What Is Uber Eats and Is It Worth Using to Get Food Delivered?
By Jessica RegheliniUpdated on March 11, 2022
You may have heard of UberEats, the popular food ordering and delivery service made by Uber. This app makes getting food delivered very convenient and easy, but you might still be wondering, is the app really worth using? We’re here to answer your questions.
If you aren’t familiar with the UberEats app, we’ll tell you about what it is, how it works, and its benefits, as well as where it’s available and how you can become a delivery driver. We’ll also break down the cost of using it, and help you decide whether it’s worth it to use or not. Let’s get started with the basics: what exactly is UberEats?
What is UberEats?
UberEats is an app for mobile devices that allows users to discover new restaurants in their area. You can look through restaurant menus, pick out the food items you’d like, and have it delivered right to your door. UberEats delivery drivers use their own vehicles, the same way that Uber drivers do.
The selection of restaurants available for you to order from and the time it takes to receive your order will vary depending on where you live. If you live in a large city, chances are you’ll have a plethora of restaurants to choose from, while in smaller cities, your selection will be much more limited.
That’s a little about what UberEats is. Now, let’s talk about how it works.
How does UberEats work?
UberEats works by partnering with restaurants to help connect them with customers. Once you place an order on UberEats, the restaurant will confirm your order and begin preparing it. An UberEats delivery driver will be matched to your order, and you’ll be able to track your order’s progress the whole time.
Once the driver has picked up your order, you’ll be able to track the car on a map and get an estimate of how soon the driver will arrive at your location with your food.
Where is UberEats available?
The UberEats app and delivery service is available in many major cities worldwide, including many in North America, South America, and Europe, as well as a few cities in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa. Check out this list of available cities to find out if the service is available in your area.
Now that you know the basics of UberEats, we’re going to tell you a bit about the benefits of using the app.
Benefits of UberEats
- Convenience – You don’t have to leave your house to go pick up a meal. Your food is delivered right to your door!
- Discover new restaurants – UberEats makes it easy to check out food from tons of local restaurants, so you can try something new all the time.
- Scope out menus – Find out what kind of food is available from different restaurants you’re interested in and how much each item costs before you place your order.
- Saves time – Not having to leave your house to get food gives you more time to do other things while waiting for your order to be delivered.
Those are some of the great things about using Uber Eats. So, with all of these awesome benefits, is the UberEats app really worth using?
Is UberEats worth it?
When a restaurant partners with UberEats to allow their food to be ordered and delivered, the restaurant decides how much each food item costs. The prices listed beside food items do not include applicable taxes. After taxes are applied to your total, the rest of the cost is determined by Uber. You have to pay a delivery fee to have your food brought from the restaurant to your door.
The UberEats delivery fee is a flat rate fee that may vary depending on where you live. In North America, the delivery fee is a base rate of $4.99. If the restaurant you’re ordering from or the place where you’re having food delivered is a very busy at that time (e.g. during rush hour), your delivery fee may increase based on the fact that your delivery driver will have to take more time (and fuel) to get your order to you.
If you want to get a discount on your UberEats order, there are a couple of ways to do so. On your first order, you can use a coupon code to get $5 off your total. You can find these codes easily on coupon websites like RetailMeNot.com. If one of your friends already uses UberEats, they can give you their referral discount code, which will save you money on your first order, and save them money on their next one.
Another way to save money on UberEats is to refer friends yourself. When you sign up for UberEats, your account will be assigned a referral code which you can share with your friends. If one of your friends signs up for a new UberEats account and uses your code to get a discount on their first order, your code will get them $5 off and you’ll also get $5 credited to your UberEats account to put towards a future order.
To find your UberEats code, open the app, then tap the Profile icon.
Then, tap Free Food.
Now you’ll see your own referral code on your screen. You can share this code on your social media accounts, or send it to your friends in a message. The more you share your own code, the more likely it is that someone will use it and help you save money on your next food order!
If UberEats is available where you live, you may want to become a delivery driver to make some extra money. Next, we’ll tell you a bit about the process of becoming an UberEats driver.
How can I become an UberEats driver?
To become an UberEats driver, you can easily register online. Some of the requirements are that you must be 21 or older with a valid drivers’ license, have a vehicle from that is less than twenty years old, and have no commercial branding on your car. You will have to provide proof of identity, information about your vehicle (registration and insurance), as well as undergo a background check.
If you don’t have a car, you can still deliver for UberEats. In some cities, you can register to deliver for UberEats by bicycle. To deliver by bike, you have to be 18 or older, and provide proof of identity with a picture of your photo ID (drivers’ licence, passport, health card, citizenship card, etc.). You’ll also have to go through a background check to be approved to be an UberEats delivery person.
If you already drive for Uber, you can sign up to drive for UberEats and be able to accept requests for regular Uber rides or Eats deliveries. Becoming an UberEats driver or cyclist is a great way to make some extra money.
Overall, we think UberEats is totally worth using. With the hundreds of restaurants available to order through UberEats, there are so many food options available at your fingertips! Though some people may dislike the fact that you have to pay a delivery fee, we think the convenience of UberEats is worth the fee it costs. Also, we love that there are ways to save money on the cost of your order if you’re fed up with paying full price.
That wraps up our overview of UberEats and whether we think it’s worth using. Have you tried out this app before? Check out our free course on Uber if you want to learn more about their original app.