It’s dinner time and you are hungry. So, you open your favourite delivery app and check for the cheapest pizza specials at your favourite pizzeria. That sounds like a good way to get a deal on food, right? It may be more expensive than you think. Delivery apps are charging you for your order. Read on to learn how many of these apps are sneaking in hidden fees.
The Secret Cost of Delivery Apps
Delivery apps offer restaurants more business and users more convenience. This is a great value proposition, so it is no surprise that they charge for their services. They are, after all, businesses that need to bring in money to thrive and grow. Unfortunately, their fees aren’t always as transparent as one would like.
There are two principal business models these apps use. Either they charge the consumer a service fee or they charge the restaurant, sometimes both. In all of these cases, the customer may end up paying. Even worse, you may be paying without even knowing you’re being charged.
For example, you may make an order at your favourite restaurant on an app. However, if you walked into the restaurant, the prices would be lower. This is because the added cost taking orders through the app is being passed onto the customer.
Some apps also hide a service fee in the taxes and fees section of the pricing. While this is a pretty reasonable way to list a fee for using the app, it isn’t always as easy to spot as one may hope.
This is separate from the delivery fee. So, if you get free delivery, you are likely still paying for more than just the food.
Getting Around the Fees
The best thing you can do is an order from your favourite restaurants directly. For example, if you want to get some of the best gluten-free pizza crust around, use the pizza place’s app, website or phone number. It will end up costing both you and the restaurant less. This is especially worthwhile if you order from the same place a lot.
Better yet, when you order directly, you are likely to get more specials. You may earn rewards points from the restaurant or get special deals not available through delivery apps.
When you impatiently track pizza order coming to your doorstep, it will be all the more exciting knowing you got the best deal possible. There are few things more frustrating than not realizing you are paying an unnecessary fee.
It is true that delivery apps offer a lot of convenience to consumers. There are times when it makes sense to order through them. However, if you are going to your favourites or ordering from a specific restaurant, it is usually cheaper for you to order directly.
Check Your Options First
The next time you want a delicious dinner, check the menu from the restaurant first. You may find that you can get a great deal without having to use a third-party app. Dinner is even more delectable when you save money on it.
