Uber Eats Review – How to Get Free Delivery & Maximize Rewards [2023]

With so many of us sticking closer to home these days, food delivery services have become an important part of our everyday lives. With the click of a button, you can order food and have it delivered to your home without any contact.

There are lots of websites and apps to order from and Uber Eats is one of the most well-known. It was started by Uber in 2014 in California and is now available in 35 countries around the world.

In this post, we’ll show you how Uber Eats works, go over the fees associated with ordering, show you how to get free delivery, and show you how to find promo codes and coupons.

How Does Uber Eats Work?

Uber Eats is a website and mobile app that coordinates food delivery from local restaurants directly to you. After ordering and paying through Uber Eats, a driver will pick up your order at the restaurant and leave it at your doorstep.

You can access Uber Eats via the website or mobile app (iOS or Android). Once you log in, enter your address to see what restaurants deliver to your area. Then you can search by restaurant name, type of food, or even a maximum delivery fee.

After selecting a restaurant, you’ll place your order and pay through Uber Eats. Then a delivery driver will pick up your order and deliver it directly to you.

Uber Eats Fees

When it’s time to check out, you may notice a couple of different fees on your order including a service fee, delivery fee, and/or a small order fee.

• Delivery Fee: $0 to $6
• Service Fee: 15% of your order total, but not more than $4.50
• Small Order Fee: $2 for orders under $10

How to Get Free Delivery on Uber Eats

You can get free delivery on Uber Eats when you join Uber One, a monthly membership program. As a member, you’ll pay $0 delivery fees for any order over $15. Plus, you’ll get a 5% discount on orders over $15 (given as a discount on the service fee, which is separate from the delivery fee).

Each month you renew Uber One, you’ll also receive an emailed promo code for additional discounts.

Uber One costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.

Benefits of Uber One:

• Free delivery on orders over $15
• 5% discount on orders over $15
• $5 in Uber Cash if the order is delayed
• Matching to top-rated drivers
• Access to special offers, promotions, and invite-only experiences

Uber Eats Promo Codes, Coupons & Bonus Earnings

You can find Uber Eats promo codes, coupons, and deals in a few places.

First, look right on the Uber Eats website or app. In both of these locations, you’ll be able to find restaurants offering $0 delivery fees plus daily deals. Some deals and offers will be available right on the home page and others will be in the Promotions section.

In addition, you’ll be able to find Uber Eats’ refer-a-friend program. This program gives you a unique code that you can share with friends and family. When they use your code they will get $20 off of a $25 order and you’ll get $10 off a $25 order.

You can find the refer a friend program info on the front page of the mobile app or by going to Account > Get $10 off your order on the app. On the website, click the 3 lines icon in the upper left-hand corner of your screen then click Invite friends.

You can also find Uber Eats promo codes on popular deals and coupons websites:

• Coupon Chief
• Daily Beast Coupons
• Giving Assistant
• RetailMeNot
• Slick Deals

As a bonus to whatever earnings you’d get through your credit card and, you can also triple-dip and earn Marriott Bonvoy points when you link your Marriott Bonvoy account to your Uber account. Members will earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent on Uber Eats deliveries to U.S. Marriott properties with a minimum subtotal of $25 (or 2 points per $1 for non-hotel deliveries).

Best Credit Cards to Use on Uber Eats

While you might think, because it’s a part of Uber, that Uber Eats purchases would count as travel on your credit card statement, they don’t. Uber Eats purchases actually count as dining, so you’ll want to use a credit card that offers bonus points on dining purchases when using Uber Eats.

In addition to cards that are great for dining, there are some options that include monthly credits or free delivery for Uber Eats. Here are our picks for the best credit cards to use on Uber Eats orders.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express — $15 Monthly Uber Eats Credit

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The best credit card to use on Uber Eats is the Amex Platinum card. That’s because this card comes with a yearly $200 Uber Cash. This credit, which can also be used for Uber Eats as well as Uber rides, comes as a $15 monthly credit with a bonus of $20 in December. That means that each month you’ll have $15 in credits to use toward Uber Eats purchases.

In addition, the Amex Platinum card comes with these fantastic benefits. Note that some benefits require enrollment, so be sure to enroll through your American Express account!

