Best Food Delivery Apps in Sydney
There’s no shame in ordering delivery sometimes, I get it. You’re tired, hungry, it’s cold outside, and leftovers just don’t cut it. Luckily, we live in a technologically advanced world where one no longer needs to walk to the pizza shop, or pick up a phone and (gasp!) speak to another person to order some pad Thai. Delivery apps are definitely the way forward. Order online, and the food is delivered straight to your door. Luckily, yours truly is not the world’s best cook, and has some experience with ordering food online.
Here’s a rundown of my experiences from ordering from a few sites in Sydney. I should add the comments below are all based solely on my experience, and have not been influenced by any of the companies mentioned. Also, not all apps deliver to all areas. Apologies in advance if you still have to drive to pick up your own dinner on a Friday night.
Food delivery apps are great for offering delivery on restaurants that don’t offer delivery otherwise, as the apps act as a third party between the customer and business. Once ordered, your food is picked up by the driver and taken to your door. When you set up the account on an app, it stores your credit card details, making ordering quick and easy. Apps can be used for tons of options, ranging from McDonald’s up to fine dining steak houses or seafood spots.
Here’s my rundown of the most popular food delivery apps in Sydney: Deliveroo v Uber Eats.
The winner (in my books):
Deliveroo
Deliveroo (like kangaroo, because it’s Australian, get it?), seems to be the most reliable in my area of Sydney’s lower north shore, and they have a vast choice of restaurants. Once your order has been placed, you get real-time updates on its status, and you can then track its delivery via a GPS with the driver.
Before you order, you are shown the estimated delivery times for each restaurant. This is important if you are hungry and also impatient, like me (no one’s perfect). The times seem to almost always be accurate, and food arrived on time, if not a little earlier.
The downside is they charge a $4 surcharge for any orders under $25, in addition to the standard $5 delivery fee, meaning the price for your order can spike up quickly if you aren’t ordering a lot of food. However, I still rate them overall the best thanks to speedy service, variety, friendly drivers, and the paramount factor of food arriving hot. There’s nothing worse when it comes to takeout than receiving cold food. Props to them for managing to consistently deliver in this regard.
They have also been actively supporting marriage equality in Australia, which gains bonus points in my book.
Second place:
Uber Eats
Uber Eats operates in a very similar fashion to Deliveroo- order via the app, track delivery via the app, and select from a range of restaurants. They are an extension of Uber’s driving services. They have the advantage of a wide range of food options, which differ (sometimes) from Deliveroo. They don’t levy a minimum surcharge, which is great for smaller orders. I appreciate that food is also delivered in a recyclable paper bag.
However, Uber Eats seems to be less successful with estimating delivery times and ensuring food arrives hot. I get that it is tough to approximate these things, but stating a 15-20 min window for delivery and turning up 45 min later is annoying. I would assume this is the fault of the company, not the drivers, but when tracking delivery, the app often says that the driver is dropping off another order on the way, which perhaps causes the delays and lukewarm food.
Having encountered this a few times, and receiving food that was nowhere near warm, it has slightly put me off Uber Eats. Yes, this is completely a first world problem, but it’s still nice to end up with a quality meal based on what you pay. Although, I may be won back since I hear they are now delivering Grill’d burgers…
Also consider:
Menulog– I have only used Menulog for ordering online and picking up, but not delivery, so can’t rate them on that aspect. However, they also have a huge range of options, and send a text after ordering to confirm when your food will be ready. They also offer a 10% discount if you are ordering from a new business for the first time, which is a nice perk.
Foodora– I haven’t tried these guys, but they don’t seem to as popular as the other options above. However, might be worth trying if they service your area, although they don’t seem to have the best reputation.
Driver safety
Another issue regularly discussed with food delivery services is driver safety, as many drivers work from bikes or motorcycles. There’s been many reports of unsafe driving, especially by cyclists not following road rules, wearing dark clothes without reflective gear, etc. These companies should definitely put, if they aren’t already, an added emphasis on driver safety.
I appreciate everyone has probably had completely different experiences with the companies mentioned, but the above is just my two cents, if it helps anyone, and based on my own experiences over the past year or so. I’d love to hear your comments below, and if you love/hate/never tried ordering online. Would also love to hear from anyone who works/has worked for them delivering, and how you find the business model and experience.
For more top food tips, check out our ranking of Sydney’s best American burgers here. If you’re craving American comfort food, here’s the best places to find it locally.
Also, believe it or not, I follow a healthy lifestyle *most* of the time…