It used to be that you could only order delivery from certain restaurants that offered their own in-house delivery services, like franchise pizza joints and Chinese food. But these days, restaurants, bars, and even fast food and coffee shops can have their products sent to your front door with the help of third-party delivery services.
Perhaps it all started in 1995 with World Wide Waiter, which was the world’s first restaurant food delivery service and still operates today as Waiter.com. Now, over the past few years, food delivery services have exploded onto the scene one after another. Some of the most commonly used services in Canada are SkipTheDishes, Uber Eats, and Doordash.
The question is, which one should you use the next time you’re in the mood for take-out?
Uber Eats vs Skip The Dishes vs DoorDash Overview
The following table provides an easy comparison between all 3 food delivery services according to various metrics:
| Uber Eats | Skip The Dishes | DoorDash | |
| Delivery/Service Fee | $2 – $5, based on distance between you and the restaurant | $2 – $5, based on distance between you and the restaurant | $2 – $5, based on distance between you and the restaurant |
| Loyalty Program | Subscription service: $9.99/month, waives delivery fees & comes with 5% off every order over $15 | Skip Rewards program lets you earn points on each order that can be used to redeem rewards & discounts | Subscription service: $9.99/month, waives delivery fees on orders over $15 from participating restaurants |
| Minimum Order Size | None | None | None |
| Service Availability | 30 Canadian cities | 100+ Canadian cities | 50 Canadian cities |
Uber Eats
Uber Eats was established by Uber in 2014 and makes use of the growing network of Uber drivers in Canada. If you’ve already got an account with Uber, you can use the same account and payment method to order food through Uber Eats. You can read menus, order and pay for your food, and peruse reviews and ratings on the app through your mobile device.
The service is available in about 30 cities across Canada and several surrounding suburbs. The number of restaurants available for you to order from will depend on your exact location.
Cost Of Uber Eats
It costs anywhere from $2 to $5 in delivery charges to order food through Uber Eats on average, depending on how far away the restaurant is from your home. The farther the driver must travel, the more you’ll pay.
You can have your delivery fees waived if you subscribe to the Eats Pass subscription service, plus you’ll enjoy discounts on order over a certain amount.
You can tip the driver if you so choose directly in the app.
Uber Eats Features
The following features come with the Uber Eats delivery app:
Uber Eats Loyalty Program. If you frequently order food through Uber Eats, you can sign up for the Eats Pass subscription service for a fee of $9.99 per month. The service allows you to waive delivery fees while giving you 5% off every order over $15.
Track your order. Keep tabs on your order from the moment you order to the time it’s delivered to your front door.
Skip The Dishes
Skip the Dishes is a Canadian-based food delivery service and the largest in Canada. It’s available in all 10 provinces (though not in the territories), including over 100 cities and surrounding suburbs. They currently have over 16,000 restaurants in their network.
Cost Of Skip The Dishes
You can expect to pay anywhere from $2 to $5 for delivery fees, though you’ll pay more if you’re outside of a certain radius. The exact delivery fee you’ll pay will be calculated before submitting your order. There’s no minimum order requirement to use the service. You’ll also be able to tip your driver if you so choose.
Skip The Dishes Features
Skip Rewards. Earn points on every dollar you spend on all orders and use them to get discounts on food orders. Plus, you’ll have access to members-only deals, including bonus points and discounts from network partners. One order per month will put you in the “orange” category, allowing you to earn 5 points per dollar, while 2 or more orders per month will put you in the “gold” category which allows you to earn 10 points per dollar. Each point is worth $0.001.
Track your order. Follow your driver’s route with live GPS tracking through the Skip the Dishes app.
Check out our list of the best food subscription boxes in Canada.
DoorDash
DoorDash is the largest food delivery service in the US, but also has a presence here in Canada and currently services 50 Canadian cities and surrounding suburbs.
Pricing on DoorDash operates much the same way as Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats. Each order includes a variable delivery fee, which is dependent on your location and the restaurant you’re ordering from. As with the other food delivery services in Canada, the delivery fee is usually around $2 to $5.
Cost Of DoorDash
DoorDash’s pricing structure operates in much the same way as the other food delivery services on this list. Every order will come with an added delivery fee, which ranges anywhere from $2 to $5, depending on where you live, though that number can be higher for more remote locations. You’ll also be able to tip your driver through the app.
DoorDash Features
Dash Pass. For $9.99 per month, you can enjoy $0 delivery fees on orders of over $15 with the Dash Pass.
FAQs About Food Delivery Services
What Is Uber Cash?
Which food delivery service offers no-contact delivery?
Does my tip go directly to the driver?
Final Thoughts
Skip the Dishes, DoorDash, and Uber Eats all seem to be pretty comparable in terms of price, service, and availability. That said, if you’re located in a more remote area, you might have a better chance of getting Skip the Dishes to serve you considering their larger coverage area in Canada.
