
Delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash cost consumers more and tighten razor-thin margins for businesses, but we've come to rely on them during the pandemic.
The state of play: The cost of the same meal can vary dramatically whether you purchase it directly from the restaurant for pick-up or have it delivered via your app of choice.
Here's an example from Abelardo's, Des Moines' favorite Mexican drive-thru, for three fried tacos and plain chips:
- The meal itself costs $1 less on the apps, but the totals are $3+ more expensive.
- Delivery fees vary from restaurant to restaurant, app to app, even day to day. In this real-world instance, GrubHub charged $1.50 more than its competitors.
- The kicker is really in the miscellaneous "fees" category, which brings the GrubHub cost to $15 — about 45% more than pick-up.

Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Des Moines.
More Des Moines stories
No stories could be found

Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Des Moines.