You’re probably here because you’re comparing two food delivery apps and wondering about the Uber Eats vs. DoorDash service options.
They’re both fantastic, although they are different in many ways.
We’ve put together a comparison here that highlights the strengths of each as well as differences so that anyone reading will be able to figure out which service may be best suited before trying anything new.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Which is Better?
When assessing a DoorDash vs. Uber Eats review such as this, the most important component is having the right comparison criteria.
Of course, there’s the obvious question of which service is cheaper, but there are also other important factors to consider.
We’ve found the following criteria to be a good indicator for which service you may be interested in:
- Available areas
- Variety of restaurant options
- Promotional partnerships
- User-friendliness
- Prices & fees
- Opportunities for existing users
- Customer service & support
For a closer look at each of these food delivery apps and what others think of their features, let’s dive in!
DOORDASH AND UBER EATS:THE CONTENDERS
DoorDash
DoorDash emerged into the food delivery scene in 2013, and since then has grown exponentially in size & reach. They’re now one of the most well-rounded delivery apps out there and quite popular as a result.
Uber Eats
Since their launch in 2014, Uber Eats has expanded at an incredible pace and are now the most prolific option out there. That huge availability along with quick delivery times & generally low prices have made it really shine.
DOORDASH VERSUS GRUBHUB: THE COMPARISON
DOORDASH STRENGTHS
- Low delivery fees
- Delivers from convenience stores
- Massive continued growth
UBER EATS STRENGTHS
- Enormous availability
- Large membership savings options
- Service & delivery fees combined
DOORDASH WEAKNESSES
- Need to create account to browse
- Service fees
UBER EATS WEAKNESSES
- Less high profile partnerships
- Not many deals for new customers
DOORDASH EASE OF USE
- Menus easy to navigate
- Lower order minimums make it easier to order for just yourself
UBER EATS EASE OF USE
- Connected to the Uber app
- Easy to choose pickup instead with new map feature (no delivery fee)
DOORDASH PRICE & VALUE
- Great introductory offer
- Exclusive deals with Chase cards
- Low delivery fees
UBER EATS PRICE & VALUE
- Fantastic membership savings
- Service & delivery fees combined
- Many continual savings options
DOORDASH DELIVERY
- Ability to see the estimated delivery time before checkout screen
- Organized group ordering with a variety of options for everyone
UBER EATS DELIVERY
- Focus on providing quick delivery times with a 30-min average goal
- Featured pickup map makes it simple to skip delivery fees
DOORDASH FOOD VARIETY
- Over 310,000 choices
- More U.S. options
- More high-profile brands
UBER EATS FOOD VARIETY
- Over 320,000 different options
- Multiple local & regional partners
- More international options
DOORDASH SUPPORT
- 5 different support options
- Live chat available 24/7
UBER EATS SUPPORT
- Typically shorter wait times
- Quick support common via Twitter
DOORDASH AVAILABILITY
- Over 4,000 cities
- U.S. & P. Rico, Canada & Australia
UBER EATS AVAILABILITY
- Over 6,000 cities
- Over 45 countries globally
DOORDASH VS UBER EATS: THE RESULTS
DoorDash
DoorDash is one of the most multi-faceted food delivery apps with a large availability, lower fees, good customer service, and options for delivery from restaurants and convenience stores alike.
Uber Eats
Uber Eats is one of the most widely used food delivery apps due to its wide availability, delivery & service fees coupled together, quicker deliveries, big membership savings, and local variety of partnerships.
DOORDASH OR UBER EATS: THE OVERVIEW
Available Areas
When comparing food delivery apps, it’s essential to check if it’s even an option in your particular area before placing an order.
So is DoorDash or Uber Eats more popular?
It’s not necessarily a matter of popularity, but rather which cities tend to use which service, and which offer both.
In terms of this particular comparison, the Uber program definitely has the edge.
Uber Eats is available throughout thousands of cities in many countries around the world, and DoorDash is available in upwards of 4,000 cities within the United States and Canada.
That being said, both services are available in most large and U.S. cities, so many of those reading this will have access to either option.
This is definitely a factor to check before comparing services, as you may only have access to one choice.
Where is DoorDash most popular?
What about Uber Eats?
Here are several cities in which both delivery services are popular:
- Atlanta
- Toronto
- Houston
- Austin
- Seattle
- Chicago
- Detroit
- New York City
- Indianapolis
- Boston
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Sacramento
- St. Louis
- Des Moines
- Milwaukee
- Phoenix
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely an example of the types of cities in which restaurants choose to utilize these food delivery services, and where it is most widely used by consumers.
Variety of Restaurant Options
When it comes to takeout options, knowing whether you’ll be limited or not is a good thing to know ahead of time.
Thankfully, both apps tend to offer deliveries from a wide range of restaurant locations.
Whether you’re looking for fast food, chain restaurants, pizza, fast-casual, or something different, you’ll most likely have no trouble finding something satisfactory with either delivery service.
Some common chains that are popular with either DoorDash or Uber Eats (or both) include:
- Taco Bell
- McDonald’s
- Chipotle
- Cheesecake Factory
- Wendy’s
- TGI Friday’s
- Chick-Fil-A
Of course, there are many more offerings, and the variety will depend on your location.
Your best bet for this category would be to check out both apps yourself to see the availability in your area.
Promotional Partnerships
Is DoorDash or Uber Eats better than the other for specific restaurants?
Short answer: yes.
Each brand has partnership agreements with specific restaurants to offer perks and rewards to their customers.
For example, the popular burrito chain Chipotle has an agreement with DoorDash, and Uber Eats has offered deals in tandem with McDonald’s before.
DoorDash has also featured partnerships with The Cheesecake Factory, Wendy’s, and even Wyndham Hotels.
