Key Takeaways
- Uber Eats orders can be cancelled through the app or website, potentially with a full refund if cancelled before the restaurant accepts it.
- Cancel within five minutes to increase the likelihood of a full refund, as restaurants often start preparing orders quickly.
- Full refunds are provided for cancellations before preparation or due to major errors; partial refunds apply in other cases like late cancellations.
- Reasons to cancel Uber Eats orders include delivery delays, alternate dining plans, time constraints, or unavailability of specific menu items.
Can You Cancel an Uber Eats Order?
Yes, you can cancel an Uber Eats order, but the ability to do so and any potential charges you might incur depends on how far the order process has progressed:
- Before the Restaurant Accepts Your Order: You can usually cancel without a charge. This is because the restaurant has not started preparing the food.
- After the Restaurant Accepts Your Order: Canceling at this stage might incur a small fee since the restaurant has already started preparing your order.
- After a Delivery Person Has Been Assigned: Canceling after this point will likely result in a fee, as both the restaurant and the delivery person have committed their time and resources.
Act incredibly quickly if you want to cancel an Uber Eats order, otherwise you’ll be charged a cancellation fee.
If you feel like you’ve been unfairly charged, reach out to customer service to see what your options are. Depending on the circumstances, you might be eligible for a refund.
How to Cancel an Order on Uber Eats [Step-By-Step]
You can also cancel an order on a computer through the Uber Eats website.
How to Cancel an Uber Eats Order Through the App
Follow the steps below to cancel an Uber Eats order within the Uber Eats app.
1. Open the Uber Eats App
Open up the Uber Eats app on your smartphone or another device.
2. Tap Orders
Then, tap your Orders to view your scheduled, active, and past orders.
3. Tap View
Tap View to see the details of the current order that you’d like to cancel
4. Tap Cancel Order
Tap the Cancel Order button
5. Confirm Cancellation
Confirm the cancellation by tapping the Cancel Order button once more.
Please note that if the restaurant has already started making the order, you will likely be charged a partial, or full, cancellation fee.
6. Select a Reason
Select a reason for cancelling the order. I usually try to be as specific as possible, as it helps the restaurant improve their operations.
7. Submit Feedback
Tap Done to submit your feedback
8. Confirm Cancellation
Next, you’ll want to confirm the cancellation. Tap Account to view your orders
9. Select Cancelled Order
Select the order that you cancelled
10. Tap Get Help
Tap the Get help button on the order that you cancelled
11. Select the Order
If properly cancelled, you will see a notification that says Past order. Tap this to see order details.
12. (Optional) Initiate a Chat
If you were charged for the order, had an issue with the order, or have any other type of help, select a reason and then initiate a chat with Uber Eats customer service.
How to Cancel an Uber Eats Order Through the Website
- Go to the Uber Eats website on your home screen.
- Sign in to your account.
- Click on your profile icon or the gray outline on the Uber app of a person.
- A menu will pop up; select “Orders.”
- Find and select the “Cancel Order” option.
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
If you want to cancel an Uber Eats order, I suggest immediately taking screenshots as you go through the steps of cancelling. Doing so will greatly increase your chances of getting a refund.
This helps you present a case to Uber that 1) you tried to cancel quickly, and 2) you were not able to do so without significant effort.
Sometimes customers find it difficult to cancel an order through the app, especially without avoiding charges.
For this tutorial, I actually placed an order and tried to immediately cancel it – literally less than 30 seconds after placing it – and I was charged a cancellation fee.
Sometimes you might find yourself having to go through a chatbot, and then talk to multiple customer service representatives.
Understanding Uber Eats’ Cancellation Policy
Uber Eats’ cancellation policy is divided predominantly into two refund categories:
Full Refunds are given under the following conditions:
- The order is cancelled before the restaurant starts its preparation.
- The restaurant itself cancels the order, possibly due to a lack of necessary ingredients.
- If there’s a major mistake, like receiving an entirely incorrect order or if the whole order is missing.
On the other hand, Partial Refunds might be granted when:
- The order is cancelled after the restaurant has begun preparations but before the driver has picked up the food.
- Only part of your order is missing. In such a case, the refund amount will correspond to the sales price of the missing item(s).
