You want to find some pizza deals tonight, so you break out your favorite delivery app and place an order. You may be paying extra fees that you don’t know about. While every app is different, some either completely hide or obscure some added costs. You would be better off ordering from your favorite pizza place directly. Read on to learn more about these practices.
Delivery Apps
Delivery apps are third-party food ordering and delivery services that are for profit. Unsurprisingly, someone is paying for you to be able to use these apps. In some cases, the restaurants pay a fee on each order received. In other cases, the user pays the service charge. Regardless of the model, it is common for the cost to be passed on to the customer.
How the Fees Work
There are a few ways that delivery apps may include fees you don’t realize are there. One way is that all the prices are slightly increased. So, if you order a $30 meal on a delivery app, it may only be $25 if ordered directly from the restaurant. This can either be added by the app or by the restaurants themselves, hoping to pass along the costs they incur through the third-party app.
Another common practice is to charge a service fee. This can sometimes be surprisingly steep, as high as $5.99. This may be added to the total in the taxes and fees sections. While this isn’t exactly dishonest, it does make it harder to see how much the app is charging for the convenience.
A few apps are pretty open about the fees and make it clear what they are charging for. Nonetheless, they are still adding to the price of the meal beyond the cost at the restaurant, the delivery and any tip. So, it doesn’t always make much sense to order through a third-party.
The Better Option
If often makes sense to order directly through the restaurant rather than a delivery app. This is especially logical if it is a favorite. For example, if you often get vegan pizza delivery, there is no reason to order from a delivery app rather than the restaurant’s app, website or phone number.
You’ll save money, get a clearer picture of when the food will arrive and will make life easier for the restaurant team. It’s really a win-win situation for everyone. In many cases, you can also get more rewards for ordering directly from the restaurant. For example, along with your best gluten free pizza delivery order, you may earn a discount on your next order. That is a pretty good deal.
Skip the Delivery App
Next time you are planning to order some food, skip the delivery app. It may be one of the best ways to avoid overpaying. No matter which app you use, there will be some sort of built-in cost. Even if the restaurant takes on the full cost, you are missing out on earning rewards. So, order direct next time. Save money and get rewarded for simply using your favorite restaurant’s app or website.
