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Remember those times when you had to make phone calls and interact with a human to order food from your favorite restaurant? And those times too, when the restaurant heard your order wrong and sent you a “beet salad” instead of a “meat salad”? Well, we dread those times. Certainly, when you compare this process with the best food delivery apps available today, we realize how flawed a concept it was.
Today, we can get almost everything delivered right at our doorstep – food items, groceries, kitchen staples, and much more (that too without a telephonic conversation. Phew!) However, as there are quite a few food ordering apps available to customers today, it can get confusing to decide which ones are the best. Moreover, you should ensure that the app you’re using offers a zero-contact delivery. After all, it’s always better to stay on the safer side.
Many on-demand food delivery companies have adapted well to the COVID-19 situation, and that’s the reason behind these startups’ success. They also offer some exceptional features and deals that one just cannot resist ordering food.
Want to know which food delivery apps are making it big in the on-demand industry? Well, you’re in good luck! In this article, we’ll be overviewing the 10 best food delivery apps that deliver across the United States and other countries.
So, without further ado, let’s get started and savor the blog post!
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DoorDash – One of the Best Food Delivery Apps
DoorDash was founded in July 2013 and is one of the best food delivery apps today. The food ordering platform has spread its services across 4,000+ cities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
Although it is relatively new to the on-demand food delivery economy, it has managed to thrive and be in the spotlight. DoorDash and its subsidiaries earned 50 percent of U.S. consumers’ meal delivery sales in November, which means the company managed to capture half of the market alone!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, DoorDash took multiple measures to ensure the safety of its patrons. By default, all the orders you make will be placed at your door, and if you wish to receive the order by yourself, you’ll be required to select the “Hand it to me” option. If a no-contact delivery is requested, the delivery agent will leave your food in a safe place and alert you when it’s ready for pickup.
Apart from this, the best part about this food-ordering app is that it has no order minimums, and you can order as little as you want. You can also schedule deliveries and receive the food at a time that is the most convenient for you.
In August 2014, the on-demand taxi application giant decided to venture into the on-demand food space. Initially, Uber first named its food ordering app UberFRESH and later renamed it to UberEats in 2015. Fast forward to November 2020 – Uber Eats earned second place in the U.S. consumers’ meal delivery sales with a 23 percent share.
Today, Uber Eats is available in over 6,000 cities across 45 countries and continues to grow effortlessly. Although multiple factors led to this online food ordering platform’s success, its user-friendly application tops the list.
The concept is simple – you can search for your favorite food item or restaurant and customize your meal (quantity, combo-meal choices, etc.) just as you need. Once you’re done adding it to the cart, you’ll need to select discount codes and the address where you want your food delivered. Right after this, you can opt for your preferred mode of payment and checkout.
Once you’ve made the payment, the restaurant accepts the order and prepares your food. The nearest food delivery agent receives a notification and reaches the restaurant to pick up your order and deliver it to your doorstep. Meanwhile, you can also track your food and see the ETA of the delivery.
Thus, Uber Eats is among those food delivery apps that work on the Food-Ordering-and-Delivery Business Model.
Founded in 2004, Grubhub is a food delivery application that has its services spread across all 50 states in the U.S. Although it is one of the most popular food delivery apps, GrubHub has steadily lost market share in the United States due to the competition with Uber Eats and DoorDash. From a high of 70 percent, Grubhub sat at less than 20 percent market share in 2020.
However, this did not affect the company’s revenue-earning potential. Even with this market share loss, Grubhub climbed from $500 million in 2016 to $1.3 billion in 2020.
Here’s the interesting part – Just Eat Takeaway, a Netherlands-based food delivery app, acquired GrubHub and settled the deal at $7.3 billion in 2020. This deal allowed the company to get a foothold in both the United States and Europe.
Apart from offering the largest selection of restaurants in the nation, the food ordering app also offers exclusive deals and various payment options, including gift cards. It also provides a subscription-based service called GrubHub+, priced at $9.99/month, which allows you to get free delivery.
Some of the top restaurants that GrubHub has joined hands with are Applebee’s, Auntie Anne’s, BJ’s Restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, and so on.
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Postmates – Food Delivery Apps That Deliver More Than Just Food
As we mentioned earlier in our blog post on the top on-demand startups, Postmates is not one of your regular food delivery apps; Indeed, it is a notch ahead. It is an on-demand delivery platform that delivers food, groceries, kitchen staples, and everything-you-need right to your doorstep. It has over 600,000 restaurants and retailers (local and national) and has employed approximately 700,000 couriers to deliver the orders.
Just like any other on-demand delivery service, Postmates charges a delivery fee from its users. The standard delivery charge ranges from $3 to $5, depending on ongoing offers and factors; For instance, high demand, external conditions (rain, traffic, etc.), the proximity of the delivery location, etc. Postmates keeps 80% of the delivery fee, while the remaining 20% goes to the courier. Additionally, it offers a subscription model for $9.99/month (15% off on the annual plan) that offers free delivery on orders above $12.
The platform includes top restaurants and food chains such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Chick-Fil-A, etc.
You can also check out the Postmates Business Model Canvas and Funding Timeline.
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in New York, Delivery.com is one of the oldest food delivery apps that is still functional today. Currently, the application has 3 million+ users and 13,000+ merchants spread across the United States, and these numbers keep growing.
