Comparing Third-Party Food Delivery Companies (plus free delivery & food!)

I typically bike to and from work, which can make picking up food a pain. Lucky for me, there are a plethora of third-party delivery companies available in Los Angeles (as well as other cities) who are willing to do the chore in exchange for a small fee. I've tested a few of these options and wanted to report my findings, along with some opportunities for you to get free delivery + grub from the companies.

OVERVIEW INFOGRAPHIC

I created this overview to give you an idea what you can expect from each company.

(click to enlarge)

IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS

Postmates is the first option I tried. They operate a team of couriers who travel by car, bike, motorcyle, and scooter to get your food to you as fast as possible. 

# of cities

78+

Restaurant Availability

Postmates has a wide collection of restaurants and stores in their network and are also willing to pick up items from unlisted stores. Essentially, you can get delivery from wherever you desire within the operating area.

Timeliness Initiatives

To ensure customers that their orders are being delivered as quickly as possible, Postmates offers GPS tracking for orders. Customers can watch in real-time as their courier travels to the pick-up location, then onward to the delivery site. The GPS tracking feature also offers time estimates for when the order will be picked up and when it will be delivered.

Customer Service

I've been happy with my customer service from Postmates so far. If a problem occurs during a delivery, customer service will call you to inform you of the situation. Postmates also features a system where you can rate your delivery driver to further reinforce high quality customer service.

Delivery Minimum

No minimums.

Delivery Fees

Postmates does not have a set delivery fee. Delivery fees are based on an algorithm, making them variable from order to order. I'm not sure exactly what goes into the algorithm, but I assume it has something to do with courier availability combined with customer demand. If you're placing an order during a high-traffic hour, you will be subject to surge charging that will boost your delivery fee. Delivery fees on my past orders have ranged from $5.25 to $18.00.

Signup + Promo Codes
($10 in free credits available)

Postmates is available on both iPhone and Android platforms. Additionally, you can place orders through their website when on a computer.

To join, first sign up at Postmates.com here. Then, download the app from the appropriate store:



To get a free $10 credit: In the Postmates app on your phone, open the sidebar, then click "Enter Promo Code". Enter the code bcfgi to claim your free $10.

This code will only cover delivery costs, not food costs; however, Postmates occasionally offers free food, which they will classify as "on demand." In the past, they have offered free pizza slices & soda and free Chick-Fil-A. Even if you don't get the free food, though, getting free delivery is a great deal.

Delivery.com is another great option for delivery. They offer a rewards programs for placing orders, which is a neat feature that differentiates them from other providers.

# of cities

38+

Restaurant Availability

Unlike Postmates, delivery.com only lets you select from the restaurants they list. However, their selection of restaurants is expansive, so it's likely you can find something you'll like. In addition to offering food delivery, delivery.com also offers laundry delivery, which is a useful service for those who require it.

Timeliness Initiatives

When I used delivery.com, I was a bit disappointed to see there was no time estimate for delivery. This is a definite negative of the service in my opinion. However, my food was delivered within a reasonable timeframe, so I wasn't too disappointed.

Customer Service

To be honest, I haven't had the opportunity to interact with delivery.com customer service. I noticed they have customer service chat support on their website, however, and I've always had good experiences with those.

Delivery Minimums

Varies from locale to locale. Some offer no minimum, while others require minimums up to $100.

Delivery Fees

Delivery fees for delivery.com vary based on the locale from which the goods are being purchased. Many restaurants offer free delivery, while others charge from $2 to $6. Laundry delivery is typically free.

As mentioned earlier, delivery.com offers a rewards program that helps offset the cost of delivery. For each order your place, you will earn a certain number of reward points that can be applied to prizes such as delivery.com credit, miscellaneous items such as laundry scales, or donations to charity.

Signup + Promo Codes
($7 in free credits available)

Delivery.com is available on both iPhone and Android platforms. Additionally, you can place orders through their website when on a computer.

To join, first sign up through this link to claim a free $7 credit. Then, download the app from the appropriate store:



As long as you signed up through the noted link, your $7 credit should automatically appear and you'll be able to apply it to your first order.

COST COMPARISON

These two apps share many restaurants, so it can be confusing deciding from which one to place an order when sourcing a delivery. Out of curiosity, I checked the costs of a single order across all three apps:

As you can see, Postmates cost the most out of the three options. I believe this is due to the variable delivery fee Postmates charges. Keep in mind, Postmates may not always cost the most; charges will vary based on the algorithm mentioned earlier in this post. This particular order was placed on a Saturday morning; the costs would probably be different at another time and day.

If you do pay more, you can consider that it's for the ability to track the driver via GPS, which delivery.com doesn't offer. Whether you think the additional cost is worthwhile is up to you.

SPECIAL MENTION

Munchery is a special mention on this post because they don't offer delivery from restaurants. Rather, they offer delivery from their own menu of nutritious foods. So, they don't qualify as a "third-party" company, but I wanted to include them because they're another way to get food delivered.

# of cities

4+

Restaurant Availability

Again, Munchery doesn't pick up from other restaurants. They offer their own menu of freshly-prepared foods. This menu changes daily and includes a range of entrees, sides, desserts, and drinks. Each item has its nutritional facts listed, including a calorie count, which is something I appreciate because they're not commonly available for delivered foods.

Timeliness Initiatives

Munchery deliveries are arranged ahead of time rather than ordered on the spot. You will place your order to be delivered within a one-hour window. Deliveries can be placed anywhere up to 6pm on the day which the food is to be delivered.

Customer Service

I had an issue placing an order with Munchery because apparently they no longer service my zip code, which is a bit frustrating. However, I contacted them through their online chat and they were able to tell me what was going on. I'm hoping delivery will be available again in my area soon.

Delivery Minimums

No minimum.

Delivery Fees

Munchery has a set delivery fee of only $2.95 per order.

Signup + Promo Codes
($20 in free credits available)

Munchery is available on both iPhone and Android platforms. Additionally, you can place orders through their website when on a computer.

To join, first sign up through this link to claim a free $20 in credit. Then, download the app from the appropriate store:



As long as you signed up through the noted link, you should have $20 available to spend. You can use $10 for your first order, then $10 for your second order.

Let me know if you'd like to share any of your personal experiences with these apps. Or, do you have a different app you recommend? It's always interesting to see what's available and how new apps compare to the competition.