want to apply these strategies to your restaurant's marketing efforts, [get in touch with us today for a free consultation and start driving more customers to your business] (/contact).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the most seasoned restaurant owners stumble when they first dip into platform advertising. The allure of instant visibility can cloud judgment, leading to costly errors that eat into already thin margins. Here are five real mistakes I’ve watched local businesses make—and the specific fixes that turned their campaigns around.
Mistake #1: Treating Glovo and Wolt as Interchangeable
Many owners assume that because both platforms deliver food, their advertising systems work the same way. They copy-paste a campaign from Glovo into Wolt and wonder why results tank. This is like using the same coffee roast for an espresso machine and a French press—technically possible, but you’ll never get the best flavour.
The reality is that Glovo and Wolt use fundamentally different algorithms and user interfaces. Glovo’s ad placements are heavily driven by bid price and historical conversion rates, while Wolt prioritises relevance scores and customer engagement metrics. A campaign that thrives on Glovo’s auction-based system might get buried on Wolt’s quality-weighted ranking.
The fix: Build separate campaign structures for each platform. Start with a two-week testing phase where you run identical creatives but with platform-specific targeting. Track your cost-per-acquisition (CPA) separately. For example, a Madrid-based tapas bar I worked with found that their €0.85 per click on Glovo translated to a 4% conversion rate, while the same ad on Wolt cost €1.20 per click but converted at 7%. By splitting their budgets according to platform performance, they reduced overall CPA by 22% in one month.
Actionable step: Create a simple spreadsheet with columns for Platform, Spend, Impressions, Clicks, Orders, and CPA. Update it weekly for the first 60 days. Let the numbers tell you where to invest.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the Data Behind the Dashboard
Platform dashboards are designed to make you feel good. They highlight impressions, reach, and sometimes a vague “engagement” metric. But these vanity numbers don’t pay the rent. I’ve seen owners celebrate 50,000 impressions on a Glovo campaign, only to discover that their actual orders increased by just three.
The deeper problem is that most small business owners never look at the data that actually matters: cost per order, average order value (AOV) from ad-driven customers, and lifetime value (LTV) of those customers. Without this, you’re flying blind.
The fix: Install a simple tracking system that connects ad clicks to actual orders. Many platforms offer a basic conversion pixel, but you can go further by using unique promo codes for each campaign. For example, offer “GLOVO10” for Glovo ads and “WOLT10” for Wolt ads. Then track how many times each code is used and what those customers spend over the next 90 days.
A Berlin-based pizza chain I consulted for discovered that customers acquired through Wolt ads had a 60% higher repeat order rate than those from Glovo, even though Glovo had a lower initial CPA. By shifting 30% of their budget from Glovo to Wolt, they increased overall revenue by 18% without spending an extra euro.
Actionable step: Set up a free Google Sheet or use a tool like Airtable to log daily: ad spend, orders attributed to ads, total revenue from those orders, and any repeat orders within 30 days. Review this every Monday morning with your team.
Mistake #3: Running One-Size-Fits-All Creative
It’s tempting to use the same mouth-watering photo of your signature burger across all ad placements. But Glovo and Wolt have different user demographics and browsing behaviours. Glovo users in Southern Europe tend to browse during late afternoon and evening, often on mobile, with a preference for visual-heavy ads. Wolt users in the Nordics are more likely to browse during lunch breaks on desktop, and they respond better to ads that highlight value and speed.
Using identical creative is like serving the same wine with fish and steak—it might work for some, but you’re leaving flavour on the table.
The fix: Create at least three ad variants per platform. For Glovo, use bright, high-contrast images with large text overlays that scream “fast delivery” and “discount.” For Wolt, use cleaner, lifestyle-oriented photos with subtle text that emphasises quality ingredients and reliable service. Test for two weeks, then double down on the winner.
A Lisbon-based sushi restaurant saw a 34% increase in click-through rate (CTR) on Glovo after switching from a generic photo of sushi rolls to a close-up shot of a chef preparing the order with a “Ready in 15 minutes” overlay. On Wolt, the same restaurant’s best-performing ad was a warm, ambient shot of a table set for two with the tagline “Perfect for a quiet night in.”