However, this application is not just limited to food delivery. If you want to get your laundry done, get some pizza, and accompany your meal with a chilled can of beer, then delivery.com is your best bet. It offers a complete marketplace for restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores, and laundry and dry cleaning providers. It’s like a 21st-century genie!
Additionally, it has partnered with many organizations such as WeWork, LevelUP, and many others to deliver food, corporate gifts, office essentials and supplies, and dry cleaning services to the company’s members.
So, if you’re craving your favorite dish, or need to try a new cuisine, or want a refreshing drink, delivery.com is one of the best food delivery apps that can satisfy your appetite. Moreover, it also offers some exceptional features such as “Delivery Points,” which give its users redeemable points for free food, donations to charity, or prizes.
Do you wish to create a food delivery application for your startup? Get in touch with us and get started with a world-class project today!
Founded in 2012, Instacart is a platform that has revolutionized the way customers shop for food and kitchen staples. They offer a user-friendly application that facilitates home deliveries of groceries and home essentials. Thus, you can categorize Instacart under both food delivery apps and grocery delivery apps.
Indeed, it is the perfect solution for a busy lifestyle. Due to this convenience, ease, and simplicity, Instacart has witnessed exponential growth in the past few years. As of today, Instacart provides services across all the metropolitan areas in the 50 states in the U.S and nine provinces in Canada (currently unavailable in Quebec)
Moreover, as per the Statista reports, Instacart is available to 85% of U.S. households and 70% of Canadian households. This is enough to show how successful this on-demand grocery delivery service is.
You can also check out the Instacart Business Model Canvas and Revenue Strategy.
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Seamless – A Subsidiary of the GrubHub Food Ordering App
Seamless was founded in 1999 and was acquired by GrubHub in 2013 to achieve extensive regional coverage and higher order volume. The best part about this food-ordering app is that it offers various perks and rewards to its customers. For instance, they can get 10-15% off on their first order, and earn redeemable points and prizes up to $100.
Additionally, Seamless is one of those food delivery apps that do not have any hidden costs associated with the orders. Users can see their extensive list of restaurants and meals, choose their preferred one, and pay via their preferred mode of payment (debit card, credit card, Android Pay, PayPal, etc.) via the application itself.
Seamless has partnered with top food chains such as Atomic Wings, Avocado Sushi, Burger King, Buffalo Wild Wings, Del Taco, etc.
ChowNow is not like other food delivery apps that only offer a platform to connect restaurants with customers. It also allows the former to make their own ordering systems. Thus, it offers a win-win situation for both restaurants and foodies.
Restaurants that are tired of using old tools and only relying on a Graphical Restaurant Reservation System (GRRS) can benefit from ChowNow’s services. The company provides ordering systems for pickup, delivery, curbside, and dine-in. Apart from that, it also offers digital marketing services. They leverage the ChowNow app, Instagram, Google Search results, etc., to attract more customers.
If customers wish to order food from this application, they can use the List View or Map View to explore the latest hotspots and tried-and-true favorites in their neighborhood. Further, they can browse cuisines, customize orders, and checkout easily. Apart from this, the application offers customer support via phone, email, and chat on all days of the week.
Founded in 2013, goPuff is a food ordering application that delivers across 500 cities in the United States and counting. It allows you to order almost everything that you need. If you’re feeling hungry or feel like getting tipsy this weekend, goPuff can deliver food and booze from the best restaurants and liquor stores right to your doorstep.
However, delivery agents will ask for an ID upon reaching your place to check whether you’re 21+ or not. If you fail to provide valid ID proof, you’ll be charged a restocking fee. Also, the liquor items will be taken back.
Additionally, you can also order over-the-counter medications, kitchen supplies, groceries, etc. The best part is that goPuff is one of those food delivery apps that charge a flat fee of $1.95 at all times. As a result, the customers never face the problem of surge prices.
Other features of the application include redeemable rewards, excellent customer service, and multiple payment options.
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Caviar – Food Delivery Apps Acquired By DoorDash
Caviar is another food delivery application that delivers meals to Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Manhattan, and other 16+ locations. On 31st October 2019, the on-demand food delivery giant DoorDash acquired the company in a $410 million deal.
Due to this acquisition, the app is very similar to DoorDash and offers the DashPass. The customers can look up food items, cuisines, and healthy dishes and order whatever and whenever they want. Users can also opt for specific delivery options such as “no-contact delivery” and “pickup.”
Furthermore, the application also offers a subscription-based service. It allows eligible customers to get a $0 delivery fee and a lower service fee.
How Much Does It Cost to Make Food Delivery Apps Like Doordash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub?
There are three versions of food delivery apps: End-user app, Delivery Partner app, and Admin Panel. Each version has its own set of features. If we consider the MVP features, building a food delivery application like DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc., can cost you approximately $27,000 to $30,000 for a native iOS and Android application.
However, if you wish to stand apart from the crowd, you need to add unique features to your application. Surprisingly, you just happen to be in the right place.
Our wide range of custom features can help modify your on-demand food delivery application just as you need. You can also get a quick feature overview of all three variants of the food delivery application.
Contact us and get started with your project today. Do not forget to check out our portfolio of Mobile Apps here.
