You can cancel an Uber Eats order through the app or website up until the restaurant starts preparing your food

Once you place an order on Uber Eats, you have a window to cancel it — but that window closes when the restaurant begins cooking. The exact moment varies by restaurant and how busy they are. If you cancel before preparation starts, you get a full refund to your original payment method. If the restaurant has already started, cancellation may not be possible, and you could lose your money.

The cancellation process itself takes less than a minute. You do not need to contact Uber Eats support unless something goes wrong — the app handles it directly. The refund typically appears in your account within three to five business days, though some payment methods are faster.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Uber Eats app, go to your active order, and tap the cancel button before the restaurant starts preparing your food.
  • Once a restaurant begins cooking, the cancel button disappears and you cannot stop the order through the app.
  • Refunds for cancelled orders return to the payment method you used, usually within three to five business days.
  • If you cannot cancel through the app, contact Uber Eats support through the Help section, though they may not be able to reverse an order already in preparation.

How to cancel through the Uber Eats app

Open the Uber Eats app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Select "Orders" to see your current and past orders. Find the order you want to cancel — it will show a status like "Confirming" or "Preparing." Tap on that order to open its details page.

On the order details page, scroll down until you see a red "Cancel Order" button. Tap it. The app will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may ask why you are cancelling. Select a reason from the list or choose "Other" if your reason is not listed. Tap "Cancel Order" again to complete the cancellation.

Once the cancellation goes through, the app shows "Order Cancelled" at the top of the order page. You will receive a notification confirming the cancellation, and the refund process begins when ready.

How to cancel through the Uber Eats website

Go to ubereats.com and sign in to your account. Click on "Orders" in the top navigation menu. Find the order you want to cancel in the list of active orders. Click on the order to open its full details.

Scroll down on the order details page until you see the "Cancel Order" button. Click it. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the cancellation and select a reason. Choose your reason and click "Cancel Order" to finish.

The website will display a confirmation message, and you will receive an email confirming the cancellation. The refund process starts right away.

When you can no longer cancel an order

The cancel button disappears from the app and website once the restaurant receives your order and begins preparing it. The timing depends on how quickly the restaurant confirms and starts cooking — this can happen within seconds or take a few minutes. You will see the order status change from "Confirming" to "Preparing" when this happens.

If the cancel button is gone, the restaurant is already working on your food. At this point, Uber Eats cannot stop the order. You can still contact support to explain your situation, but they typically cannot reverse an order in preparation. Your only option is to refuse delivery when the driver arrives, though this may result in a charge or loss of your payment.

What happens to your refund

When you cancel before the restaurant starts preparing, the full order amount — including food, taxes, and delivery fees — returns to your account. The refund goes back to the original payment method you used to place the order. If you paid with a credit or debit card, the refund appears in your bank account within three to five business days. If you paid with a digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay, the refund may process faster.

You can check the status of your refund by opening the Uber Eats app, going to "Orders," and tapping on the cancelled order. The order details page shows when the refund was processed. If more than five business days have passed and you do not see the refund, contact your bank or payment provider — the delay may be on their end, not Uber Eats'.

Contacting Uber Eats support if you cannot cancel

If the cancel button is not showing and you need to reach support, open the Uber Eats app and tap the menu icon. Select "Help" and then "Orders." Choose "I need to cancel my order" from the list of topics. The app will show you options to contact support through chat or phone.

Explain your situation clearly — include the order number, the restaurant name, and why you need to cancel. Support can sometimes reach the restaurant directly if the order has not yet left the kitchen. However, if the driver has already picked up your food, support cannot cancel the order. In that case, your only option is to refuse delivery or contact the driver directly through the app to arrange a different solution.

What to do if the driver has already picked up your order

If the driver is on the way to deliver your food, cancelling through the app is no longer possible. You can still try to contact the driver directly. Open the Uber Eats app, go to your active order, and tap "Contact Driver." Explain that you need to cancel and ask if they are willing to return the food to the restaurant or turn around.

The driver is not required to return the order, and Uber Eats cannot force them to do so. If the driver refuses, you can refuse delivery when they arrive — but this does not may provide a refund. Contact Uber Eats support when ready with the order number and explain that you refused delivery. Support will review the situation and decide whether to refund you. Having a record of your attempt to cancel before the driver picked up strengthens your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to cancel before the restaurant starts cooking?

There is no set time limit — it depends on the restaurant. Some restaurants confirm and start preparing within seconds of receiving the order. Others may take a few minutes. Watch your order status in the app. As soon as it changes from "Confirming" to "Preparing," the restaurant has started cooking and you can no longer cancel through the app.

Will I be charged a cancellation fee?

No. Uber Eats does not charge a cancellation fee if you cancel before the restaurant starts preparing your order. You receive a full refund of the entire order amount, including delivery fees and taxes.

Can I cancel a scheduled order?

Yes. If you scheduled an order for a future time, you can cancel it at any point before the restaurant begins preparing. Open the app, go to "Orders," find the scheduled order, and tap "Cancel Order." You will receive a full refund.

What if I want to change my order instead of cancelling?

You cannot edit an order after you place it. You must cancel the original order and place a new one with the items you want. Cancel through the app as described above, then place a fresh order with your updated selections.

How do I know if my refund went through?

Check the Uber Eats app by going to "Orders" and tapping the cancelled order. The order details page shows the refund status. You can also check your bank or payment provider's website to see when the refund posted to your account. Refunds typically take three to five business days, though some payment methods are faster.