Buying items online has been mainstream for many years, and food delivery services have risen in prominence recently, especially since the pandemic.
With PayPal making the actual purchase process a breeze, it only makes sense that people want to use the service with food delivery, too.
We’ve previously discussed how to buy groceries with PayPal, but now we’ll discuss how food delivery payment works and everything you need to know when checking out with this payment method.
What is PayPal?
PayPal is an online banking system
You can send and receive funds through the website or app.
It also allows you to link your bank accounts, credit cards, and debit cards.
If you don’t have any money in your PayPal account, you can select one of those options as your method of payment.
Most online shops allow customers to pay through PayPal instead of having to input their credit card information on each specific site.
It can be used like a shortcut or an online wallet, by keeping all of your information on one site and using that site to pay for goods from others.
Once you have money in your PayPal account, you can either keep it there to spend or transfer it to your bank account.
If you have money in your account, you can select to pay with the balance instead of charging the amount to your linked cards.
PayPal is mostly free, though there are some fees if you use it to invoice customers and receive money from sales, like from eBay.
But to create an account, link cards, and use it to pay for services online, you won’t encounter any surcharges.
Benefits of Using PayPal for Food Purchases
PayPal is an encrypted site, so it’s safe to input information about your bank accounts, credit cards, and debit cards.
Because it’s a secure website, you can rest easy knowing that the information transferred to other vendors is also encrypted.
Paying for food purchases through PayPal keeps your financial information secure on the PayPal site.
When you order from DoorDash or Papa John’s and pay via credit card, they have that information in their system.
Their systems may also be safe, but the data is out there in one more place than if you used PayPal for everything.
Also, let’s be honest: it’s easier to buy things with PayPal.
You can order food and other items with one click, instead of having to get up, go find your wallet, and type in all of your credit card information.
Therefore people are more likely to buy things from websites that accept PayPal.
PayPal Food Delivery: Which Food Delivery Apps Accept PayPal?
Though it’s easy for a business to set up PayPal payments, not all of the food delivery apps accept it.
1. DoorDash
DoorDash doesn’t accept PayPal in terms of linking your accounts together, but there’s a workaround for it.
DoorDash accepts digital gift cards, which can help offset the high delivery fees, so you can buy these through DoorDash or PayPal.
If you buy the gift card through DoorDash, you’ll still have to input your credit card information, so you’ll miss out on the security of PayPal.
DoorDash doesn’t accept PayPal in terms of linking your accounts together, but there’s a workaround for it.
DoorDash accepts digital gift cards, which can help offset the high delivery fees, so you can buy these through DoorDash or PayPal.
If you buy the gift card through DoorDash, you’ll still have to input your credit card information, so you’ll miss out on the security of PayPal.
To buy a gift card through PayPal, go to that page online and choose the amount of your gift card.
Click that the gift card is for you and it will be emailed to the address linked to your PayPal account.
They warn you that it can take anywhere from four to 24 hours to get the card, so make sure you have one on hand before you’re hungry.
2. Uber Eats
Uber Eats is available in many countries, and it accepts PayPal in most of them.
It also accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash.
Link your PayPal account to your Uber Eats profile by selecting your wallet in the Uber Eats app.
Uber Eats is available in many countries, and it accepts PayPal in most of them.
It also accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash.
Link your PayPal account to your Uber Eats profile by selecting your wallet in the Uber Eats app.
When you click “Add Payment,” you’ll have the option to choose PayPal.
Then you’ll log into your PayPal account and it will be linked for easy purchasing.
Editor’s Note:
Using PayPal to automatically pay for an Uber Eats pass every month is a great way to save big on delivery fees.
3. Grubhub
Grubhub is one of the apps that takes the most payment options, including PayPal.
They also take cash, debit and credit cards, and Venmo.
You can connect your Grubhub account to your PayPal account in Grubhub settings.
Grubhub is one of the apps that takes the most payment options, including PayPal.
They also take cash, debit and credit cards, and Venmo.
You can connect your Grubhub account to your PayPal account in Grubhub settings.
When you go to update your payment information, it will show all of the methods it accepts.
If you select PayPal, you can make it your default option.
4. Postmates
Postmates doesn’t directly accept PayPal, but just like with DoorDash, there’s a workaround you can set up.
The mobile app does accept Google Pay, so you can connect your PayPal account to that.
Postmates doesn’t directly accept PayPal, but just like with DoorDash, there’s a workaround you can set up.
The mobile app does accept Google Pay, so you can connect your PayPal account to that.
You’ll learn what steps to take in a later section.
5. Seamless
Seamless is part of Grubhub but still operates on its own.
