So you’ve got lots of options for restaurant food ordering and grocery delivery services…but you’re too hungry to think about which one to use.
You’re in luck: We’ve rounded up our top picks for food delivery services based on speed, cost, and ease of use. And how about some sweet savings for dessert? Find out how you can earn cash back on your food purchases and make a difference for a nonprofit that could really use your help right now.
8 Fast, Affordable Food Delivery Services in 2023
1. Doordash
Doordash was founded in 2013 by a clan of Stanford students. Originally based in San Francisco, Doordash now offers international services, including cities spanning across the North American continent.
Our Doordash Review
- ✅Widespread delivery: Good for people in smaller cities.
- ✅Very easy-to-use app
- ✅Tracking features, so you know when your order is on the way
- ✅Contact Free Delivery
- 🔴Fees vary a lot, and may feel too high for some
How Does Doordash Work?
Download the free Doordash app, put in your location, and start browsing restaurants. Shop from available restaurants’ menus, place your order, and hang tight. The app updates you when your “dasher” arrives at the restaurant to pick up your order, all the way to when they’re pulling up to your place.
How Much Does Doordash Cost?
Fees vary based on where you live, the restaurant’s policies, any promotional pricing—even the size of your order, or time of day. (It’s best to just try the app and see.) In addition to your meal’s cost, you’ll usually pay taxes, a delivery fee, a service fee, and a tip to your driver. In some locations, you can get a Dash Pass for $9.99 a month, which waives delivery fees and reduces service fees.
Where Does Doordash Deliver?
Doordash delivers in over 850 North American cities and towns. Enter your zip code here to see if your city is one of them.
Doordash Coupons and Savings Tips
New Doordash customers can get free delivery, $5 off their first 4 orders, and $5 cash back on their first order when shopping through Giving Assistant with our coupon codes.
As of April 2020, Doordash is also offering $0 delivery fees for select local restaurants.
2. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is like Uber for just about anything, from getting help assembling that shelf from Ikea, cleaning out the gutters, running errands, or—yes—getting food delivered.
Our TaskRabbit Review
- ✅Good pricing: Choose the tasker that fits your budget
- ✅Multipurpose: More than just food!
- ✅Contact Free Delivery on certain tasks
- 🔴App’s user-friendliness could use some work
- 🟡Works in most major metros (smaller-town folks left out)
How Does TaskRabbit Work?
Download the free app and put in your location. Select the category of help you’re looking for (in this case, food delivery), and select when you want the task completed. Then, browse taskers’ profiles to compare ratings and prices, and use the app to start chatting with them. You’ll pay for their service through the app.
How Much Does TaskRabbit Cost?
The TaskRabbit service fee is 15% of whatever you end up paying your tasker. For example, if your task costs you $50, TaskRabbit will tack on an additional $7.50 service fee. You can also tip your tasker. On average, taskers charge between $17 and $40 per hour.
Where Does TaskRabbit Deliver?
53 of the largest U.S. metro areas. See the list of cities on their site, or download the app to see if it’ll work for you.
TaskRabbit Coupons and Savings Tips
New customers get $10 off their first task. Sometimes you can also get extra savings through referral promo codes from taskers, so tip well and leave reviews.
3. GrubHub
One of the original food delivery services, GrubHub has been around since 2004. GrubHub offers an online and mobile app that allows you to connect with your favorite local restaurants for takeout.
GrubHub also has the largest selection of restaurants to choose from than any other app available, which is great for when the whole family can’t decide on just one thing to eat!
Our GrubHub Review
- ✅Largest selection of restaurants of any app
- ✅Re-order previous meals
- ✅Pre-order your next meal
- ✅Contact Free Delivery
- ✅Available in smaller communities
- ✅Tracking features, so you know when your order is on the way
- 🔴App has a few bugs (like listing restaurants that don’t deliver)
How Does GrubHub Work?
Use GrubHub.com, or download the free mobile app and put in your location. Browse restaurants and shop straight from the menu. (Need help deciding? GrubHub also displays restaurants’ ratings and makes recommendations.)
