Uber Eats is a food delivery service where restaurants and independent merchants send meals to your home or workplace
Uber Eats connects you to restaurants and food merchants in your area through a mobile app or website. You browse menus, place an order, and a delivery driver brings it to you. The service operates in most major U.S. cities and many international locations, though availability varies by neighborhood and time of day.
The platform charges three separate fees on top of your food cost: a delivery fee (usually $2 to $5 depending on distance), a service fee (a percentage of your order total, typically 10 to 15 percent), and a small booking fee per order. Some restaurants also add their own markup on menu prices when selling through Uber Eats. You can see all these fees before you complete your order.
Uber Eats differs from picking up food yourself because you pay for the driver's time and mileage. It also differs from other delivery apps mainly in which restaurants participate in your area and how the app ranks restaurants by estimated delivery time versus customer rating.
Key Takeaways
- Uber Eats charges a delivery fee, service fee, and booking fee on every order, and these appear in your total before you pay.
- Delivery times typically range from 20 to 45 minutes depending on restaurant distance and current driver availability in your area.
- You can track your driver's location in real time once they pick up your order, and you can contact them directly through the app.
- Uber Eats Uber+ membership costs $9.99 per month and removes delivery fees on orders over $15, which saves money if you order frequently.
- If your food arrives cold, incomplete, or damaged, you can report the issue in the app within 24 hours and receive a refund or credit.
How delivery fees and service charges work
The delivery fee is what you pay the driver. It changes based on how far the restaurant is from your address and how busy the app is at that moment. During peak hours (lunch and dinner), delivery fees often rise. The app shows you the exact delivery fee before you confirm your order, so you know the cost upfront.
The service fee is Uber Eats' cut. It is calculated as a percentage of your food subtotal and typically ranges from 10 to 15 percent. Like the delivery fee, this appears in your order summary before checkout. Some restaurants set their own prices higher on Uber Eats than they do in person to offset this fee, so the same sandwich may cost more through the app than at the counter.
The booking fee is a flat charge per order, usually under $1. It covers the cost of processing your payment and maintaining the platform. Together, these three fees can add 20 to 30 percent to your food cost on a small order, though the percentage drops on larger orders.
Uber Eats Uber+ membership and when it saves money
Uber+ is a paid membership that costs $9.99 per month and removes delivery fees on orders over $15 from participating restaurants. If you order through Uber Eats more than twice a month, the membership often pays for itself. The service fee and booking fee still explore, but the delivery fee removal is the main savings.
Uber+ also includes other Uber services like Uber rides and Uber Eats+ (a separate program offering deals at certain restaurants). You can cancel anytime with no penalty. The membership is worth calculating: if you spend $50 per month on Uber Eats delivery fees alone, Uber+ saves you roughly $20 per month after the membership cost.
How to track your order and contact your driver
Once a driver accepts your order, you see their name, photo, and vehicle on a map in the app. The map updates in real time as they drive to the restaurant and then to your address. You can see their estimated arrival time, which updates as they move.
If you need to reach the driver, tap the phone or message icon in the app. You can send a text message through Uber Eats (the driver does not see your actual phone number) or call them directly. Drivers can also contact you if they need clarification on your address or have questions about your order.
If you are not home when the driver arrives, you can give delivery instructions in the app before they get there — for example, "leave at side door" or "ring the doorbell twice." You can also update your address if you realize you entered it wrong, though this only works if the driver has not yet picked up your food.
What to do if your order arrives wrong or damaged
Open the Uber Eats app and go to your order history. Find the order that had a problem and tap "Report an issue." You can choose from options like "Item missing," "Food quality," "Wrong item," or "Damaged packaging." Describe what happened in the text box — for example, "The burger arrived cold and the fries were soggy."
Uber Eats typically responds within a few hours. Most issues result in a refund to your original payment method or a credit to your account that you can use on your next order. The amount depends on what went wrong: a missing item might get you a partial refund, while a completely wrong order might get you a full refund. You have 24 hours after delivery to report an issue.
If you report an issue and Uber Eats denies it, you can appeal through the app. Keep photos of the problem (cold food, missing items, damaged packaging) because these help your case. If the restaurant is at fault, Uber Eats may contact them to address a pattern of problems.
Restaurants and merchants available on Uber Eats
Uber Eats includes traditional restaurants, fast-casual chains, independent food shops, and grocery stores in most areas. Not every restaurant in your city uses Uber Eats — some prefer other delivery apps or only do pickup and delivery themselves. You can search by restaurant name or browse by cuisine type in the app.
Some restaurants operate "ghost kitchens" — kitchens that only prepare food for delivery apps and do not have a physical location you can visit. These often have lower overhead and may offer lower prices, though quality varies widely. The app does not always clearly label which restaurants are ghost kitchens, so check the address if you are curious.
Grocery delivery through Uber Eats (called Uber Eats Grocery in some areas) lets you order from participating supermarkets and specialty stores. Delivery fees and minimums are often higher for grocery orders than restaurant orders because groceries are heavier and take longer to shop for.
How Uber Eats handles payment and account security
Uber Eats accepts credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and gift cards. You can save multiple payment methods in your account and choose which one to use for each order. Your payment information is encrypted and Uber does not store your full card number on their servers.
If you notice a charge you did not make, report it in the app under "Account" > "Payment methods" > "Report a problem." Uber Eats investigates unauthorized charges and typically refunds them within 5 to 10 business days. If you lose access to your account, you can reset your password through the login screen or contact Uber support through the app.
Promo codes and credits appear as a line item in your order total. Some codes are one-time use, while others can be used multiple times. Expired codes will not work, and the app tells you if a code is invalid before you complete your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my order after I place it?
You can cancel and place a new order if the restaurant has not started preparing your food yet. Once preparation begins, cancellation is not possible through the app. Contact the driver or restaurant directly through the app messaging feature to ask if they can modify your order, though they are not required to do so.
What happens if my driver cannot find my address?
The driver will call or message you through the app. Provide clear directions, a building number, or a nearby landmark. If the address is genuinely wrong, you can update it in the app before the driver arrives, though this may add time to delivery. If the driver cannot locate you after multiple attempts, they may return the order to the restaurant.
Do I have to tip my driver?
Tipping is optional but recommended. You can add a tip when you place your order or after delivery is complete. Most drivers rely on tips as a significant part of their income. Tipping before delivery may result in faster service, though this is not may provide.
Why is my delivery fee so high?
Delivery fees depend on distance, current demand, and driver availability. During peak hours (lunch and dinner), fees increase because more people are ordering. Restaurants far from your address also cost more to deliver. You can see the exact fee before you order, so you can choose a closer restaurant if the fee is too high.
Can I use Uber Eats if I do not have a smartphone?
You can place orders on the Uber Eats website from any computer with internet access. You will not be able to track your driver in real time or contact them directly, but you can provide delivery instructions and your phone number so the driver can call if needed.