I Tried Every Major Food Delivery App for a Month — DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and the Winner Surprised Me

The Great Food Delivery Experiment

Let's be real: ordering food delivery has become a weekly (or daily) habit for millions of us. But with rising fees, shrinking portions, and inconsistent service, it's hard to know which app is actually worth using. So I decided to settle this once and for all. I spent a month ordering from DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and a fourth contender that most people overlook.

A few ground rules: I ordered the same type of meal from similar restaurants on each app — usually a burger and fries, a bowl from a fast-casual spot, and a pizza. I tracked total cost (including fees, taxes, and tip), delivery time, food quality upon arrival, and the overall experience. I spent way too much money on this, but hey, for science.

DoorDash: The Default Choice, But Is It the Best?

DoorDash is the market leader, and it's easy to see why. The app is polished, the selection is huge (over 500,000 restaurants nationwide), and the interface is intuitive. I ordered 10 times from DoorDash this month, and the experience was consistently decent.

The fees, though? Oof. A $15 burger meal ended up costing $23.45 after a $3.99 delivery fee, a $2.50 service fee, a $1.20 small order fee (because my order was under $10? it was $15!), and a $4 tip. That's over 50% added cost. DoorDash also recently introduced a "Dasher pay" fee that varies by distance. It's getting expensive.

Delivery times averaged 35 minutes, which is fine. But two of my orders arrived with items missing — once a drink, once the fries were forgotten. DoorDash's support refunded me quickly, but it was annoying.

The best part: DashPass ($9.99/month) waives delivery fees on orders over $12. If you order delivery more than twice a month, it's worth it. But even with DashPass, the service fees still add up.

Uber Eats: The Dark Horse With Better Features

Uber Eats has one big advantage: it's integrated with Uber's ride-sharing app. You can order food and track your driver on the same map. The interface is clean, and the restaurant selection is comparable to DoorDash — though in my area, DoorDash had slightly more options.

The fees were similar to DoorDash, maybe a dollar less on average. My $15 burger was $21.80 with Uber Eats — still painful, but slightly better. Delivery times were faster, averaging 28 minutes. The food arrived in better condition, too — maybe because Uber Eats drivers tend to be more experienced with food delivery?

Uber One ($9.99/month) is the subscription service. It gives you free delivery on orders over $15 and 5% back on pickup orders. I tried it for the last two weeks of the experiment, and it saved me about $18 total over 5 orders. Decent, but not amazing.

One thing I noticed: Uber Eats has better promotion deals. I got a "$10 off your next 3 orders" coupon just for signing up, and they regularly offer discounts at local restaurants. DoorDash's promotions seem more generic.

Grubhub: The Underdog That Doesn't Deserve Your Money

I wanted to like Grubhub. It was the original food delivery app when I was in college, and I have some sentimental attachment. But in 2024, it's just not competitive.

The restaurant selection in my area (a mid-sized US city) was noticeably smaller than DoorDash or Uber Eats. The fees were actually higher — my $15 burger was $24.10 after all the charges. And the delivery times were the worst, averaging 42 minutes. One order took an hour because the driver had to pick up from two different restaurants (Grubhub doesn't batch orders well).

The app interface feels dated. The search function is slow, and the recommendations are rarely relevant. Grubhub Plus ($9.99/month) offers free delivery, but it's not worth it when the competition already has better features.

Honestly, I can't recommend Grubhub unless you have a specific restaurant that's only available on there. Even then, check if they have their own delivery first.

The Surprise Winner: Chowbus (Or Why Local Apps Might Be Better)

Here's the thing nobody talks about: your city might have a local delivery app that offers better service and lower fees. In my case, I discovered Chowbus, an app that started in Chicago and is now expanding to 20+ US cities. It focuses on Asian restaurants and independent eateries, which is perfect for my neighborhood.

Chowbus charges a flat fee of $1.99 per order — no percentage-based service fees, no small order fees. My $15 burger was $18.50 total (with $3 tip). That's $5 less than DoorDash. The delivery times were comparable to Uber Eats (30 minutes), and the food arrived in great condition. The app is well-designed, with live tracking and a simple checkout process.

The catch: Chowbus has a smaller selection, mostly limited to Asian cuisine and some local favorites. If you want a McDonald's or a national chain, you're out of luck. But for quality food from local restaurants, it's a legitimate alternative.

There are other regional apps worth checking: Postmates (now owned by Uber but still separate in some areas), Caviar (which is basically high-end DoorDash), and Seamless (which is Grubhub in disguise). Do your research.

What About Ordering Directly?

I also tried ordering directly from restaurants — calling or using their own website — for 5 meals. The results were mixed. Some restaurants have their own delivery drivers, which means you avoid the app fees entirely. A pizza from my local spot cost $18.50 versus $26.00 on DoorDash. But the ordering process was slower, and I had to pay in cash or over the phone.

For restaurants that use a third-party delivery service (like DoorDash or Uber Eats) but have their own website, you often get hit with the same fees anyway. It's worth asking the restaurant directly when you call.

My Final Ranking and Recommendations

After 40 orders, here's how I'd rank the apps:

1. Chowbus (or your local equivalent) — lowest fees, good service, but limited selection.

2. Uber Eats — fastest delivery, best promotions, solid app experience.

3. DoorDash — best selection, reliable, but fees are creeping up.

4. Grubhub — not worth it unless you have a specific reason.

If you're trying to save money on delivery, here are my tips: subscribe to one or two services (DashPass and Uber One are the best), order in batches to avoid small order fees, tip well on small orders so drivers accept yours, and always check if the restaurant has their own delivery first.

And honestly? The cheapest option is still cooking at home. But I know that's not always realistic. At least now you know which app to open.