Actionable step: Spend one hour this week creating three ad concepts per platform. Use free tools like Canva for design. Run a simple A/B test with a €50 budget per variant. After 100 clicks on each, check your CTR and conversion rate. Keep the winner, kill the losers.
Mistake #4: Advertising During Peak Hours Only
It seems logical to run ads when everyone is hungry—lunch and dinner. But this is when competition is fiercest, and your cost-per-click can skyrocket. I’ve seen CPAs double or triple during peak windows because every other restaurant in your area is bidding for the same eyeballs.
Meanwhile, off-peak hours (mid-afternoon, late evening, or even early morning for breakfast items) often have lower competition and higher conversion rates because users who are browsing then have a clearer intent. They’re not just scrolling—they’re actively looking for something specific.
The fix: Run ads 24/7 for the first week, then analyse your cost-per-order by hour. You might discover that your 3 PM CPA is €2.50 while your 7 PM CPA is €7.00. Shift budget to the lower-cost windows. Also consider running “daypart” campaigns—for example, a coffee shop could advertise pastries from 7-10 AM and sandwiches from 2-4 PM.
A Glasgow-based café I advised found that their 11 AM ads had a 12% conversion rate, compared to 4% at 1 PM. By moving 40% of their budget to the morning window, they increased daily orders by 23% without increasing total spend.
Actionable step: Open your platform’s ad scheduler. For the next seven days, run your ads continuously. Then export the hourly performance report. Highlight the three hours with the lowest CPA and the three with the highest. Reallocate at least 30% of your budget from the worst hours to the best.
Mistake #5: Forgetting to Track Off-Platform Impact
Here’s a subtle one: a customer sees your ad on Glovo, but then orders directly from your website or calls in. That order won’t show up in your Glovo dashboard, so you’ll underestimate the ad’s true value. This is called “halo effect” attribution, and ignoring it leads to underinvestment in advertising that actually works.
The fix: When a customer orders directly, ask how they heard about you. Train your staff to ask, “Did you see our ad on a delivery app?” Keep a simple tally on a whiteboard or in a shared note. After a month, compare this number to your platform-reported orders. The difference is your halo effect.
A London-based Indian restaurant discovered that for every 10 orders attributed to their Wolt ads, they received 3 additional direct orders from customers who saw the same ad. That meant their true CPA was 23% lower than what the dashboard showed. They immediately increased their Wolt ad budget by 25%.
Actionable step: Create a simple “How did you hear about us?” checkbox on your online ordering system. If you take phone orders, add a quick question to your script. Track this data weekly. After three months, adjust your ad budgets to account for the halo effect.
Optimising Your Menu for Delivery Platform Ads
Your menu is your most powerful advertising asset. Yet most restaurants upload the same PDF they use for in-house dining, expecting it to perform well in a completely different context. Delivery platform users scroll fast, make decisions in seconds, and have zero patience for confusing layouts or missing information.
The Psychology of Digital Menu Design
When a potential customer sees your ad on Glovo or Wolt, they’ll click through to your menu within three to five seconds. If they can’t immediately find what they want, they’re gone. This is not the time for poetic descriptions or artistic dish names. You need clarity, speed, and visual appeal.
Real example: A Barcelona-based burger joint saw a 40% drop in ad-to-order conversion after switching to a menu with longer descriptions and smaller photos. They reverted to a simplified menu with six core items, each with a single, high-quality photo and a one-line description. Conversions jumped back up within a week.
Pricing Psychology for Ads
Your ad may promise a discount, but if the menu prices feel inflated, customers will bounce. I’ve seen restaurants offer a 20% discount on Glovo but raise their base prices by 15% to compensate. Customers notice. They’ll compare your prices to competitors and feel cheated.
The fix: Keep your menu prices consistent across all platforms. If you want to offer a discount, make it a genuine one. A 10% off coupon that actually saves customers €2 is better than a 20% off coupon on a padded price.
Actionable step: Audit your menu prices on Glovo and Wolt. Are they the same as your in-house prices? If not, align them. Then run a two-week test: offer a simple “10% off your first order” coupon via ads, and track whether the increased volume offsets the discount.
