How to Save on Departure and Delivery
Even before the pandemic kept us locked in our homes for weeks, the delivery and take-out business thrived with apps that make it very easy to browse restaurant offerings, select a few, and deliver them in less than an hour.
The convenience is astronomical, but so is the price. If you’ve thought about removing Uber Eats and Seamless from your phone to control your habits, don’t do it yet. There are several ways to save money and still have delicious food in the restaurant.
Put on your walking shoes
There are many costs associated with food delivery that have nothing to do with the price of your Friday morning bagel or Saturday night pizza. Along with the tip, you pay taxes and shipping charges.
Tipping and shipping charges are related to how much effort it takes a third party to physically deliver your order to you. They travel long distances, sometimes through snow or rain, so always – always – prompt when ordering delivery.
However, you can avoid shipping charges by simply shopping for the food yourself. It’s still convenient to see all the menu items in one place, take your time choosing one, and pay with the click of a button. The only slightly inconvenient part of this method is walking, but it’s cost-effective and rewarding, so it’s not all bad. Of course, spring is for childbirth when you are sick or if it is unpleasant outside, but if it is a good night and you are in good health, take a walk! Most shipping apps make it easy to switch between shipping and receiving options, so just remember to right-click.
Do not disable push notifications
Push notifications can be annoying, but they can also be helpful . There is a reason they exist, and when it comes to shipping and pickup applications, that reason is partly to save you money.
Uber Eats and Postmates are notorious for their frequent, limited-time discounts, which they advertise via emails and push notifications. Make sure your notifications for these apps are turned on and always include a real email address, even if it’s your spam, so you never miss a coupon.
You can earn one-time coupons on most apps by giving your referral code to your friends, but of course it’s 2021 and most of your friends already have all the apps. It doesn’t hurt to try it anyway.
Take advantage of the benefits
Some apps, like Uber Eats, have different reward programs and ever-changing specials. Typically, you’ll see them right away when you open your apps, and they can range from discounts for a restaurant when you hit a certain threshold, or money for taking out food instead of delivery.
In some cases, you may have to spend money to save money. For example, for $ 9.99 a month on Grubhub, you can sign up for Grubhub +, which entitles you to unlimited free shipping when you order food over $ 12 at a time, as well as other restaurant-specific membership privileges. If you order once a week or more, the cost of this membership is less than what you can expect to pay for shipping, which can range from $ 0.50 to a few dollars.
Use apps to save money
There are several apps designed not only to feed you but also to save you money. Take Too Good to Go, for example, this app solves food waste by partnering with restaurants to bring you unsold food that would otherwise be thrown away. You place an order for a surprise bag at one of the participating restaurants and you are given a specific time to pick up your food, which, depending on the restaurant, can be anything from a whole lunch to a large bag of bagels or pastries. You can’t choose what you get, but you do get a lot of money for your money, as most surprise packages cost between $ 4 and $ 6. Plus, you get the pleasure of not being wasted, which the app’s creators say happens to food in the world.
If you want to save money and still get delivery, there is Club Feast, a sort of bulk food shopping system. You buy credits in advance and then spend them over the course of the week on discounted meals.
Laura Phillips, Head of Growth and Marketing at Club Feast, explained the concept as follows: “Delivery from the restaurant only costs $ 6.99 per dish. Plan ahead and spend less on the same meals as on any other platform. Please note that there is a $ 0.49 to $ 2.49 delivery charge and a $ 1 small order fee if only one item is ordered. “
The program never collects any fees or commissions from restaurants, which is noteworthy because many of these third-party apps do take a portion of each restaurant’s profits. Phillips said the company wants to help restaurants make more money and help users save money.
“With advance planning and more affordable pricing, you don’t have to feel guilty about ordering. Our mission is to change the way people eat by democratizing access to the luxury of food delivery while allowing your favorite local restaurants to flourish, ”she said. “Food delivery is becoming an integral part of modern life. I see its use as a daily service expanding everywhere as the nature of the work as well as the way of eating continues to evolve. “
Food apps got really big, really fast – and they took your money and all restaurant profits with them. With new disinfectants like this, you may feel a little better.
The final cut may not save you a lot of money in the long run, but it may save you a little wine: Try ordering from restaurants directly whenever possible to save them money, they pay big name apps.