Restaurants concerned about wait times for delivery may want to partner with UberEats, but customers are less likely to be disappointed if the transportation is handled by DoorDash, according to a comparative trial of the top four delivery services.
The tests by some 1,400 mystery shoppers found UberEats to be the speediest of the four, with an average delivery time nationwide of just over 35 minutes. Customers waited nearly five fewer minutes than they did for a delivery handled by PostMates, and almost 15 minutes less than they did for a meal carted by GrubHub. DoorDash, the fourth service measured, was about six minutes slower on average than UberEats.
However, DoorDash was the most accurate in predicting delivery times, a factor cited by many chains as being equally or nearly as important to customers as the overall length of a wait. The report from mystery-shopper firm SeeLevel HX shows DoorDash was on time or early with 92% of the orders it delivered.
The fees levied for delivery ranged from just over $5 to as low as just over $2. UberEats and PostMates tended to have the highest fees.
SeeLevelHX found that drivers from all four services earned near-perfect scores for cleanliness and professionalism, with a 98% approval rating across the board.
Mystery shoppers employed by the company rated their experiences in placing delivery orders via the apps of the four services. The test was conducted in five cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Boston.
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