How To Get An Uber Eats Refund

If you’re an Uber Eats customer, then you know that there are times when you need to cancel or change your order.

And you may also know that sometimes things go wrong with your orders – like they’re late or incorrect.

When that happens, it’s important to know how to get an Uber Eats refund.

So keep reading for instructions on how to make a claim and hopefully get your money back.

In the post below, we’ll explain the different types of refunds, what qualifies an order for them, and how to get them.

Uber Eats Refund Policy

Uber Eats’ refund policy is, by and large, pretty simple: if you receive an incorrect item in your order, a whole order that’s incorrect, or you don’t receive an item or order at all, they will provide you with a refund if you reach out to them within seven days of the order.

They cannot, however, provide you with new food.

If you want the food you ordered in the first place, you’ll need to order it from them again.

Types of Uber Eats Refunds

There are several different types of Uber Eats refunds, but the refund process looks different for different kinds of customers.

Specifically, there is a difference between refunds for normal Uber Eats customers and for members of their Eats Pass, or UberOne as it’s now known.

Refunds on Normal Orders

If you aren’t a member of Uber’s Eats Pass or UberOne, you can still get a refund for your order—you may just experience longer waiting times and a less likely refund.

Refunds on Uber Eats Pass

If you are a member of Uber Eats’ subscription services (currently called UberOne), it isn’t clear the exact support benefits that are entailed there.

But according to UberOne’s info website, as a member, you are entitled to “premium member support” (among other benefits like Uber cash).

What that means precisely is unclear but probably includes quicker service and a higher likelihood of a full refund.

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 excellent customer service as their client.

And there is a difference between fly-covered ice cream and a missing side dish of peas.

How to Get a Refund on Uber Eats

There are two different ways to get an Uber Eats refund: using the app on your mobile device or 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

To get a refund using the Uber app, navigate to the order in question under the “Orders” tab at the bottom of the app.

Within the order, scroll to the bottom and click on “Get Help.”

There, the app will take you to an Uber Eats customer support chatbot that will take you through the refund request process.

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.

How Long Does Uber Eats Take to Refund?

Uber Eats does not disclose how long it takes them to refund orders, but people have reported wildly varying times, from 24 hours up to several weeks.

Does Uber Eats Refund Tips on Orders?

No, Uber Eats does not refund tips on orders.

That said, you can adjust your tip once after the delivery partner completes the order if you so desire.

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.

Wrapping Up

Uber Eats can be a complicated app, especially once you start navigating the thorny jungle of their Uber Eats driver help support system.

But we hope we have given you the information you need to get the most money back that you can.

Shenanigans in your food delivery apps can ruin an evening, but this guide should save you and your wallet from paying for food you didn’t receive.