• 5x American Express Membership Rewards points on flights purchased directly from the airline or through Amex Travel
• Up to $200 yearly statement credit for airline incidental fees
• Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue shopping credits
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Worldwide airport lounge access including Centurion Lounges
• Car rental insurance and travel insurance
• Access to Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Collection
• Hotel elite status with Marriott and Hilton

Hot Tip: The Amex Platinum card is probably your best bet for Uber Eats. While you won’t earn any bonus points on this one, you will get a monthly $15 credit (plus a $20 bonus in December) that can be applied to Uber Eats purchases (including delivery and service fees). 

American Express^® Gold Card — Earn 4x Points at Restaurants and $10 Monthly Uber Cash

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

In addition, you’ll earn 4x American Express Membership Rewards points on restaurant purchases worldwide, including Uber Eats.

The Amex Gold card also comes with these premium benefits:

• Earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets
• Earn 3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel
• Annual up to $120 dining credit (for use at specific locations)
• Car rental insurance coverage and lost/damaged baggage insurance
• Transfer points to one of American Express travel partners

Hot Tip: Amex Gold cardholders also receive a monthly $10 Uber Cash (up to $120 per year) to use for U.S Uber Eats or Uber rides.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card — Earn 10% Cash-back, Complimentary Uber One Membership

The Capital One Savor card earns 10% cash-back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases, as well as 4% cash-back on dining.

Cardholders can also enroll in a complimentary Uber One membership through November 14, 2024.

The card also comes with these additional benefits:

• 8% cash-back on Capital One Entertainment
• 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 4% cash-back on entertainment and popular streaming services
• 3% cash-back at grocery stores
• 1% cash-back on all other purchases
• Roadside assistance and secondary rental car insurance
• Purchase protection/price protection/extended warranty
• No foreign transaction fees

American Express^® Green Card — Earn 3x Points on Dining

The Amex Green card might not be the first option that comes to mind when trying to decide which credit card to use, but it comes with some nice benefits and is a good option for Uber Eats purchases. Plus, you’ll earn 3x American Express Membership Rewards points on all of your dining purchases, including Uber Eats.

In addition, the Amex Green card comes with the following benefits:

• 3x points on eligible travel purchases including mass transit, hotels, flights, and more
• Up to $189 application fee credit for CLEAR Plus membership
• Up to $100 credit for LoungeBuddy
• Transfer points to American Express travel partners

Citi Prestige^® Card — Earn 5x Points on Dining

Hot Tip: At this time, the Citi Prestige card is no longer available for new applicants.

With the Citi Prestige card you’ll earn 5 ThankYou Points for every dollar you spend at restaurants, including orders from Uber Eats. You’ll also have access to these premium benefits:

• Earn 5x points on airline and travel agency purchases
• Earn 3x points at hotels and on cruises
• $250 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass Select membership
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
• Fourth night free when you book 4 consecutive nights at a hotel through the ThankYou travel portal
• Transfer points to one of Citi’s airline partners

Chase Sapphire Reserve^® — Earn 3x Points on Dining

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a favorite among travel rewards credit card enthusiasts for good reason. In addition to earning 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on dining purchases, including Uber Eats, cardmembers have access to these premium benefits:

• Earn 3x points on all travel purchases
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
• Priority Pass Select membership
• Annual $300 travel credit
• Travel insurance
• Car rental insurance
• Transfer points to one of the Chase transfer partners
• 50% more value when you use points in the Chase travel portal
• Free DoorDash DashPass membership (must activate by December 31, 2024)

Hot Tip: Curious about which credit cards are best for Uber Eats’ competitors? Check out our complete guide to the best credit cards for food delivery services for some guidance.

Uber Eats Competitors

Let’s take a quick look at how Uber Eats stacks up to its competitors. Here’s a head-to-head comparison to see how these food delivery companies compare — Uber Eats vs. Grubhub vs. DoorDash vs. Postmates.

All fees can vary based on location and are subject to change at any time.

Final Thoughts

Uber Eats is a food delivery service that connects you with delivery drivers all over the country and worldwide. When you order from Uber Eats you’ll pay fees in addition to your food cost, then your order will be picked up and delivered directly to you.

You can always find promo codes and discounts to use on Uber Eats and you can join Uber One. This membership program offers free delivery on all orders over $15 and a 5% discount in some markets.

Whether you’re ordering from Uber Eats or one of its competitors, be sure you’re using the right credit card to maximize your rewards.

The information regarding the Capital One SavorOne Card Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information for the Citi Prestige^® Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express^® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express^® Green Card, click here.