Key Takeaways
- Uber does not deliver cigarettes, due to a variety of reasons – mainly red tape and legal headaches. They do, however, deliver alcohol and many other items.
- If you’d like cigarettes delivered, there are popular Uber alternatives that do deliver them, including GoPuff and 7NOW.
Will Uber Deliver Cigarettes?
Uber does not deliver any tobacco products, including cigarettes. This policy extends to all forms of tobacco and nicotine products, such as rolling tobacco, nicotine gum, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco, JUUL pods, or tobacco leaves.
However, Uber does offer alcohol delivery, allowing customers to order products like liquor, wine, and other alcoholic beverages, provided they present a valid ID confirming their legal age.
Workaround: Try Alternate Modes of Delivery
Uber doesn’t officially deliver cigarettes, but there are a few workarounds to consider.
First, there’s asking a driver to get the cigarettes for you.
Try requesting a food delivery and then offering to pay the driver to make an extra stop on the down-low. If the incentive is high enough, the driver might make the stop for you.
If a driver does consider purchasing cigarettes for a customer, they often require upfront payment via methods like Cash App. I suggest tipping them well, as this is technically against Uber’s TOS.
However, you should be aware that many drivers may refuse due to the legal complexities and potential for non-payment, and may even go so far as to reporting you to Uber.
Another method is to book an Uber to a store, purchase cigarettes, and then request another Uber for the return trip.
But, this approach might not be the most efficient or cost-effective and defeats the purpose of having them delivered.
Other Delivery Apps That Will Deliver Cigarettes Instead
Fortunately, though, other delivery apps do deliver tobacco. If you frequently crave a cigarette and would like to order a pack, download those apps ASAP.
1. DoorDash
DoorDash offers delivery of tobacco products, including vape pens and JUUL devices, through its Drive or Whitelabel services.
While tobacco sales are not directly available on the DoorDash app, merchants with their own websites or apps can sell these products, and DoorDash drivers fulfill the orders.
According to DoorDash’s guidelines, drivers handling tobacco orders must be at least 21 years old with valid ID. They are also required to verify the age and ID of customers, who must also be 21 or older.
However, tobacco delivery is restricted and not available to certain locations like college campuses, hospitals, and schools.
2. Gopuff
Gopuff’s “Smoke Shop Delivery” service offers a variety of tobacco products, including vapes, cigars, cigarettes, and e-juices.
Available in over 1,000 cities across the U.S., U.K., and France, customers need to enter their zip code to verify service availability in their area.
In addition to tobacco, Gopuff delivers over 4,000 products ranging from groceries to alcohol to medicine. However, note that cigarette delivery might not be available in all areas.
Utilizing micro-fulfillment centers, Gopuff ensures rapid delivery, often within 30 minutes. Service hours vary, with 24/7 availability in some cities and late-night service in others.
Standard delivery fees are $2.95, with an extra $2.95 charge for regulated items such as tobacco and alcohol.
Why Won’t Uber Deliver Cigarettes or Tobacco?
Offering tobacco delivery can be problematic for Uber. Regulations regarding selling tobacco and related products vary from country to country and may even be different depending on where in your country you are.
In the United States, the sale of tobacco is a little controversial.
In 2019, the president signed legislation raising the minimum legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21, according to the FDA. That includes cigarettes and cigars.
Forty-nine states plus D.C. have laws restricting public smoking in some or all public places. In addition to federal regulations, states and cities often have specific rules that make it even more difficult to sell tobacco products.
For example, in New York City, it is prohibited to offer the delivery of tobacco products or electronic cigarettes to any consumer.
Even for a large company like Uber, selling tobacco on its platform can be challenging. It would have to navigate a maze of legal requirements and regulations.
It also wouldn’t be able to offer a consistent tobacco delivery service across all countries, states, and cities in which it operates, as tobacco delivery is illegal in some places.
So, Uber had a choice. It could deal with those problems to earn some extra revenue by allowing tobacco delivery on its platform. Or it could avoid all of those headaches altogether by simply not offering tobacco delivery.
While some apps decided to offer tobacco delivery, Uber went with the latter option.
What Does Uber Deliver?
Uber provides delivery services for a diverse range of items, excluding tobacco products. Here’s what you can order through Uber:
- Restaurant Food: The primary offering of Uber Eats, you can order meals ranging from fast food to gourmet dishes from various restaurants, with a small delivery fee.
- Groceries: Uber also facilitates grocery orders. Whether it’s cleaning supplies, milk, or other household items, you can get them delivered from nearby convenience stores directly to your address.
- Prescriptions: In 2020, Uber introduced prescription delivery with Uber Pharmacy. Customers can link their NimbleRx accounts to have prescriptions filled at local pharmacies and even use insurance for payment. Prescription refills are delivered without any additional fee.
Final Thoughts
While Uber doesn’t allow the sale of tobacco, other apps do.
Gopuff should be your top choice, although certain local retailers may also sell cigarettes on their apps and have DoorDash deliver them. You should also check out 7NOW, which is 7-11’s delivery app that also allows the sale of tobacco.