How Much Does GrubHub Cost?
In addition to sales tax for your area, any service fees or delivery fees will vary depending on the location, restaurant policies, and amount you order. On average, the service fee’s about 15%, and the delivery fee is between $4 and $8.
Where Does GrubHub Deliver?
Nationwide, in over 3,000 U.S. cities. Find out if GrubHub delivers near you.
GrubHub Coupons and Savings Tips
Use Giving Assistant to get 10% cash back on your first order.
4. Postmates
Postmates is another service that offers more than just your basic food delivery. Need some groceries? Perhaps you want a nice bottle of wine to go with your next meal? Postmates delivers everything from dinner to groceries to alcohol in under an hour.
Postmates also provides tracking features, so you know exactly when your delivery is on its way and the approximate arrival time.
Our Postmates Review
- ✅Tracking features, so you know when your order is on the way
- ✅Multipurpose: Groceries, alcohol, and other items available
- ✅Low deliver fees through certain “partner” merchants
- ✅Widespread delivery in all 50 U.S states
How Does Postmates Work?
Download the free app and select your location. Then, just browse available restaurants and stores, shop away, then pay in the app. One you’ve paid, a courier will pick up and deliver your order to you.
How Much Does Postmates Cost?
Delivery fees range from $0.99 to $10 depending on whether or not Postmates is “partnered” with that merchant. Service fees also apply (a percentage of your total order) but vary. You can also tip your courier.
Where Does Postmates Deliver?
All 50 U.S. states. Hundreds of locations available, including many mid-sized cities. Look for your city here.
Postmates Coupons and Savings Tips
- Use Giving Assistant to earn $11 cash back on your Postmates first order, plus get a coupon for $10 off your first order.
- Get the Giving Assistant browser extension so that every time you visit Postmates.com, you’ll be alerted to any new coupons.
- Always order more than $12, or you’ll be charged a $1.99 “small cart fee.”
- Visit the Postmate website and plug in your location to see exclusive savings just for your area.
- Get free delivery on orders over $10 with a Postmates Unlimited account
5. Delivery.com
Delivery.com is an online platform similar to Postmates in that food is just one of the many things it can deliver. (Anyone need their laundry picked up?)
Here’s why we give Delivery.com a gold star: It also offers a rewards program that allows you to earn rewards that you can later redeem for gift cards, gadgets, or even make donations to your favorite charities. Talk about serving up some great incentives!
Our Delivery.com Review
- ✅Rewards program for built-in savings
- ✅No fees charged by the app
- ✅Charitable: Can use rewards points to help nonprofits
- 🟡Has alcohol and grocery delivery, but only in about 20 U.S. cities
- 🟡Wider food delivery coverage, but still just 100 large U.S. cities
How Does Delivery.com Work?
From either the website or the app, enter your location and start searching for what you want to eat using the restaurant name or keywords.
How Much Does Delivery.com Cost?
Delivery.com charges zero fees: Any fees you pay are set by the merchant. Delivery.com earns their money by charging merchants a percentage of what they sell through the app.
Where Does Delivery.com Deliver?
Restaurant delivery is available in about 100 U.S. cities. Alcohol and grocery delivery in about 20 cities. To see if your city is available, enter your zip code on Delivery.com’s homepage.
Delivery.com Coupons and Savings Tips
Use their Delivery Points rewards program to earn points that you can exchange for savings. Earn 20 points per $1 you spend. 1000 Delivery Points (or a $50 order) will earn you $1 in savings. Rack that up for cash savings and gadgets (even iPads!), or turn them into donations to nonprofits.
Coupons also come up on Giving Assistant often (there’s a $25 off coupon at the time of this writing.) Right now, new Giving Assistant members can also earn $5 cash back.
6. Uber Eats
Of course, we all know Uber as the primary rideshare option—and it wasn’t long before this reputable company began diving in and dishing out top-notch food delivery services as well, now known as Uber Eats.
Our Uber Eats Review
- ✅Familiarity: if you know Uber, this will be easy to use
- 🔴Higher fees compared to other services
- 🟡Works in most major metros (smaller-town folks left out)
How Does Uber Eats Work?
