10 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Using Food Delivery Apps

On busy weeknights when you just don't feel like making a whole meal from scratch, food delivery can start to look like an attractive option. Not only do you not have to cook, but choosing this option means that you don't even need to go pick up your food — instead, it'll be delivered right to your door. Sure, it can be pricey, so you may not want to do it often, but there are times when food delivery really does seem like the best way to get food on the table with as little fuss as possible.

But even if you find yourself ordering food delivery on a somewhat regular basis, there's still probably a good chance that you're making some mistakes. You may be paying more than you need to, or perhaps you aren't doing what you can to make your driver's life easier. That's why we're outlining some of the most common mistakes people make when using food delivery apps, so you can ensure that you know how to order your next meal like a pro.

Sometimes, you may not mind waiting for your food. Perhaps you're still on your way home, and it'll take a while before you actually reach your door, or maybe you're just ordering dinner in advance so it'll be ready when your family gets hungry. But if you want to ensure that you get your delivery relatively quickly, it's a mistake not to check the estimated delivery time before ordering. After all, if your stomach is already gurgling, you probably don't want to have to wait a whole hour for your food to arrive.

Some apps even allow you to specifically select from restaurants that'll get your food to you as fast as possible. Before you place your order, think about how quickly you want your food to arrive at your door, and choose the restaurant you order from accordingly. It might just save you 45 minutes of serious hunger pangs.

When you use a food delivery app, you need to input your address so you can see which restaurants are available to you. However, some people add their address just to browse their ordering options but neglect to add essential delivery information, like an apartment number or detailed instructions to help their delivery driver find the right door. Then, they place their order, only to find that their delivery driver is struggling to find the right place to drop off their food once they arrive at the correct address.

It's a mistake to forget to include these important details for two reasons. First of all, you're probably going to have to wait longer for your food to arrive if your driver is struggling to figure out where to go. Secondly, it makes things a lot harder for your delivery driver. They probably don't want to have to call you or message you to find out where to drop off the order, so ensuring that they have all the information they need to deliver your order as quickly as possible is the courteous thing to do. After all, they don't get paid hourly, so it's important for them to be able to finish your order and move on to the next one as quickly as possible.

We get it: Ordering from a food delivery app is an appealing option when you're feeling lazy, sick, or otherwise don't want to leave your house to pick up your order. But you could be paying way, way more than you actually need to by ordering from a food delivery app rather than just placing an order with the restaurant directly and going to pick it up yourself. In fact, one study indicates that you may be paying up to 70% more for an order placed through a food delivery app than simply ordering through the restaurant's website. Yes, you're paying for delivery fees and tips, but restaurants often have to mark up the prices on their food as well.

To ensure that you're not getting seriously ripped off the next time you order from a food delivery app, we suggest going to the restaurant's website and checking the food prices and comparing those numbers to those you find on the app. You may just realize that all those extra costs simply aren't worth it.

These days, ordering food from a delivery app can be exorbitantly expensive. Therefore, when you do treat yourself to a food delivery order, you probably expect it to be pretty close to perfect since you know you're paying a premium for it. It can definitely be a bummer when you open the bag your driver dropped off, only to realize that your order is missing one of the items you paid for or that the order is otherwise incorrect. Of course, a driver could technically mix up orders and accidentally drop off the wrong one, but a lot of the time, mistakes with your order are not their fault.

After all, delivery drivers are simply picking up the food that the restaurant provides to them. You probably don't want them digging through your food to ensure that you did, in fact, receive exactly what you ordered anyway. Therefore, if you have a problem with your order, it's better to call the restaurant to lodge a complaint instead of complaining about the driver through the app. These drivers are already facing poor working conditions, and blaming them for an incorrect order is only making their lives more difficult unnecessarily.

