If those apps can make enough from that, then there's no reason they need anywhere close to what they're charging in the US and similar countries. The app costs (ignoring what's paid to drivers) shouldn't differ much between markets.
But how much are the drivers making? If labor is dirt cheap there it's not surprising at all that they can offer delivery for $1-$2. I find it strange how you went from "developing countries, the total fees are typically $1-2 for food delivery" to "there's no reason they need anywhere close to what they're charging in the US and similar countries" without at least doing a cursory analysis of the labor costs.
But the original article suggests that Door Dash is making over $10 an order (after labor costs), which is 5x over the best case scenario for the developing countries' apps.
1. That's gross profit, and doesn't cover stuff like marketing spend, which presumably is also more expensive in developed countries. If you look at the linked financial report, just under "Gross Margin" (and is cropped out) is "sales and marketing", which is nearly half of the gross margin.
2. The $10/order profit figure in the report includes restaurant fees as well. If you exclude that, their revenue (ie. all fees charged), and their profit (ie. revenue minus whatever they paid to the driver) drops by two-thirds.
Taking the two factors into account the doordash premium (for lack of a better term) over the Asian delivery companies decreases significantly. If you factor other expenses (eg. customer support/admin) and/or factors (eg. whether the Asian delivery companies are currently trying to gain marketshare as opposed to trying to take profits) probably decreases the discrepancy even further.
Someone has to pay to lease those beautiful downtown SF offices!
But, there is definitely a margin to be had here… if you could have a lower cost delivery service that managed the white label backend like DoorDash, I’m sure you’d see companies flock to it for their in-app delivery. (Think McDonalds delivery ordered in the McD app)
It is simply expensive to ENTER the market and you will have to have high prices for at least the first period but with them there is no incentive to use you.
And if you give an artificially low price for your service (let say on the long term you can pay the initial fees maintaining lower prices)then the whole thing is still super risky.
It can be done, there are just more safe endeavors.
US apps like this were cheaper for awhile too while they were still lighting investor money on fire in order to gain customers quickly. I think DoorDash is out of this mode now, and there may be less investor growth money being poured in in the US at this point since it’s no longer early days and the market there has matured.