Uber Eats has offered deals with the chain Chick-Fil-A, and many of its current partnerships include more local/regional offerings.
There are many more examples, and they do change regularly, so it’s a good idea to check your app to see what kinds of delivery deals you can snag before ordering.
User-Friendliness
Is Uber Eats better than DoorDash when it comes to being user-friendly?
Actually, this one is pretty even.
If you already have the Uber app downloaded, the actual setup would be considered more simple for you, but as far as using the food delivery app itself, the ordering process is simple for both Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Both food delivery services have intentionally made their processes smooth, efficient, and easy to use to take advantage of the convenience factor as much as possible.
So, this one is a tie.
You’ll be able to breeze through your order, payment, delivery options, promotions, etc. with ease no matter which food delivery service you choose to use.
DoorDash & Uber Eats Price & Fees
One of the biggest factors in deciding where to order food delivery is, of course, the costs.
Common questions include:
- Compare the Uber Eats delivery fee vs. DoorDash delivery fee
- Do they have surge pricing?
- How about a booking fee or service charge?
- Do the service fees include a tip?
- Which service has better prices?
- What kinds of deals or offers can I expect to experience?
Let’s break them down individually.
Charges when ordering from Uber’s app include a delivery fee and taxes in addition to the cost of the food.
The price of delivery is usually small, around $2-3 (depending on the distance from the restaurant to you), so this is a pretty cost-effective food delivery option.
Rates for DoorDash also include a delivery fee and taxes. Their delivery fee is typically a flat rate of $5.99, although that can vary by city as well.
DoorDash also charges a service fee.
This fee is actually determined by the restaurant itself, which may offset some of their costs of using a third-party delivery company and prevent the need to hike up menu prices.
This is sometimes the case when ordering from Uber Eats; menu prices may be slightly higher. Each of their restaurant partners decides this individually, so price ranges can widely vary.
Each of these delivery companies accepts either in-app or cash tips, as well as card-only payment for all delivery orders.
So, is DoorDash or Uber Eats cheaper?
While it does depend on the factors listed above such as location and the specific cuisine you’ve chosen, overall Uber Eats does have the edge in terms of pricing without that additional service fee tacked on.
If you’re diving into these apps for the first time, you should head over to check out our guides for new users as well.
Lots of ways to save!
Opportunities for Existing Users
When it comes to comparing what’s cheaper, DoorDash or Uber Eats, what about extra savings opportunities for existing users?
Actually, both services offer a subscription option for continuing/regular users.
DoorDash offers a program called DashPass, which provides free delivery on all orders above $15.
This is completely unlimited, and only costs a mere $9.99 per month.
If you order three times per month or more, the cost actually makes up for itself in savings, and you’re able to cancel anytime.
Uber Eats also offers a membership program called an Eats Pass.
This monthly subscription also costs $9.99 per month, and it provides free delivery on all orders above $15 just as the DoorDash program does.
But wait, there’s more…
They also offer an additional 5% off each of your orders, making their program more lucrative.
So if you’re looking at the overall DoorDash or Uber Eats cost and would like to use a membership program, Uber Eats has the edge with the extra discount.
Whichever way to go, you can scoop up some serious savings by taking a peek at our DoorDash promo code existing user guide as well.
If you’re open to other food delivery services as well, be sure to take a peek at our guides to DoorDash or GrubHub and DoorDash vs Postmates.
These guides will give you everything you need to save on every food delivery order you make.
Customer Service & Support
And how about Uber Eats vs. DoorDash for customers who need support; who comes out on top?
When you need customer support, you’re most likely already at least a little bit frustrated.
So which way should you go to ensure the least stressful experience possible?
With food delivery services such as these, there are plenty of reasons you may need to reach out to their support teams as there are many different people and points of service involved.
DoorDash customer service consists of email support (support@doordash.com), which was its only offering for awhile.
They now also offer chat support within the app and phone support (855-973-1040) as well.
Uber Eats also offers email support (eats@uber.com).
They also offer chat support within the app as well as phone support (800-253-6882).
Both services also have a contact form on their website that you can fill out if the issue isn’t urgent.
So who’s better with customer support, DoorDash or Uber Eats?
This one is also a toss-up. You can find quality support no matter which way you go.
Uber Eats or DoorDash: The Verdict
So overall, is DoorDash or Uber Eats better?
The good news for you is that they’re both great in their own ways!
It comes down to personal preference.
One app may have more of what you are specifically looking for in a food delivery service.
If that’s the case, then that is the app you should choose to go with.
Which factors are important?
Are you more concerned with the variety of restaurants available? Or is customer service more of a factor for you? Or maybe you’re deciding purely on overall cost, or even have a promo code for a specific service.
Or, it may be the case that you enjoy using both of them and actually switch back & forth depending on your mood or your specific needs at the time.
Two awesome food delivery service options make everyone a winner.
Uber Eats vs DoorDash FAQs
How does tipping work on either app?
You are able to tip with both services. Both offer in-app tipping ability as well as a cash option.
What’s the deal with the DoorDash vs. Uber Eats Reddit codes?
The promo codes you see on Reddit are actually just existing users posting their referral links/codes in order to drum up referral credit. They usually do work, however, they’re mostly reserved for new users only. Be careful using these, because you can only use one new user promo code. Check all deals available to you to make sure you’re using the best one.
Who’s bigger, DoorDash or Uber Eats?
DoorDash holds more of the market share in food delivery at the time of this writing (Jan 2021). Their market share has been skyrocketing over the past year, going from 35% to 44% between November 2019 and May 2020. Uber Eats’ market share has declined in the same period, estimating a decrease from 30% to 23% in that time. That being said, these two services remain the top two nationwide and are comparable in size and scale.