It allows you to donate money to support local restaurants and you can earn perks with frequent use.
It accepts PayPal directly, just like Grubhub does.
Seamless is part of Grubhub but still operates on its own.
It allows you to donate money to support local restaurants and you can earn perks with frequent use.
It accepts PayPal directly, just like Grubhub does.
You can also pay for Seamless with cash, credit cards, gift cards, Apple Pay, and Android Pay.
6. Goldbelly
Goldbelly is a unique food subscription service that delivers gourmet food to customers.
It accepts payment through credit cards, Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Goldbelly is a unique food subscription service that delivers gourmet food to customers.
It accepts payment through credit cards, Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay.
It accepts PayPal, but you have to order through the website to use that method of payment; you can’t do it on the app.
7. Boxed
Boxed is a delivery service that makes buying in bulk simple.
You can order food, groceries, and household products through the site and get them delivered to your door.
Boxed is a delivery service that makes buying in bulk simple.
You can order food, groceries, and household products through the site and get them delivered to your door.
The company noticed that 21% of orders used quick checkout, so they have plenty of options.
The service accepts PayPal, and they also use Google Pay, Android Pay, and Apple Pay.
They also accept credit cards and debit cards.
Popular Restaurants That Accept PayPal
Using digital payments isn’t just an option if you’re having food delivered.
Many popular fast-food restaurants now accept this mobile technology.
You can use it when you’re ordering food through their app, online ordering, as a digital option when you pay in the restaurant, or by purchasing restaurant-specific eGift Cards.
Fast food restaurants that accept PayPal in various forms include:
- Burger King
- Starbucks
- McDonald’s
- Kentucky Fried Chicken
- Chick-Fil-A
- Subway
- Firehouse Subs
- Papa John’s
- Panera Bread
Dine-in restaurants that accept PayPal include:
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Outback Steakhouse
- Applebee’s
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Chili’s Grill & Bar
How to Order Food With PayPal
Besides having money in your PayPal account, linking bank accounts, or giving the mobile app access to your credit card, there are other ways to order food with PayPal.
1. Paypal Cash Card
The PayPal Cash Card is like a digital credit card.
You can load money onto your PayPal Cash Card without keeping a minimum balance or paying monthly fees.
You can use this PayPal option anywhere that accepts Mastercard.
2. Paypal QR Codes
Some restaurants use QR codes to complete contactless orders.
When you open the PayPal app, click “Scan/Pay.”
The app uses your phone’s camera to scan the restaurant’s QR code.
You type in the amount you need to pay for the order and send it to complete your purchase.
How to Add PayPal to Google Pay
When you log into your Google Pay account on a computer, click on “Payment methods” and add a new payment method.
You’ll see PayPal as a payment method. It will send you to the PayPal website to verify your account.
To add Paypal on an Android device, open the Google Pay app and click on “Payment methods.”
Add a new method and select PayPal.
You’ll then need to log into PayPal and give Google Pay permission to access the account.
How to Add PayPal to Samsung Pay
After you download the Samsung Pay app, open the wallet and click the “+” to add a payment method.
You’ll see the option to add PayPal. The app will ask you to log in to your PayPal account to grant it access.
You can use Samsung Pay like a credit or debit card at restaurants.
If you want to use it as a debit card, you can set up a PIN for the account in your PayPal settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you know the different apps and restaurants that take PayPal, you should feel more secure about using digital payments for food delivery.
If you need to clear anything up, here are some of the most frequently asked questions.
How Can I Put Money in My PayPal Account?
You can link your bank account to your PayPal account and transfer money with no fees.
You’ll click on “Wallet” and select your bank account, then type in how much money you want to transfer.
It takes three to five days for the money to show in your account.
How Long Does PayPal Take to Receive Money?
If you’re sending money from your bank account, it can take anywhere from three to five days, but sometimes can be as quick as two.
As soon as funds are being sent or received, you’ll see the transaction in your PayPal account history and can click on it for more details.
How Can I Get My Money From PayPal Without a Bank Account?
You can use PayPal without having a bank account.
When you have money in your account that you want to cash out, you have to request a paper check.
If you have a PayPal Debit Card, you could withdraw money from your PayPal account at an ATM as you would with a bank account.
Wrapping Up
PayPal is an encrypted website that stores your financial data for easy use online.
Many vendors allow you to pay for their goods with PayPal, and you can now even pay for food with the service.
You can order food to-go from several different delivery apps.
You can even pay in-store while keeping your personal information secure with PayPal.
DoorDash accepts PayPal. Been using it for a couple years. Just log into DoorDash online, click PAYMENTS, select PAYPAL to link your account