Today, food delivery apps are numerous. All too often, you may find yourself toggling between several services. This constant switching is annoying and time-consuming. Is there a single app that can deliver your favorite food at the lowest cost? The answer is not so simple. Let’s look at the most popular services today.
Groceries and More: Target Delivery
Since 2019, customers in certain US locations have been able to get their delivery for free. This applies to orders through the Shipt app. You may also place an order directly from the website. As long as the price is over $35, the service will cost $9.99. Subscription to the app will cost you $99 annually. Orders below the $35 threshold entail a fee of $7.
Regular customers who want to maximize their savings can get the app and pay nothing for delivery throughout the year. In order to save even more, keep track of the latest discounts and deals across the chain. Preview Target ad for this week on rabato and never miss out on another bargain!
Groceries and Essentials: Aldi Delivery
Aldi uses the same $35 threshold for free delivery. However, it only applies to first-time customers. You may place orders directly through the website. An employee delivers the goods directly to your doorstep. With Aldi deals available online, you can easily keep track of the latest discounts.
Frequent buyers can take advantage of the company’s partnership with Instacart. With the Express Membership ($14.99 monthly), delivery is free. Otherwise, the service costs $5.99 plus a small surcharge on products.
Delivery from Restaurants: UberEats
Lately, the company has renewed its pricing policy. In the past, the fee would amount to roughly $4.99, so long-distance deliveries were the most cost-effective. Now, the charge ranges between $2 and $8 on average, depending on the distance between your location and the outlet. In addition, users are able to filter restaurants based on the delivery cost. For instance, you may limit your fee to $5.
Like the Uber taxi service, UberEats has surge pricing. The goal of these higher rates is to motivate more drivers to join in, so orders are delivered faster. Sometimes, you may be charged $23 for an order worth $8. However, as there are no minimum order sizes, the app is great for small deliveries. Here are a few tips to help you lower the costs.
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- Take advantage of advance scheduling – this way, you will avoid surge pricing.
- Use the service for small orders.
- Choose restaurants located closer to your address, so the delivery will be cheaper.
Strongest Competitor: Doordash
Doordash offers free delivery from select restaurants, and for certain areas. Look out for such promotions. At the moment, clients pay between 99 cents and $7.99 per order, and there is also a service fee ranging from 7% to 15%. The company also uses surge pricing in particular delivery zones and at particular times. Like UberEats, the brand also has no minimum order sizes. Follow these tips to reduce your charge.
- Use advanced booking.
- Place smaller orders to pay less in service fees.
- Take advantage of promotions.
Restaurant Meals and More: Postmates
This service charges a flat fee, and busy hours drive the pricing up. Generally, delivery of any order regardless of size and distance costs $3.99 for Partner Merchants and roughly from $5.99 and $9.99 for all other merchants. To take advantage of the cheapest rates, subscribe to Postmates Unlimited.
The scheme is most appropriate for frequent orders. It costs $9.99 per month but provides free deliveries from all merchants on the platform (provided that the order costs over $20). This means you need to make at least three orders a month to start saving money. Subscribers can also forget about busy-hours surges.
The Bottom Line
Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to the question, “Which service is the most cost-effective?” In most cases, the pricing depends on the size of your order, the time of day, and the location of the store or restaurant. The key is to understand the pricing model of each service and take advantage of the known tricks (like booking in advance, subscriptions, etc.). If you are ordering groceries, keep track of weekly ads to snatch the best bargains. This way, even if a service fee is added, you may still save money.
Finally, you can use special apps designed for such comparison. FoodBoss and MealMe can help you identify which restaurants have delivery in your area, and how their rates compare. This way, you do not have to be constantly switching between multiple apps.