Download the free app and put in your location. Shop available restaurants via the app. Once you place your order, a delivery driver will head out to pick it up, then bring it to you. (It’s literally Uber for food.)
How Much Does Uber Eats Cost?
Fees vary, according to Uber. As of February 2020, one report (from a customer ordering food in New York City) shows at $3.99 delivery fee, $2.22 service fee, and a $3 “miscellaneous” fee, on top of sales tax. (Your fees might be less if you live in a smaller city.)
Where Does Uber Eats Deliver?
Nationwide, in “hundreds” of cities, according to Uber’s site. See if your city is available here.
Uber Eats Coupons and Savings Tips
Earn $7 cash back on your first order through Giving Assistant. New coupons are added often, so use the Giving Assistant browser button so when you visit Uber Eats online, you’ll be alerted to new deals or cash back, and won’t miss anything.
7. Seamless
Seamless is similar to GrubHub, which makes sense: GrubHub is its parent company. For those whom Seamless is an option (if you live where they operate) expect a familiar food-delivery-app experience, with a twist: A rewards program that enables you to save up point and exchange them for savings.
Our Seamless Review
- ✅Takes cash and Paypal
- ✅Good delivery coverage (about 600 U.S. cities)
- ✅No fee! (Some restaurants require a minimum order though)
- ✅Has a money-saving rewards program
- ✅Charitable: As of April 9, 2020, your order will raise donations for COVID-19 relief through the Seamless Community Fund
How Does Seamless Work?
Download the free app and type in your location. Restaurants near you will come up so you can shop and add menu items to your cart. Craving something specific? The app lets your search by type of food as well
How Much Does Seamless Cost?
Seamless charges zero fees. Some restaurants may charge service or delivery fees, though, depending on your location and the restaurant’s policies.
Where Does Seamless Deliver?
Nationwide in over 600 cities. Check to see if your location is included.
Seamless Coupons and Savings Tips
Join their email list to get special offers. (Sign up on their homepage.) Use their “perks” rewards program (exclusive to app-users) to earn discounts.
Earn 5% cash back on your first order through Giving Assistant (plus $5 bonus cash back for new Giving Assistant members).
8. Caviar
Caviar, a subsidiary of Doordash, serves hungry customers in 30 U.S. metro areas, and touts some special “luxury” dining options. Even if you just want to compare prices, fees, or user-friendliness, Caviar is worth a try.
Our Caviar Review
- ✅Luxury restaurants? Yes please.
- ✅Pickup is an option (no delivery fees in that case)
- 🔴Service fees can be as high as 18%
How Does Caviar Work?
Just sign up via their website or mobile app at trycaviar.com. Shop available restaurants in your area, order online, and arrange to have it delivered, or opt to pick it up yourself.
How Much Does Caviar Cost?
Delivery fees can range from $1.99 to $8.99 depending on the restaurant and the distance. Service fees are a flat 18% of the total.
Where Does Caviar Deliver?
About 30 major metro areas in the U.S. Go here to see if yours is one of them.
Caviar Coupons and Savings Tips
Get Caviar coupons from Giving Assistant fo $5 off a $15 order
Shop to Give: Support Good Causes With Your Food Delivery
If you can earn cash back on your food delivery through Giving Assistant, you can share some of that cash back with any nonprofit.
Right now, we’re recommending that Giving Assistant customers consider using the cash back they earn from food delivery purchases to support nonprofits working on COVID-19 relief. But more than anything, we want you to support any nonprofit that matters to you. (They all need us right now.)
Tip: Get the Giving Assistant browser extension so that every time you visit your favorite online store, you’ll be alerted to any new coupons and your cash back will be automatically donated for you.
How to Get Free Delivery and Support Restaurants for #TheGreatAmericanTakeout
Support the restaurant industry by participating in #TheGreatAmericanTakeout! For a limited time, many local restaurants are offering free delivery. Here are a few suggestions, be sure to grab some coupons or promo codes to save even more: