13 Things You Must Know About Uber Eats’ Revenue

Uber Eats has become so popular that even the International Space Station placed an order for Japanese food.

That’s right—from space.

The delivery took more than eight hours and 30 minutes, so one has to wonder if the astronauts were craving braised pork that bad or if they’re just not that great at planning ahead.

Whatever the case may be, the truth is that getting food delivered to our door is one of the most convenient perks of the modern world. Particularly when a pandemic is running rampant.

Uber Eats’ revenue is the perfect example of just how useful people found the service during the lockdown. And we’ll tell you all about it.

Keep reading to find out some interesting, quirky, and sensible facts about the world’s favorite food delivery app.

Interesting Facts about Uber Eats (Editor’s Choice)

• The company has 66 million customers and 600,000 businesses in 6,000 cities.
• French fries, garlic naan, and pad thai are the most popular items among Uber Eats customers. 
• Uber Technologies Inc. is worth $120 billion. Uber Eats, on the other hand, just $20 billion.
• Uber’s CEO once gave delivering food orders a go. After 3.5 hours of hard work, he earned $106.
• In 2021, Uber Eats' revenue surpassed $8 billion.
• On Wednesdays, many Uber Eats customers forgo tomatoes.
• In September alone, the business sold more than 25,150 pounds of bananas in the US. 
• Uber Eats users have donated $3 million to restaurants directly through the "support this restaurant" option.

Uber Eats Fun Facts

The app made its debut in 2014. Founded by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, Uber Eats puts a variety of restaurants and supermarkets at your disposal so you can order pretty much anything you need (or crave).

Did you know that someone once ordered a deconstructed sandwich from Uber Eats?

Yep—they wanted all the ingredients separate.

Here are some more quirky facts about the app.

1. During the pandemic, a customer placed a $7,719.82 order. 

(Source: Uber Newsroom)

What could possibly be worth that much?

Not one thing, but an assortment of them—specifically, 218 items on his grocery list.

Obviously, this is far from usual. In fact, Uber Eats’ average order value is around $250 per quarter per customer. So, you could say this client was definitely committed to their purchase.

2. In the US, weekends are the most popular days to order food.  

(Source: Uber Newsroom)

If you just want to relax after a long working week, ordering some delicious, ready-to-eat food is certainly the right way to start—and plenty of Uber Eats’ customers agree.

The most popular time for people to place an order through the app is between 5-7 pm on weekends. What is it that they order?

Probably Mexican, seeing as this cuisine holds the top place on the Uber Eats menu. Then again, it could also be french fries or Pad Thai (aka, the most ordered items in 2021).

3. Different states, different tastes.

(Source: Uber Newsroom)

If the number of specifications people make on the app are anything to go by, some of the pickiest eaters in the country live in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia.

On the other hand, the citizens of West Virginia, South Dakota, Missouri, Utah, and Delaware are pretty chill about their orders and rarely add any specifics.

Furthermore, people in Idaho, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and Oregon seem to be quite sweet—they are extremely polite when placing their order.

Uber Eats’ Market Share

Uber Eats doesn’t only deliver food, it can also get you groceries, prescriptions, flowers, and alcohol.

In fact, in November 2021, the company created a new list called “Babies and Kids,” which delivers emergency diapers and a thermometer.

This diversification efforts have helped Uber keep its top position in the industry so far—but will it be enough?

Let’s see how Uber Eats fares against its competitors.

4. Most people around the world would agree that Uber Eats is their favorite food delivery app.

(Source: Apps that deliver)

Globally, Uber Eats seems to be the most popular app in the food and drink category.

Specifically in the US, though, Uber Eats statistics show the company holds third place on both the App Store and Google Play Store, as DoorDash and McDonald’s rank higher.

5. In general, people in the US prefer DoorDash.

(Source: Bloomberg Second Measure)

As of 2021, DoorDash boasts the largest share (59%) of the US food delivery market. Uber Eats comes a distant second, with a 24% market share.

Grubhub, on the other hand, is the fourth and fifth most downloaded app on Google Play and the App Store, respectively. In terms of market share, it comes right after Uber Eats, claiming 16% of the national food delivery market.

6. People in San Francisco don’t really like Uber Eats.

(Source: Apps that deliver)

Uber Eats statistics show the company's popularity varies from city to city. For example, DoorDash is more prevalent in San Francisco (taking 72% of the market) and least popular in Miami (31%), whereas the opposite is true for Uber Eats (13% and 57%, respectively).

Typically, Uber Eats would be more popular than Postmates. In Los Angeles, however, the former accounts for only 17% of the local market while Postmates comes out ahead with 22%.

That said, the Uber Eats vs Postmates battle is kind of moot, seeing as the former acquired the latter in 2020.

Fun fact: Uber Eats is on an acquisition roll. It also added Drizly, the alcohol delivery app, to its ranks in 2021.

