In recent years, online food order near me apps have made dining out as easy as tapping a button. Whether you want a burger or pizza, sushi, a burrito or a shawarma, these services allow you to order your favorite dishes and have them delivered right to you. As many restaurant dining rooms remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic, third-party delivery services have exploded in popularity. They’ve also boosted sales at some of the country’s biggest chains and helped many independent eateries stay afloat.
But the best food delivery app for you depends on how extensive a reach it has in your area and which restaurants are available through it. It’s also important to check out extra fees, which can include a service charge and a delivery fee.
Here are some of the most popular food delivery apps to help you decide which one is right for you:
Grubhub
Following its acquisitions of Seamless and Eat24, Grubhub is the reigning king of online ordering in most major cities. The app is easy to use and offers search filters by cuisine, price range and location. It also highlights restaurants offering deals and cash-back rewards. Customers can easily track their deliveries and pay for meals via credit or debit. In addition, Grubhub provides the option to order from a Featured Restaurant Partner section featuring bigger chains and a $9.99-per-month DashPass subscription that removes delivery and service charges for orders of $15 or more.
DoorDash
Another big player in the delivery space, DoorDash is available in more than 800 cities and features a curated selection of local restaurants in each city. It allows users to filter restaurants by cuisine, price point and more, and features a “Yum Score” that indicates how good a restaurant’s food is. The app also lets customers order alcohol and mixers from local liquor stores if local laws permit. Its delivery instructions box enables you to specify where you’d like your meal dropped off for contact-free delivery.
Postmates
In addition to delivering food from participating restaurants, Postmates delivers groceries, electronics and more from local retailers. Its vetted couriers can deliver to your home or work, and you can use the app’s GPS to track your delivery. Customers can also tip couriers and a $9.99-per-month Postmates Unlimited service removes surge pricing, delivery charges and other extra fees.
ChowNow
Although not a full-fledged delivery app, ChowNow offers a unique twist to the trend by focusing on local eateries rather than national chains. It promises commission-free ordering for restaurants and offers restaurants seamless integrations into their social media channels, so customers can easily place their orders on the app through those channels. In addition, the app allows restaurants to sell takeout and delivery directly through their own website if they choose to do so. The app also offers analytics and marketing support for restaurants. online food order near me