Menu Item Placement and Highlighting
Platforms allow you to “boost” or “feature” specific menu items. Most restaurants boost their most popular dish, which is a mistake. You should boost your highest-margin dish, or a dish that differentiates you from competitors.
Real example: A Stockholm-based ramen shop boosted their signature tonkotsu ramen (€14, 70% margin) instead of their popular gyoza appetiser (€6, 50% margin). The ad drove more orders for the ramen, increasing average order value by 18%. They also added a “ramen + drink” combo for €16, which became their top-selling ad item.
Actionable step: Calculate the profit margin for your top five menu items. Boost the one with the highest margin, not the highest sales volume. Create a combo offer that pairs a high-margin item with a low-cost side (like a drink or dessert) and feature that combo in your ads.
Photography That Converts
You don’t need a professional photographer, but you do need photos that look appetising on a small screen. Avoid cluttered backgrounds, dark lighting, or plates that look half-eaten. Use natural light, simple plates, and a consistent colour palette.
The fix: Take photos of your top three items using a smartphone with good lighting. Place the dish near a window, use a plain white or wooden background, and shoot from a 45-degree angle. Crop tightly so the food fills the frame. Test these against your current photos. A/B test results typically show a 15-25% improvement in CTR with better photos.
Actionable step: Spend one afternoon this week taking new photos. Use free editing apps like Snapseed to adjust brightness and contrast. Upload the best three to your platform and monitor CTR for the next two weeks.
Leveraging Customer Data for Retargeting Campaigns
Most restaurant owners treat delivery platform ads as a one-and-done proposition: run an ad, get an order, move on. But the real money is in retargeting—showing ads to people who have already interacted with your brand, whether they ordered, clicked, or even just browsed your menu.
Why Retargeting Works for Delivery Platforms
The average customer needs to see a brand 5-7 times before they order. Your first ad is just an introduction. Retargeting keeps you top-of-mind, especially for customers who clicked but didn’t convert. These are warm leads—they’ve already shown interest. A well-timed retargeting ad can have conversion rates 3-5 times higher than a cold ad.
Real example: A Copenhagen-based Italian restaurant used Wolt’s retargeting feature to show ads to users who had viewed their menu but didn’t order within the last 7 days. Their retargeting campaign had a 9% conversion rate, compared to 2.5% for their standard prospecting ads. The cost per order dropped from €8 to €3.50.
How to Build a Retargeting Audience
Both Glovo and Wolt offer basic retargeting options, but you can take it further by integrating with your own customer database. If you collect email addresses or phone numbers from direct orders, you can upload these to Facebook or Google Ads and target those users with delivery platform promotions.
The fix: Create a simple opt-in at checkout: “Get 10% off your next order—enter your email.” Collect these emails and upload them as a custom audience on Facebook. Then run a retargeting ad that says, “Craving us again? Order now on Glovo and use code RETARGET10.” Track how many of those users convert.
Actionable step: Start collecting emails today. Offer a small discount (5-10%) in exchange. Even 50 emails per week gives you a retargeting audience of 200 people per month. Run a €50 retargeting campaign and compare results to your standard ads.
Segmenting Your Retargeting Audiences
Not all past customers are equal. Someone who ordered once six months ago needs a different message than someone who orders every week. Segment your audience by recency and frequency.
- High-frequency customers (ordered in last 30 days): Send a loyalty message—no discount needed. “We miss you! Here’s a free side with your next order.”
- Medium-frequency (ordered 30-90 days ago): Offer a moderate discount (15% off) to re-engage.
- Low-frequency (ordered over 90 days ago): Offer a strong incentive (20% off or free delivery) to win them back.
Real example: A Milanese pizzeria segmented their retargeting audiences and saw a 30% increase in repeat orders from lapsed customers. Their “we miss you” campaign for high-frequency customers had a 45% open rate and a 12% conversion rate.
Actionable step: Export your order history from your platform (most allow CSV downloads). Create three segments based on last order date. Write a different ad copy for each. Run all three for two weeks and compare results.
Cross-Platform Retargeting
Here’s where it gets clever: a customer who saw your ad on Glovo but didn’t order might be more receptive to an ad on Instagram or Facebook. Use platform pixels to track visitors, then retarget them on social media with a direct link to order on your preferred platform.