Has tipping culture gotten out of control in some regards? Sure. But it's not the drivers' fault that the base pay they receive from these delivery app companies is abysmally low. Oftentimes, these workers literally rely on tips, especially considering that they're paying for their own gas plus wear and tear on their car. So, should you tip your delivery driver well? Absolutely — it's just the right thing to do. They are providing you with a valuable service and deserve to be compensated fairly (even though the company they're working for should be paying them a livable wage). Consider tipping more than you usually would if the order is especially large or the weather is bad and driving conditions are dangerous.

But tipping your driver well isn't only about ensuring that they have better working conditions. It'll also incentivize drivers to take your order, so you don't have to wait as long for your food to be delivered. Some drivers won't want to take a delivery that doesn't offer a tip, since it simply may not be worth their time. Tipping them well is beneficial for everyone involved.

If you've ever placed an order on a food delivery app, then received a call from an unknown number right before your delivery was supposed to arrive, then chances are it was the delivery driver trying to call you to find out where they should drop off your food. That's why it's a mistake to ignore these kinds of calls — your driver is probably just trying to make sure they leave the order at the right door. Make sure to keep your phone on you when you're expecting a delivery, as you might receive one of these calls or get a message within the app itself.

Worried about picking up a call from a random number? When drivers call from some apps, like Grubhub, the area code will always be the same, regardless of what city you're in. When in doubt, simply message your driver within the app to ensure that it really is them calling you if you want to be extra safe.

We all know by now that working as a delivery driver can be tough, with drivers facing poor working conditions, low pay, and even safety issues. Therefore, it's always a good idea to do what you can to make your driver feel a bit more comfortable. Tipping generously is important, of course, but ensuring that it's easier for your driver to find your home and to drop your food off safely is just another way of showing your appreciation.

According to one delivery driver, they feel a lot safer when people remember to turn their porch lights on at night. That way, they don't have to walk up to a stranger's home in the dark, and they can more easily see where they're going. If you were expecting anyone to come to your home, you'd probably turn the porch light on, right? It's a mistake not to remember to do the same for your delivery driver.

Ordering food delivery can be quite expensive, especially when you factor in delivery fees and a tip. Therefore, it only makes sense to cut costs wherever you can. Oftentimes, you can get a better deal if you take advantage of promotions offered through the app. Some of these offers are only available to new customers, while others are available to anyone who uses the app. Browse through those promotions within the app to see if you can save some cash, or check online to see if you can snag a promo that way.

Sometimes, restaurants offer special promotions as well. For example, you might find buy-one-get-one offers from your favorite restaurants, allowing you to get two dishes for the price of one. These promos can occasionally significantly lower the final cost of your meal, so it's a mistake not to take advantage of them, especially if you're on a tight budget and are already splurging by ordering delivery.

If you live in an urban area, you'll probably find that you can order just about anything from a food delivery app. Whether you're craving Chinese or Mexican food, burgers or pizza, there are likely several different restaurants for you to choose from. But just because you technically can order anything you want from a delivery app doesn't necessarily mean you should. When it comes to foods that are extremely perishable, it's generally not a good idea to order them through an app. Ice cream, for example, is very likely to melt between the time the driver picks it up and when it's delivered to your home, especially if they have another stop (or stops) along the way. (Although getting ice cream via drone delivery may not be a bad option.)

Other foods that you may want to consider skipping when it comes to delivery apps are sushi, eggs, and nachos. If you're really craving these foods from your favorite local restaurant, it's probably a better idea to go pick them up yourself to ensure that they aren't sitting in the car for too long.

Admittedly, if you have a membership to a food delivery app, you're probably going to choose to order from that one most of the time, since you might get certain fees waived. On the other hand, if you're more of a casual delivery app user and don't have a membership to any of them, it's always a good idea to toggle between delivery apps before deciding which one to order from. You might find lower prices or faster delivery times on a different app than the first one you looked at, so it's a mistake not to compare prices and timing.

Sure, it's a bit of extra work to have to look through several apps before you place your order, but doing so might just save you some money or time. Whether you choose to use UberEats, DoorDash, or Grubhub, you can feel more confident that you're getting the best deal.