7. Uber Eats’ average sales per customer are on the rise.

(Source: Bloomberg Second Measure)

The figure for Q1 2022 ($246) is 72% higher than the one for the same period in 2020 ($143).

However, Uber Eats wasn’t the only one to experience such a revenue increase. In fact, this round of the Uber Eats vs DoorDash battle actually goes to the latter, which registered a 90% revenue increase for the same period.

As of 2022, DoorDash customers spend an average of $323 every quarter, whereas Grubhub’s average customer spending is closer to $150.

As you see, Uber Eats falls somewhere in between.

Is Uber Eats Profitable?

Uber Eats is certainly popular among millions of people around the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s actually good business.

Let’s take a look at the delivery app’s finances.

8. Uber Eats generated $8.3 billion in 2021.  

(Source: Apps that deliver)

After the pandemic’s arrival, Uber's driving services were suddenly not as coveted anymore. Lockdowns kept people at home, and the company’s mobility segment saw a significant revenue drop, going from $10.4 billion in 2019 all the way to $7.5 billion in 2021.

Fortunately for the company, Uber Eats’ revenue did not suffer the same fate—quite the opposite, in fact. It thrived during the turbulent times of COVID-19, boasting a $4.8 billion revenue in 2020 (which was quite a leap from 2019’s $1.3 billion) and then nearly doubling that figure the following year. 

How much profit does Uber Eats make?

Surprising as it may be—none. After giving restaurants their share of the bill, paying drivers, and stripping away marketing and order-processing costs, it turns out that Uber Eats actually loses $3.5 for every $40 order you make.

9. Uber Eats charges restaurants 30% of the order’s value for delivery services. 

(Source: Uber Eats for Merchants)

Such a delivery fee can certainly put a damper on restaurants’ finances, but it’s not set in stone. In some cases, restaurants could negotiate a slightly better deal (something between 20–30%).

Fun fact: Customer loyalty still exists. Some customers are genuinely remarkable—they’ve ordered food from the same Uber Eats’ restaurants almost 1,000 times.

10. Uber One members receive a $0 delivery fee.

(Source: Uber)

Late in 2021, the company launched its Uber One membership, which applies to all Uber apps.

For $9.99/month (or $99/year), you could get free delivery on grocery orders over $30 and food orders over $15. Plus, you’d get an extra $5 if the estimated arrival time of the Uber driver is not correct.

Uber One also grants members various discounts and promos on rides, groceries, snacks, and more.

Fun fact: Since the pandemic started, it seems like people love having groceries delivered at their door. The national grocery delivery industry saw $6 billion in revenue in 2021.

Uber Eats Driver Statistics

Nowadays, the delivery experience is arguably as important as the quality of the food.

Drivers are the link between restaurants and their clients, which means they can be the key to happy customers.

We at Web Tribunal simply couldn't forget about the people who are behind the wheel. So, this last block of Uber Eats statistics are about them.

11. Uber Eats drivers earn $8-$12 an hour. 

(Source: Small Business Trends)

The average earnings of an Uber Eats driver are around $44,000 per year—which isn’t a particularly good salary, to be honest, but that doesn’t mean food delivery can’t be a good side gig.

(Plus, there are always tips.)

That said, if you’re thinking about becoming a driver yourself, you may want to consider some alternatives. For instance, DoorDash is the food delivery service that pays the most, as its drivers earn around $15-$25 an hour.

12. Uber Eats increased customer fees temporarily due to rising gas prices.

(Source: Uber Newsroom)

Third-party delivery drivers are self-employed, which means they pay for gas and other vehicle-related expenses with their own money.

As it can be difficult to keep up with the increasing gas prices, starting from March 22, 2022, Uber set up surcharges that go directly to the driver's pocket.

These Uber Eats fees depend on location and are only temporary. Still, they undoubtedly give some peace of mind to the drivers—even if it comes at users’ expense.

13. Uber encourages its drivers to go electric.

(Source: Uber)

Although—or perhaps because—projections suggest that fossil fuels will still be the most popular energy source in 2030, Uber is trying to push for alternatives.

How much do Uber Eats drivers make if they use an electric vehicle?

Uber’s “green future program” offers higher payment per trip, which means drivers can earn more (up to an extra $4,000 a year) if they use an electric vehicle.

As further incentives, drivers also get discounts when they buy or charge an EV. In fact, Uber has partnered with different vehicle companies, like Hertz and Avis, so that its drivers can rent Teslas and other electric cars for work.

Fun fact: Tesla sold nearly 500,000 electric vehicles in 2020, taking up 23% of the global EV market.

Wrap Up

Food delivery has become more common than ever before.

Projections suggest that Uber Eats’ revenue will only keep on growing, with the company satisfying the cravings of millions of customers and helping thousands of restaurants stay afloat through these trying times.

So, check out the menu and figure out what your next order is going to be.

After all, we wouldn’t want restaurants to go broke.