A ranking of restaurant to doorstep delivery services in Charlotte

Try these apps to get your favorite dishes from Charlotte restaurants delivered to your doorstep.

1) Postmates

The Basics

Delivery Speed: Fast

Number of Options: unlimited

Hours: 24 hours a day

App usability: easy

Pros

-The Postmates app asks all of the right questions- like what happens if the restaurant is out of something you ordered.

-They deliver from anywhere, not just the places that have made deals with the app.

-Postmates offers a list of “Postmates Plus” restaurants which have a flat $3.99 delivery charge.

-Postmates General Stores offers everyday items that range from Advil to ping pong balls. But you can request any item and they will find it at a store near you.

-You can track the status of your order in real time.

Cons

-Similar to Uber surge charge, Postmates has “Blitz pricing,” when the cost of delivery is accelerated due to increase in demand.

Bottom Line

-Postmates is the delivery service that lets you have it your way. It’s fast, flexible, reliable. Check out their website for more information.

2. DoorDash

The Basics

Delivery Speed: moderate

Number of Options: high

Hours: 8 a.m.- 11 p.m.

App usability: easy

Pros

-The app can sort the restaurants by speed of delivery, which is great when you are pressed for time.

-DoorDash features a rating system for customers, enabling customers to share their experiences with certain restaurants.

-Customers report that DoorDash drivers are friendly and the customer service is good.

Cons

-There are occasional complaints about delivery time and rude encounters with drivers.

Bottom Line

Wide variety and decent delivery times (45-60 minutes). Despite some complaints, most recommend it. Check out their website for more information.

3. Doorstep Delivery of Charlotte

The Basics

Delivery Speed: moderate

Number of Options: high

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

App usability: moderate

Pros

–Doorstep Delivery automatically tips 15%, so there is no need to overthink tipping.

-The app allows you to narrow down your options before you start looking- you can choose whether you want ASAP delivery or future delivery.

Cons

-The app is not as user-friendly as some of the others.

-The prices and estimated delivery time are not displayed unless the user clicks on the specific restaurant.

Bottom Line

Another good option- the service is reported as relatively dependable and the delivery fees are generally cheap. Check out their website for more information.

4. Seamless

The Basics

Delivery Speed: slow

Number of Options: high

App usability: easy

Pros

-According to their website, Seamless uses 100% biodegradable plastic bags.

-Users can rate the restaurants and then narrow down the search to restaurants with only certain ratings.

Cons

-There are reports that the restaurant ratings can be unreliable, directing costumers to not-great restaurant picks.

-While Seamless is usually honest about delivery time, it can take a while (30 minutes-120 minutes)

Bottom line

A solid option. Most experiences are positive and they offer a good variety of restaurants. Just take the restaurant ratings with a grain of salt, and make sure you order in advance to make up for the long delivery times. Check out their website for more information.

5. FoodieCall

The Basics

Delivery Speed: moderate-slow

Number of Options: moderate

Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

App usability: easy

Pros

-When scrolling through food options, estimated wait, minimum charge, and estimated delivery fee are easy to see.

-They have the most options for delivery near Uptown.

-FoodieCall is unique to Charlotte. It was started in Charlotte and is focused on promoting local Charlotte restaurants.

-They never mark up restaurant food prices.

-FoodieCall delivers beer and wine.

Cons

-Tipping drivers is expected but is not included in your total, so you have to remember to add your tip on the app or to bring cash to the car.

-Users biggest complaint is inconsistent delivery times- sometimes the estimate time is correct, and other times it takes a lot longer.

Bottom Line

Great at what it does- use FoodieCall for lunchtime or dinner deliveries if you work or live close to Uptown and if you have time to spare. Check out their website for more information.

6. GrubHub

Delivery Speed: slow

Number of Options: low

App usability: easy

Pros

-GrubHub has cheap delivery fees that generally range from $0-$6.99.

-According to their website, plastic GrubHub bags are 100% biodegradable.

-You can refine your search according to restaurant rating, price, and if it does or does not have coupons.

Cons

-GrubHub is not highly reviewed. Most complain about high ordering minimums and absurdly long waiting times.

-There are a limited number of Charlotte restaurant options.

Bottom Line

Only use GrubHub if you’re ordering a lot of food and want to order far in advance. Also, check the app to see if they deliver from the restaurant you want since options available vary a lot based on the location. Check out their website for more information.

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7. YelpEat24

Delivery Speed: slow

Number of Options: low

Hours: 24 hours a day

App usability: moderate

Pros

-Using the “What’s Good” tab, you can scroll through pictures of the food that is available.

-They have more options for delivery in the Ballantyne, South Charlotte area.

Cons

-Users complain about really, really, really long waiting times and unreliable customer service.

-Also, many complain that they did not receive refunds if their meals were wrong or if they were incorrectly charged.

Bottom Line

YelpEat24 has work to do. Use as a last resort for late night eating. Check out their website for more information.