Key Takeaways
- Uber Eats offers refunds for issues like order errors, missing items, unsatisfactory quality, and delivery problems.
- Refunds are determined case by case, with eligibility based on factors like timely reporting and evidence of the issue.
- To request a refund, use the Uber Eats app or website within 48 hours, providing detailed information and evidence if possible.
- Common reasons for refunds include missing food, incorrect addresses, canceled orders, and spoiled food upon delivery.
Can You Get a Refund From Uber Eats?
You can get a refund from Uber Eats. However, the eligibility of your refund claim depends on the situation and is limited by certain conditions.
Additionally, Uber Eats has the final say when it comes to issuing refunds.
That being said, if there’s a problem that is caused by the restaurant or the delivery person, you’re most likely getting a refund.
Common Situations Where Customers Are Eligible for a Refund
Here are some of the most popular scenarios where Uber Eats typically issues refunds:
- Order Errors: This includes problems like delivering incorrect items or delivering the wrong order. Keep in mind that food that is under or overspiced also qualifies as an incorrect item. For example, if you order a regular and get a spicy variety.
- Missing Items: This includes missing one or more items on delivery.
- Unsatisfactory Quality: The food arrives at a sub-par quality of the expected. For example, cold, uncooked, or overcooked food. This also includes evidence of unsanitary preparation or food contamination.
- Problems with Delivery: The order arrives significantly later than the estimated time or the Uber driver doesn’t show up at all.
Besides the common problems with order delivery, there are some unique cases where users might be eligible for a refund. These include disputing a charge in the case of overcharging or duplicate charging.
Keep in mind that you’ll also receive a full refund if you properly cancel an Uber Eats order (before it goes through.)
Important Conditions for a Successful Refund Claim
There are some essential aspects and limitations that affect the success of a refund claim on Uber Eats, such as:
- Time: According to Uber Eats, you’re more likely to get the best possible support if you contact them within 48 hours of the incident.
- Evidence: The support agent will always check the validity of your claim, so you should make sure you have valid proof of your claim, whenever possible.
- Condition of the Item(s): This may not always apply, but in many cases, the condition of the items might be a factor in accepting or denying your refund claim.
How to Get a Refund on Uber Eats
There are two different ways to get an Uber Eats refund: 1) using the app on your mobile device or 2) their browser website.
Both will require you to be signed in to your account, and in both cases, they will want as much information as possible as you go through their customer service process.
You should note that these policies are currently somewhat in flux, so if you’re consistently requesting refunds, you may want to check back in on the Uber Eats website for the latest news.
How to Get a Refund Using the App
- Open your Uber Eats app
- You’ll find a list of your previous orders in the “Orders” tab. Choose the order in question, then scroll down until you find the “Get Help” box.
- You’ll see a list of issues to pick from, such as missing items, wrong order, overcharging, etc. If you can’t find your issue, select the last option “I can’t find my problem.”
- You’ll connect with a chatbot that will go through the refund process with you. In some cases, a human support agent will handle complicated issues.
- Make sure that you prepare any necessary details or evidence to support the refund request, such as descriptions of the situation or photos of the order.
How to Get a Refund Online
Getting a refund online is quite simple as well.
- First, you need to contact Uber by navigating to Uber Eats Help, then click on “Help with an Order.”
- Select the order that applies to your situation and then the issue at hand.
The website will ask you to sign in at some point as it directs you through the process, at which point it will connect you to the specific order in question.
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
I’ve used Uber Eats – a lot. Rarely do issues arise, but when they do, I’ve needed to reach out to support for help.
I’ve found it best to calmly communicate your need, as clearly as possible. Keep your cool, even if you’re really frustrated. This goes a LONG way with support staff.
I’ve previously worked in tech support. When users had problems, more often than not, they would call in and yell at me. I was trying to help, but it didn’t matter.
However, the ones that called in and were very kind and understanding would get extra special treatment.
Use kindness to your advantage – it will go a lot farther than you expect.
Understanding the Refund Process
Once you submit a refund request on Uber Eats, you’ll receive an automated confirmation.
The review process typically takes up to three business days, though it can sometimes be longer depending on the complexity of the issue.
If you have an Uber One subscription, the processing time could be a lot faster.
If your claim is valid, you’ll receive your refund, in the form of Uber Eats credits or a direct refund, depending on your payment method. The refund will include the full amount you spent, including Uber Eats fees.
You’ll receive an email with the decision regarding the refund request. After that, you can check to see if the amount was refunded to your account.
If your request is denied, the email will explain the reason, but as previously established, Uber Eats has the final say here.
You can also contact the Uber Eats social media account, but that should be after getting your refund denied for no reason.
As a last resort, you can contact your lawyer to file a lawsuit if you suspect deceptive business practices.
Tips for a Smooth Refund Experience
Lastly, here are some tips to help you increase your chances of getting a successful refund and streamline your process:
- The later you request the refund, the less likely it’ll go through, so make sure that you’re as early as possible.
- Check your details carefully before placing an order. Uber Eats won’t refund you if the order details were the same as what you recieved, even if that wasn’t what you intended.
- Take a quick look at Uber Eats’ terms and conditions
- Don’t over-submit refund requests, as this might raise a red flag and reduce your chances of getting one.
- If you connect with human support, stay courteous and patient, as they’re trying to help you.
- Always have an immediate proof of the problem you’re having.
Alternative: Cancel an Uber Eats Order Before Delivery
The alternative to trying for a refund is to cancel your Uber Eats order before you even get it delivered in the first place.
Depending on when you do this, this can either be significantly more challenging or markedly easier for you when it comes to a full or partial refund.
