Uber Eats vs. DoorDash vs. GrubHub: Top 2024 Restaurant Delivery App
Compare Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub for the best 2024 delivery app. Boost your restaurant's visibility, reach more customers, and grow sales.
Home > Blog > 10 Best Delivery Services for Restaurants in 2024
Food, Beverage and Grocery DeliveryUpgrade your restaurant's delivery game with the top 10 food delivery services of 2024, known for their extensive reach and efficient delivery options.
Food delivery apps have completely transformed the restaurant industry in the past few years.
Many forward-thinking restaurant owners see a chance to offer a new dining experience, even when seating is limited.
Namely, the food delivery app industry is projected to grow to a market size of $213 billion by 2030.
We’re here to help you make informed decisions if you're new to the food business. We’ve put together a list of 10 top food delivery services and their key features. Let’s take a closer look!
At its core, delivering meals is a service offered by restaurants and food businesses to get food to customers. Here's a quick look at how the online food delivery process works:
For restaurant owners looking to embrace this trend, the number of options can feel overwhelming and time-consuming to sort through.
Just like technology has reshaped retail, it's also transformed the restaurant world, raising customer expectations. These days, offering online food delivery is often essential for staying competitive.
Uber first gained popularity as a taxi alternative, and now they’ve made their mark in food delivery with the Uber Eats app. It’s become one of the top choices for both taxi and food delivery services.
Pros | Cons |
Largest meal delivery platform (except China) in terms of Gross earnings | A delivery person receives fewer tips |
Refined technology | Service charges and delivery charges eating into revenue. |
Business insights from data collection. |
Perfect for: Those who are already familiar with Uber
DoorDash is a platform used by over 310,000 restaurants across more than 4,000 cities. It connects local restaurants with 'dashers' (freelance couriers), so businesses don’t need to hire their own delivery drivers. DoorDash is one of the top food delivery services in North America, alongside Uber Eats, GrubHub, Postmates, Seamless, and Instacart.
DoorDash also acquired Caviar, a service that started as a premium food delivery app. Since the acquisition in 2019, Caviar now offers a wider variety of balanced meal options.
Pros | Cons |
Great for takeout orders or ready-to-eat meals | Limited customer service availability |
Real-time order tracking | |
Low minimum order requirements | |
Option for a monthly fee to avoid delivery charges | |
Subscription plans available (monthly or yearly) |
Perfect for: Lunch and dinner choices
GrubHub boasts the most extensive network of restaurant partners. It works with more than 200,000 restaurants across the U.S. It also owns Seamless, and both services use the same app.
Pros | Cons |
Convenient contactless pickup options during COVID-19 | Negative feedback from delivery drivers |
Easy subscription plans with straightforward fees | Higher delivery fees and extra costs compared to competitors |
Available on both iOS and Android |
Perfect for: People ordering food online
Specifications:
This popular food delivery app partners with Grubhub, offering a wide selection of meals with no extra charges. It now also provides the option for contactless delivery, allowing customers to have their meals left right at their doorstep.
Pros | Cons |
Convenient payment options with various online methods | Extra delivery fees for distant restaurants |
No additional charges | No real-time food tracking feature |
Wide selection of restaurants |
Perfect for: Food lovers in New York City
Postmates can deliver just about anything, from food and drinks to retail goods, right to your customers' doors. Their goal is simple: "To make it possible for anyone to get anything delivered on-demand." Like other similar services, Postmates uses a network of couriers to handle orders from local restaurant partners.
Pros | Cons |
Affordable delivery fees and costs | Compensation system for drivers lacks clarity |
Restaurants can fully outsource their delivery service | Problems with delivery assignments |
Perfect for: Late-night snack orders
Instacart is more than just a restaurant delivery service. It lets shoppers choose and order products online or via mobile app. Customers can either pick up their orders at the store or have them delivered (delivery fees apply).
