Complete Guide to Food Delivery Services During Coronavirus Outbreak

As our favorite dining establishments struggle to keep their lights on in the midst of stay-at-home and shelter-in-place directives from the government and health officials, it’s up to us to keep them afloat in these unprecedented times. Luckily, many restaurants still offer curbside pickups and takeout service.

In the Digital Age, it’s become easier than ever to get food delivery to your front door. Pizza, sushi, hamburgers, you name it, can arrive at your door within an hour.

Plenty of companies, such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, offer food delivery service, and here’s how they’re helping drivers, restaurant owners and even first responders as the rest of us are hunkered down while Netflix-and-chilling in our homes.

DoorDash

DoorDash is a San Francisco-based food delivery service with more than 300,000 participating restaurants in more than 4,000 cities. In fact, it’s the most popular prepared food delivery app in the United States and Canada.

During the coronavirus outbreak, DoorDash has hired out-of-work servers as Dashers (delivery drivers), implemented no-contact delivery and waived fees on all orders. Pickup orders now incur zero commission fees for existing restaurant partners as well. Additionally, independent restaurants that would like to join DoorDash during this pandemic can do so through the end of April without paying commission fees for 30 days.

Best credit cards to use for DoorDash orders: Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders receive $120 in DoorDash credits—$60 in 2020 and another $60 in 2021—that can be used toward any DoorDash order or multiple orders. All you have to do is link the card to your DoorDash app.

Additionally, those with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit card get a free DashPass subscription service (usually $9.99 per month) that qualifies you for free delivery on orders of at least $12. Although the latter benefit isn’t relevant as all deliveries are free right now, it’s worth noting for the future.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card members can enroll in the DoorDash DashPass service for free for one year (activate by 12/31/27). Consumers who hold the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Chase Freedom credit cards can get DashPass for free for the first three months and then pay 50% of the cost for the next nine months of membership.

Another good option would be to use the SoFi Money Debit Card for 20% cash back on DoorDash orders placed through June 30, 2020.

Caviar

For bougie diners, Caviar (owned by DoorDash) provides delivery from high-end restaurants in select areas. Caviar has a team of couriers to deliver food from restaurants that don’t provide their own delivery service.

The food delivery platform is waiving commission fees for new restaurants on orders made in the first 30 days. In the era of social distancing, Caviar couriers can leave food orders at the door to avoid contact with a customer, unless a client requests to receive the order in person.

Best credit cards to use for Caviar orders: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a good bet here as the card earns 3X Ultimate Rewards points on dining, be it dine-in or takeout. It doesn’t hurt that DashPass membership includes Caviar orders as well.

GrubHub

Chicago-Based GrubHub works with about 300,000 restaurants in 3,200 U.S. cities as well as in London. The company also suspended delivery fees on all orders, implemented contact-free delivery options and deferred commission fees for impacted restaurants.

As COVID-19 cases climb and more restaurants close their doors to dine-in customers, GrubHub is promoting Supper for Support by offering a $10 discount on orders of at least $30 placed every day between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. (at participating restaurants).

For those obsessed with perks, GrubHub even has a rewards program. As a GrubHub+ member ($9.99 per month), in addition to free unlimited deliveries, you’ll earn 10% cash back on eligible orders.

Best credit cards to use for GrubHub orders: American Express® Gold Card holders receive an up to $10 monthly statement credit for orders placed with GrubHub as well as Seamless, Boxed, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and participating Shake Shack locations. Additionally, the card earns 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants .

Seamless

Seamless is a food delivery service headquartered in New York City delivering food in more than 1,600 U.S. cities. However, it’s worth noting that GrubHub and Seamless merged in 2013 and offer similar benefits.

Like GrubHub, Seamless offers $10 off orders placed at local restaurants from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Seamless also offers a rewards program called Seamless+. By enrolling for $9.99 per month, you get the same free deliveries and 10% cash back as you do with GrubHub.

Best credit cards to use for Seamless orders: The American Express Gold Card is an obvious choice here again because of the 4X earning rate on take-out orders and the $10 monthly credit that’s good toward Seamless orders.

Postmates

Available in about 3,000 U.S. cities, Postmates, headquartered in San Francisco, employs couriers who deliver food, groceries, liquor products, over-the-counter medications and more to your doorstep.

As other similar companies, Postmates offers no-contact delivery option to prevent community transmission of the novel coronavirus.

Postmates created a Fleet Relief Fund for those in need to cover medical expenses. Couriers who contract COVID-19 or who self-quarantine may be eligible for paid sick leave for up to 14 days while they recover.

Although Postmates isn’t waiving service charges, Postmates Unlimited ($9.99 per month) includes free deliveries on every order of $12 or more.

Best credit cards to use for Postmates orders: World and World Elite Mastercard cardmembers receive a $5 credit on Postmates orders of at least $25 (excluding tax, tips and delivery fees), so the Citi Premier and the Citi Prestige would be good options here as they earn 3X and 5X Citi ThankYou Points, respectively.

Alternatively, you can use the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to earn 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on purchases via Postmates.

Uber Eats

San Francisco-based Uber launched its food delivery platform, Uber Eats, in 2014 and is delivering takeout orders in about 45 countries.

Earlier this month, Uber Eats waived delivery fees on orders from more than 100,000 local restaurants in the United States and Canada. Customers can select “Leave at door” at checkout to avoid contact with another person.

To make things easier on the community, Uber has announced it would provide financial assistance to drivers affected by COVID-19 for up to 14 days. The company also pledged to provide free meals and free rides to health care professionals and first responders in the United States and Canada.

Best credit cards to use for Uber Eats orders: If you hold The Platinum Card® from American Express, you receive an up to $15 Uber credit to use every month (up to $35 in December). Don’t forget that the credit can be used on Uber Eats, too.

If you’re looking to earn miles on your purchase, consider the Citi Prestige for 5X ThankYou Points per dollar spent or the Amex Gold Card for 4X Membership Rewards per dollar spent because Uber Eats orders are coded as “food and drink.”

Final Thoughts on Food Delivery Services

The novel virus came in like a wrecking ball and complicated, if not changed completely, the lives of many. While stuck inside, we might as well keep earning max points on food delivery. Besides, it’s a great way to support struggling restaurants.