Does Uber Eats Refund Canceled Orders?
Yes, but typically they only refund canceled orders that the restaurant has not yet accepted.
Once the restaurant has accepted the order, getting a refund is much more challenging.
Does Uber Eats Pay Drivers for Canceled Orders?
It isn’t clear if Uber drivers are paid for orders you cancel. Uber Eats does not provide public notices of that information, and driver forums seem to vary within how deliverers self-report their experience there.
Some say they get paid in full, others report receiving a small amount of consolation pay, and others report not being paid at all.
How to Cancel an Uber Eats Order and Get a Refund
The most important thing to remember if you want to cancel your order and get a refund is speed.
As soon as you know that you no longer want your order, make sure to cancel it immediately. If you’re lucky, the restaurant won’t have accepted it yet.
Common Reasons for an Uber Eats Refund
There are several reasons you might want a refund from Uber Eats.
The ones that are most likely to result in you getting money back are missing food, an incorrect delivery address, a canceled order, or food that was unacceptably spoiled upon delivery.
1. Missing Food
A missing item is one of the most common Uber Eats refund reasons. Items get missed relatively frequently, even within a restaurant.
When you add the chaos of delivery into the equation, it’s pretty easy for the kitchen to forget an item, for a separately-bagged item to get left behind in the delivery car, or any other number of reasons.
Regardless, when the order arrives, and some of your food is missing, go right to the app to request a refund.
Uber Eats recommends placing the refund request within 48 hours of the order.
If you were just missing an item, Uber Eats would only refund you the cost of the item (if they give you any money at all). If the whole order never arrived, they will refund you the entire order if they determine your missing order is eligible.
It should be noted that, according to the Uber Eats website, they are less likely to refund you if your delivery person made a “reasonable effort” to get in touch with you once they arrived to deliver the item.
These may also be especially difficult because they’re some of the easiest to lie about, and Uber is concerned about customer service fraud.
2. Incorrect Address
Incorrect addresses are another common delivery problem and will often result in you missing your order entirely.
Sadly, if you put the wrong address into the app and the delivery driver brought your order to the address you listed, you likely won’t receive a refund from Uber Eats at all.
It is technically possible to change your delivery address after ordering if you accidentally input the wrong address, but Uber Eats offers no guarantee that this will work.
It requires you to communicate directly with the Uber driver and convince them to bring you the order to the correct place.
3. Canceled Orders
Whether you can get a refund for a canceled order depends on the stage in the process that you cancel it.
When you put in an order to a restaurant, it doesn’t process until the restaurant receives and accepts it. Once the restaurant accepts your order, it becomes pretty much impossible to receive a refund for the order.
So make sure you want the food before submitting the order—you don’t want to be saddled with those fees.
4. Food Was Spoiled When Delivered
Uber Eats does offer refunds if you receive spoiled food upon delivery. Typically, they won’t provide a refund for something simply deemed to be low-quality.
This policy is specifically limited to “unacceptably spoiled” food products, likely referring to food that poses a safety risk to the customer. In that case, Uber Eats usually provides a refund.
If you receive low-quality food that doesn’t quite meet the standards of unsafety, the company recommends that you make your view heard by rating the restaurant accordingly.
Regardless, their goal is to provide you with excellent customer service as their client. And there is a difference between fly-covered ice cream and a missing side dish of peas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Loses Money When Uber Eats Refunds You?
When Uber Eats issues a refund, it previously made restaurants cover the cost, even for problems beyond their control, such as delivery issues. Following criticism, Uber Eats updated its policy to absorb losses from delivery problems. However, restaurants still bear the cost for most other refund claims.
What Happens if Food is Missing From Uber Eats?
If your Uber Eats order is missing items, report the issue within 48 hours, though sooner is better. Specify what’s missing and provide photo evidence. Uber Eats will investigate and, if your claim is validated, issue a refund.
What is a Temporary Hold on Uber Eats?
A temporary hold on Uber Eats is a pending charge to confirm you have enough funds for your order. It’s standard practice and disappears when Uber Eats processes the payment for your purchase.
Wrapping Up
Dealing with order issues on Uber Eats can be quite frustrating. However, successfully getting a refund for the order can help you rest easy knowing that you didn’t lose your money as well.
As you can see, there are different scenarios for a refund process, but with the help of the information we provide in this guide, you should be able to navigate this maze easily and avoid any unexpected surprises.
Remember, valid proof and early reporting are the keys to a successful refund, so always make sure that you take photographs and contact support as soon as you notice the problem.
I don’t have an account with Uber eats but its deducting from my bank account.
It should be known that Uber Eats can arbitrarily restrict your account making it impossible to resolve an issue with a refund or Uber cash. I say “arbitrarily” because they don’t tell you whether it’s based on dollar amount refunded, dollar amount refunded within a specific period of time, dollar amount refunded within a certain number of orders, the totally number of times you’ve ever requested a refund, the total number of times you’ve requested a refund over a certain period of time, it something else. They also don’t notify you either in the app, on the site, of via email that this has occurred. Additionally, when you ask, the day they cannot tell you the date the restriction was applied nor can they them you how long it will last. I’m sorry, but if I have a legitimate issue with my order (missing, incorrect, or items that constitute a food safety issue, I’m going to let them know as that’s not my fault. The bags are sealed or taped shut so as to prevent tampering, and a driver is not going to sit there and wait until you open the order and check it for issues. It’s wrong to punish/penalize the person alerting Uber of the issue. And if enough people do this, maybe they will change their policies. Or they’ll end up restricting so many people that they’ll lose money from people no longer willing to use their services anymore.