How to save money on delivery and takeout

Before the pandemic, delivery and takeout were booming. Happily we have lots of apps to make it easy to view restaurant listings, choose a few and have them delivered within an hour.

While the convenience is amazing, so is its cost is not. Probably you’ve thought about deleting Uber Eats or Seamless from you phone? Don’t do it. There are several ways to save money while still enjoying delicious restaurant food.

Get your walking shoes on

Food delivery costs can be quite expensive. They are not related to the cost of your Saturday night pizza or Friday morning bagel. Along with your tip, you’ll also have to pay taxes and a delivery charge.

Both the tip and delivery fee are related to how difficult it is for a third party physically to deliver your order. You should tip them if you order delivery.

However, you can avoid paying delivery fees if the food is delivered directly to your home by… yourself! You can still see all the menu items at once, choose one you like, and then pay by pressing a button “Pick-up myself”. This method is not without its problems. Walking can be a bit annoying, but it’s also cost-effective and healthier. You can’t spring for delivery if you’re ill or it’s raining, but it’s worth it if you have a good night and are in good physical condition. You can easily toggle between pick-up and delivery options in most delivery apps. Just remember to tap the right button.

Push notifications should be turned on

Although push notifications can be irritating, they can also prove to be very helpful. They exist for a reason, and that reason is partly to save money when you use them to order delivery or takeout apps.

Uber Eats and Postmates are well-known for offering limited-time discounts that they offer via push notifications and emails. You should ensure that your notifications are on for these apps and give a real email address even if it is your spam email so you don’t miss a coupon.

Single-use coupons can be earned by sharing your referral code with your friends. However, the year 2021 means that most of your friends already own all the apps. But you can still try it… with your mom or granny.

Profit from these perks

Uber Eats has a variety of rewards programs, including ever-changing specials. These specials will be visible as soon as you open your app. They can include restaurant-specific discounts once you reach a certain threshold, or money off if you choose takeout over delivery.

Sounds hilarious, but sometimes you may need to spend money in order to save money. Grubhub+ membership is a $9.99 per month. And it allows unlimited delivery if you order more than $12 of food. It also offers other benefits specific to Grubhub. The cost of the membership is lower than what you would pay for delivery fees. These can vary from $0.50 to several hundred dollars.

Save money with these apps

A few apps are available that will not only get you food but also save you money. Too Good to go, for example: This app partners with restaurants to help you get the food that isn’t being sold. The “surprise bag” is ordered with one of the participating restaurants. You are then given a time frame to pick up your food. This could vary depending on which restaurant you choose. It could include a full meal or a large bag of pastries or bagels. Although you don’t have the option to choose what you get, you get a lot for your money, as most surprise bags are between $4 and $6. You can feel good about stopping goods being wasted, as the app’s creators claim happens to 1/3 of all food worldwide.

Club Feast is also a way to save money while still getting delivery. Your credits are purchased in bulk and then you can use them for marked-down meals throughout the week.

Laura Phillips (club Feast’s head for growth and marketing) explained the concept as follows: “Restaurant delivery costs only $6.99 per dish. You can plan ahead to save money on the same meals that you’d get on other platforms. If you order only one dish, there will be a small delivery fee of $0.49-$2.49.”

This program doesn’t charge restaurants any fees or take commission. This is notable because third-party apps often take a cut from each restaurant’s earnings. Phillips stated that the company wants to make restaurants more money and save customers some.

“You don’t need to feel guilty about ordering take-out.” She stated that it is her mission to transform the way people eat. “This includes democratizing delivery and allowing local restaurants to flourish. Food delivery is becoming an integral part of modern life. As the world changes, so does the nature of work and the way we eat. I can see it becoming a common service.”

Food apps became very popular, fast. They took your money as well as the entire earnings of restaurants. We hope that you can feel a little better about the whole situation with new disruptors such as these.

One more option

This last option may not be the best, but it can help you feel a bit better. Order directly from restaurants whenever you can to save the same amount as big-name app orders.