Missing items, cold food, wrong orders, orders that never arrive — food delivery problems are frustratingly common. The good news: all major delivery apps have refund processes. The bad news: they're getting stingier. Here's how to get your money back from each platform.
How to Get a DoorDash Refund
Through the App
- Open the DoorDash app
- Tap "Orders" and select the order
- Tap "Help" in the top right
- Select the specific issue (missing items, wrong order, quality, never delivered)
- Follow the prompts and submit
What DoorDash Typically Offers
- Missing items: Refund for the missing item(s) plus associated fees and tip
- Wrong order: Full refund or re-delivery
- Never delivered: Full refund
- Quality issues (cold, spilled): Partial credit or full refund depending on severity
If DoorDash Denies Your Refund
- Call 1-855-973-1040
- Reference your order number and the specific issue
- Ask for a supervisor if the first agent can't help
- Mention your DashPass membership (if applicable) — subscribers get more generous treatment
How to Get an Uber Eats Refund
Through the App
- Open Uber Eats
- Go to "Orders" and select the order
- Tap "Help" > "Past Orders"
- Select the issue and affected items
- Submit with photos if applicable
Uber Eats Tips
- Take photos of wrong or damaged items immediately
- Report within 48 hours of delivery
- Uber Eats tends to offer credits instead of refunds — insist on a refund to your payment method if preferred
How to Get a Grubhub Refund
Through the App or Website
- Open Grubhub app or go to grubhub.com
- Go to your order history
- Select the problematic order
- Click "Help" and describe the issue
- Submit
Grubhub Customer Service
- Call 1-877-585-7878 for phone support
- Grubhub's phone support is often more helpful than in-app reporting
General Tips for All Delivery Apps
Document Everything
- Take photos immediately: Wrong items, missing items, food quality issues
- Screenshot the order: Show what you ordered vs. what you received
- Note the time: If delivery was extremely late, note the promised vs. actual time
- Keep the food: Don't throw away wrong orders until the refund is processed
Know Your Rights
- All platforms must refund for orders never delivered
- If you paid for specific items and didn't receive them, you're owed a refund for those items
- Excessive delivery delays may warrant partial refunds
- If the restaurant is closed but the app accepted your order, you deserve a full refund
Avoid Getting Flagged
- Delivery apps track refund requests and may limit future refunds if they see a pattern
- Only request refunds for legitimate issues
- Provide photos and specific details to support your claim
- Don't request refunds for every order
Quick Checklist
- [ ] Take photos of any issues immediately upon delivery
- [ ] Report through the app within 48 hours
- [ ] Be specific about which items were affected
- [ ] Request refund to payment method, not just app credits
- [ ] Call customer service if the app process fails
- [ ] File a credit card dispute for unresolved issues over $20
Bottom Line
Food delivery refunds are a numbers game — most platforms approve the first few requests easily but get stricter over time. Document every issue with photos, be specific about what went wrong, and insist on refunds to your payment method rather than credits. For orders that never arrived, you should always get a full refund.
Sources
- DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub refund policies
- FTC — online marketplace consumer protections