Pros | Cons |
Order from local grocery stores and favorite restaurants | App can be glitchy or buggy |
Contact-free delivery option during the pandemic (leave at my door) | Tip structure may not benefit drivers |
Option to schedule deliveries | No free delivery (delivery fees vary) |
Perfect for: Grocery shopping
Specifications:
Delivery.com offers a wide range of delivery options, including the ability to schedule your food delivery in advance. You can choose your preferred pick-up and drop-off times. In addition to meals, the app also delivers alcohol, wine, and groceries, making it a versatile choice for various needs.
Pros | Cons |
Wide coverage across many cities | Extra charges for food delivery |
Delivers both food and grocery items | Frequent spam email |
Earns rewards points with every purchase |
Perfect for: Contactless food delivery
Specifications:
Deliveroo provides a range of delivery options, including the ability to schedule your orders in advance. You can select your preferred pick-up and drop-off times. The app delivers a variety of meals from local restaurants, making it a convenient choice for diverse dining needs.
Pros | Cons |
Extensive coverage in the UK | Additional fees for certain deliveries |
Delivers a wide range of meals | Limited delivery options in some areas |
Loyalty rewards for frequent users |
Perfect for: Flexible meal delivery
Specifications:
goPuff is an excellent app for having snacks, beverages, groceries, and even over-the-counter medications delivered right to your door. It covers more than 500 cities across the U.S. and is expanding quickly.
What sets goPuff apart is that everything you order comes from their own warehouses, not from local stores.
Pros | Cons |
Offers a range of items including groceries, cleaning supplies, over-the-counter medicine, and baby essentials. | Only delivers quick meals, not restaurant meals. |
Delivers in under 30 minutes from its micro-fulfillment centers. | Sometimes experiences inaccuracies in deliveries. |
Fast delivery times. | |
Flat delivery fee of $1.95 per order. |
Perfect for: Snacks
Specifications:
Just Eat provides a diverse range of delivery options, including the ability to schedule your food delivery for a later time. You can choose from a wide selection of restaurants, and the app also offers contactless delivery for added safety. It’s a flexible choice for both regular meals and special orders.
Pros | Cons |
Wide restaurant selection | Delivery fees can vary and add up |
Flexible delivery scheduling | Limited availability in some areas |
Contactless delivery available |
Perfect for: A wide range of meal options with flexible delivery choices
Specifications:
Caviar joined DoorDash in 2019 and now offers food delivery in over 25 cities.
The app caters to customer preferences with a wide selection of local restaurants and diverse cuisines. Users can either pick up their food or have it delivered straight to their doorstep by placing an order online.
Pros | Cons |
GPS tracking for deliveries | Delivery fees can vary and add up |
No-contact delivery available | Limited availability in some areas |
Allows adding special delivery instructions |
Perfect for: Healthy meals
In recent years, technology has revolutionized meal delivery. The days of paper menus and manually managing orders are long gone. Now, customers expect convenient options like free delivery.
These days, business owners offer user-friendly food delivery apps and online menus, where customers can explore a variety of options and place orders. Many platforms even allow customers to schedule deliveries for a specific time at an affordable price. Here’s what’s involved in food delivery apps:
The rise of food delivery has opened up incredible opportunities for restaurants to attract new customers and grow beyond their physical locations.
Ready to find the best food delivery app for your business? Whether you’re running a well-established restaurant or starting a new meal-kit service, you’ll need a platform that fits your needs perfectly.
Here are some key features to think about when picking a food delivery app:
The popularity of food delivery services can vary depending on where you are and what’s available in your area. Many people prefer DoorDash for meal delivery kits, while others who enjoy spicy foods might choose Uber Eats or Postmates.
DoorDash is slightly ahead of GrubHub, with a larger network across the US and other countries. Additionally, DoorDash tends to be more affordable for food delivery services compared to GrubHub.
As of June 2020, DoorDash holds 45% of the market share in food delivery services, making it the leader over Uber Eats, GrubHub, and Seamless. Thus, DoorDash currently has a clear advantage over Uber Eats.
One challenge local restaurants face today is figuring out how to deliver food straight to customers' doors. However, with changing trends creating new opportunities, it’s up to restaurant owners and operators to take advantage of them.
We hope this article has helped you find the right meal delivery service for your needs. While we’ve covered some of the top options, you might also want to explore other popular services like Amazon Fresh and Freshly for nutritious meal choices.
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