What the Uber Eats app does
The Uber Eats app is a mobile ordering platform where you browse restaurants near you, add items to a cart, pay through the app, and have food delivered to your address or pick it up yourself. You read the app on your phone, create an account, enter your delivery address, and then search for restaurants by cuisine type, restaurant name, or specific dishes. The app shows you menus, prices, estimated delivery times, and delivery fees before you place an order.
Unlike calling a restaurant directly, Uber Eats handles the payment, tracks the driver in real time, and gives you a record of every order in your account history. The restaurant prepares your food, an Uber Eats driver picks it up, and the app tells you where the driver is on a map. You can rate the restaurant and driver after delivery, and those ratings affect which restaurants and drivers you see in future orders.
Key Takeaways
- read the Uber Eats app, create an account with your phone number or email, and add a payment method before you can place an order.
- The app shows you restaurants available at your delivery address, along with their menus, prices, delivery fees, and how long delivery will take.
- You can track your driver on a live map once your order is confirmed, and the driver will contact you if they cannot find your address.
- Delivery fees, service fees, and small-order fees vary by location and restaurant, and these are shown in your cart before you pay.
- You can save favorite restaurants and meals, set dietary filters, and reorder past meals without rebuilding your cart each time.
Downloading the app and setting up your account
Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on your phone and search for "Uber Eats." Tap the app icon, then tap "Get" or "Install." On iPhone, you may need to use Face ID or your Apple password to confirm. On Android, the app will read and install automatically. Once installation finishes, tap "Open" to launch the app for the first time.
The app will ask you to sign up with your phone number or email address. Enter your information, then check your phone or email for a verification code. Type that code into the app to confirm your account. Next, add a payment method — you can use a debit card, credit card, or a digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay. The app will ask for your delivery address, which you can type in or let the app use your phone's location. Save this address so you do not have to enter it every time you order.
Finding restaurants and browsing menus
Once you are logged in, the app shows you a list of restaurants available in your area. You can scroll through them, tap on a restaurant name to see its full menu, or use the search bar at the top to find a specific restaurant or cuisine type. The app also shows you filters — you can narrow results by delivery time, price range, or dietary needs like vegan or gluten-free options.
When you tap on a restaurant, you see its menu organized by category: appetizers, entrees, sides, drinks, and desserts. Each item shows a photo, description, price, and any customization options like size or toppings. Some restaurants let you add special instructions — for example, "no onions" or "extra sauce on the side." Read the restaurant's hours and any notes about current wait times before you add items to your cart, because some restaurants may be temporarily closed or running behind.
Placing an order and paying
Tap items to add them to your cart. The app shows you the running total at the bottom of the screen. When you are done selecting, tap "View Cart" or the cart icon. The app then shows you a summary of your order, the restaurant's address, and your delivery address. Below that, you will see the subtotal, any discounts you have, the delivery fee, a service fee, and sometimes a small-order fee if your subtotal is very low. These fees vary by location and restaurant.
Review the total price, then tap "Place Order" or "Checkout." The app will ask you to confirm your payment method and delivery address one more time. Once you tap to confirm, your order goes to the restaurant. The app will show you a confirmation screen with your order number and an estimated delivery time. You can then watch the restaurant prepare your food, and once the driver picks it up, you will see a live map showing the driver's location and how many minutes until arrival.
Tracking your order and communicating with the driver
After you place an order, the app shows you the status: "Restaurant is preparing your order," then "Driver is picking up your order," then "Driver is on the way." A live map appears once the driver has your food, showing a small car icon moving toward your address. The app displays the driver's name, photo, and vehicle information, and you can tap a phone icon to call the driver if you need to give them directions or let them know you are not home.
If the driver cannot find your address, they will call or text you through the app. Answer quickly so they do not have to wait. If you are not home when the driver arrives, the app lets you give delivery instructions — for example, "leave it at the front door" or "ring the doorbell twice." Once the driver marks the order as delivered, you will get a notification and can rate both the restaurant and the driver on a scale of one to five stars.
Saving favorites and reordering past meals
When you view a restaurant, you can tap a heart icon to save it as a favorite. Favorites appear in a dedicated section at the top of the app's home screen, so you can quickly reorder from places you like without searching. You can also save individual meals — when you tap on a menu item, you can tap a heart to save it, and those saved items appear in a "Saved Items" section in your account.
The app also keeps a history of every order you have placed. Tap "Your Orders" or "Account" at the bottom of the app, then look for "Order History." You can tap any past order to see what you ordered, then tap "Reorder" to add the same items to a new cart. This is faster than rebuilding your order from scratch, though you can still add or remove items before you pay.
Understanding fees and payment options
Uber Eats charges several types of fees beyond the restaurant's menu prices. The delivery fee goes to the driver and varies based on distance and demand — it might be $2 in a busy area or $5 in a quieter one. The service fee is a percentage of your subtotal and goes to Uber Eats; this is usually 10 to 15 percent. Some restaurants also charge a small-order fee if your subtotal is below a certain amount, often $5 to $10. All of these appear in your cart before you pay, so you can see the total cost.
You can pay with a debit card, credit card, or digital wallet. Some areas also let you pay with gift cards or store credit. If you have a promo code — for example, from a friend referral or a promotional email — you can enter it in the "Promo Code" field in your cart to reduce the total. The app will tell you when ready if the code is valid and how much it saves you.
Pickup orders and other order types
Instead of delivery, you can choose to pick up your order yourself. When you search for restaurants, you can filter by "Pickup" at the top of the screen. Pickup orders usually have no delivery fee, though the restaurant may still charge a service fee. The app will give you an estimated pickup time — usually 15 to 30 minutes — and you can watch the restaurant's progress on the app. When it is ready, the app will notify you, and you drive to the restaurant to collect your food.
Some restaurants also offer scheduled orders, where you can place an order for a specific time in the future — for example, lunch tomorrow at noon. This lets you plan ahead without having to open the app at the exact moment you want to order. You can also set up recurring orders if you order the same meal regularly, though this feature is not available at all restaurants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my order does not arrive or the food is wrong?
Open the app, go to "Your Orders," tap the order in question, and scroll down to "Help." You can report a missing item, say the food arrived cold, or describe another problem. Uber Eats will usually refund part or all of your order or offer a credit toward your next order. Take a photo of the problem if you can — it helps Uber Eats investigate.
Can I change my order after I place it?
If the restaurant has not started preparing your food yet, you can tap "Cancel Order" in the app to cancel and place a new one. Once the restaurant has started cooking, you cannot change the order through the app. Call the restaurant directly using the phone number in the app if you need to make a last-minute change.
What payment methods does Uber Eats take?
Uber Eats accepts debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. Some areas also accept gift cards or store credit. You can save multiple payment methods in your account and choose which one to use for each order.
How much does Uber Eats cost?
Uber Eats does not charge a membership fee to use the app, but you pay delivery fees, service fees, and sometimes small-order fees on top of the restaurant's menu prices. These fees vary by location, restaurant, and how busy the service is. You can see the exact total in your cart before you pay.
Can I use Uber Eats if I do not have a smartphone?
Uber Eats is designed for mobile phones and tablets. You can also order through the Uber Eats website on a computer by going to ubereats.com, entering your address, and following the same steps as the app. You will still need an account and a payment method.