The fix: Install the Facebook pixel on your Glovo menu page (if possible) or use a link tracking tool like Bitly to create a custom link for your ad. When someone clicks, the pixel fires. Then show them a Facebook ad with a “Order now on Wolt” button. This cross-platform approach can reduce CPA by 20-30%.
Actionable step: Create a unique Bitly link for your Glovo ad. Install the Facebook pixel on your website. Run a small test: €30 on Facebook retargeting for Glovo clickers. Track how many of those users end up ordering on either platform. If the test works, scale it.
Budget Allocation Strategies for Multi-Platform Advertising
With limited marketing dollars, you need a clear framework for deciding how much to spend on Glovo versus Wolt. The answer isn’t “split 50/50.” It depends on your market, your cuisine, and your goals.
The 70/20/10 Rule
A practical starting point for most restaurants is the 70/20/10 rule:
- 70% of your ad budget goes to your primary platform (the one that drives the most orders at the lowest CPA).
- 20% goes to your secondary platform (the one with potential but needs optimisation).
- 10% goes to experimentation (testing new platforms, new ad formats, or new geographies).
Real example: A Dublin-based fish and chip shop found that 75% of their delivery orders came from Wolt, with a CPA of €4.50. Glovo accounted for 25% of orders at a CPA of €7.00. They allocated 70% of their €1,000 monthly budget to Wolt, 20% to Glovo, and 10% to testing Instagram ads that linked to their Wolt menu. After three months, overall orders increased by 15%, and CPA dropped by 10%.
Actionable step: Calculate your CPA for both platforms over the last 30 days. Apply the 70/20/10 rule. Review monthly and adjust based on performance.
Seasonal and Event-Based Shifts
Your budget shouldn’t be static. During holidays, local festivals, or major sporting events, demand spikes. Adjust your budget to capture that surge.
- Christmas and New Year: Increase budget by 30-50% in the two weeks before. Focus on family-sized meals and party platters.
- Summer months: Shift budget to lighter, cooler items. If you’re near a beach or park, increase ad spend on weekends.
- Local events: If your city hosts a music festival or marathon, run ads targeting users in that area during the event.
Real example: A Munich-based bratwurst stand increased their Wolt ad budget by 40% during Oktoberfest. They featured a “festival combo” in their ads. Orders increased by 300% compared to the previous month, and their CPA dropped by 25% due to the high demand.
Actionable step: Look at your calendar for the next three months. Identify one major event or holiday. Plan a budget increase of 30-50% for that period. Create a specific ad creative for the event. Run it for one week before and during the event.
The Testing Budget
Never commit your entire budget to a single strategy. Reserve 10-15% for testing new ideas. This is your “adventure fund.” Try a new ad format (video vs. image), a new discount offer (free delivery vs. percentage off), or a new target audience (nearby office workers vs. residential areas).
The fix: Run a two-week test with a small budget (€100-€200). Compare the test campaign to your control. If the test outperforms by 20% or more, shift 30% of your main budget to the winning strategy.
Actionable step: This week, design one test campaign. It could be a video ad (record with your phone, 15-30 seconds) or a new offer like “Buy one, get one free on Tuesdays.” Run it for 14 days with a €100 budget. Compare results to your existing campaigns. If it wins, scale it.
At DataLatte.pro, we’ve helped dozens of restaurants turn their delivery platform ads from a cost centre into a profit driver. It’s not about spending more—it’s about spending smarter. Start with one mistake fix this week, then build from there. Your customers are out there, scrolling and hungry. Make sure they find you.
If you’d like a free, no-pressure audit of your current Glovo or Wolt ad performance, I’d love to help. Brew a strong cup of coffee, pull up your dashboard, and let’s see what the numbers are really telling us. Book a free consultation and we’ll find the growth hiding in your data.
Related Articles
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- Deliveroo Ads for Restaurants: How to Advertise and Get More UK Orders
- Delivery Platform Fees Explained: Glovo, Wolt, Uber Eats and More
- DoorDash Restaurant Marketing: Rank Higher and Get More Orders
- Glovo vs Wolt: Which Delivery Platform is Better for Restaurants?
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Nataliia
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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