It’s important to remember that while you might receive a refund for the food, delivery charges often still apply, especially for partially refunded orders.
How to Secure Your Refund
Securing a refund on Uber Eats isn’t complicated, but it does require adhering to their guidelines. If you believe you’re entitled to a refund, either full or partial, follow these steps:
- Launch the Uber Eats app.
- Sign into your account.
- Head over to the “Orders” section and choose the order in question.
- Clearly state your reasons for requesting a refund.
- To expedite the process, consider uploading any supporting evidence like photos or receipts.
Who’s Responsible for Uber Eats Refunds?
It’s comforting to know that Uber has the customer’s back. If there are any discrepancies with the order – be it missing items or incorrect ones – Uber steps up.
They’ll provide the necessary refunds to the customer. However, it’s worth noting that these refunds often come as adjustments from the payouts intended for the restaurants, termed as order error adjustments.
Uber Eats Order Statuses and Potential Issues
When you place an order on Uber Eats, it undergoes a series of status changes reflecting its progression from the restaurant to your doorstep.
Here’s a breakdown of those statuses and potential problems that can arise at each stage:
Why Cancel an Uber Eats Order?
There are likely tons of reasons why you may need to cancel your Uber Eats order.
For example, food delivery may end up taking much too long and you’re ready to go grab burgers and fries from the local fast-food restaurant. You may have also run out of time, as you need to get to your next shift at work.
Also, the restaurant you’ve chosen may have let you know they ran out of the particular food you wanted. In this case, you’ll want to cancel the order on the delivery platform.
1. Taking Too Long
Multiple things may have delayed your Uber Eats order and the delivery driver may not have made it to your home in the expected delivery time frame.
The restaurant may have more orders to fill than usual or you may have ordered tons of items through the food delivery app, which can all delay the time you get your order.
The delivery driver may have also faced traffic or bad weather, which led to a delay. As such, you may need to cancel your delivery service order and try to get a partial Uber Eats refund.
2. Found Another Place to Order From
If you changed your mind and found another local restaurant to order your breakfast, lunch, or dinner from, then you’ll need to cancel Uber.
There’s a refund process you can follow to potentially get at least some of your money refunded.
If you cancel the order before the restaurant accepts it, you will get a full refund from the Uber Eats delivery platform.
However, you should understand that a restaurant often takes only a few minutes before accepting the order.
3. Not Enough Time to Eat
Is the predicted food delivery time too long and you know you won’t have enough time to eat?
If you have only an hour for lunch and the food won’t be delivered for 75 minutes, then you’ll need to cancel your Uber Eats order.
Instead, you can grab some fast food from Burger King or Wendy’s.
4. Changed Plans
Did you have a sudden change of plans? Did your significant other find out they could spend the night with you and asked you to come along to your local restaurant for a date night?
If so, then it’s time to cancel the food delivery and request at least a partial refund. You can cancel through the Uber app.
5. The Restaurant Is Out of an Item
If the food establishment runs out of the specific meal you tried to order, then the restaurant will communicate this information through the food delivery app.
In such a case, you will have to cancel your Uber Eats order and seek a full refund. If the restaurant is at fault like in this situation, then you should receive a complete refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Uber Eats Drivers Make Multiple Stops?
When it comes to Uber multiple stops, the topic is touchy. Uber Eats’ drivers are supposed to do as scheduled after accepting an order.
Their stops depend on the algorithm of where the restaurants are and where the customers live. If they are supposed to make multiple stops, they usually do.
It is unfortunate when the second order is much farther away, as this could result in a longer wait and potentially cold food.
Will Uber Eats Refund Cold Food?
As an Uber Eats customer, you always have the choice to submit a request for a refund if you are unhappy with the quality of your food.
Contact Uber Eats customer service within 48 hours and provide a detailed explanation of what happened for the service to process your complaint.
Wrapping Up
It is quite simple to cancel an order on Uber Eats or the Uber Eats Pass and get a refund. The app is very user-friendly.
Follow a few quick steps and submit a request for a refund describing why you are not happy with your order. Uber Eats stands behind its policy, and as long as you contact the service with a reasonable complaint, you should get a partial or full refund.
