3 Things to Do If Your Uber Eats Order Is Late and Cold

Going from hunger to anger is quite easy. The transition becomes even smoother when a delivery arrives late and, worse, cold.

Have you been in this situation? Here are three things to do…

1. Check Order Status Updates

When your Uber Eats order is running late, checking its status can provide valuable information and help manage your expectations. The Uber Eats app offers a straightforward process to track your order in real-time:

Open the Uber Eats app and tap the receipt icon on the bottom menu bar.
Select “Upcoming” to view your current order.
Tap “Track” to see the detailed status of your order.

The app provides descriptions to help you understand the current stage of your order. Once a delivery partner is assigned, you’ll see a map displaying their location and can track their progress as they make their way to you.

If you don’t see a courier on the map, it likely means the restaurant is handling the delivery directly.

In this case, you’ll need to contact the restaurant for updates. It’s important to note that order status updates are typically managed by both the restaurant and the driver:

The restaurant updates the status when the order is being prepared and ready for pickup.
The driver updates the status when they’ve picked up the order and are en route to your location.

If you notice that your order seems stuck in a particular status for an unusually long time, it could indicate issues such as:

The restaurant taking longer than expected to prepare the food.
The driver waiting at the restaurant for the order to be ready.
External factors like traffic or weather conditions causing delays.

It may not seem important, but the status is one thing you want to keep your eye on.

For instance, you may be able to cancel a delivery and be issued no cancellation fee, if you initiate the cancellation before the restaurant accepts the order.

In the same vein, you may also get a substantial “partial refund” when you make a refund request before the driver takes delivery over when he has taken the delivery.

So timing matters.

However, as a rule of thumb, you want to never cancel a delivery when the restaurant accepts. At best, accept it and make a refund request.

2. Contact Customer Support

Uber offers multiple channels for reaching out:

Email: For merchants and restaurants, support is available at merchants@uber.com.
In-app support: Tap “Help” in the Uber Eats app, then select “Contact Support” to access chat, messaging, or phone options.
Online help center: Visit help.uber.com/ubereats to submit a question or browse frequently asked questions.

When contacting support, be prepared to provide:

Any steps you’ve already taken to resolve the problem
Your order number
Details about the issue (e.g., how late the order was, food temperature)

3. Request a Refund or Credit

Now, this is the most important step.

You want to get a refund right? Pay keen attention to this.

Uber Eats provides a straightforward process for customers to seek compensation for unsatisfactory orders:

Open the Uber Eats app and navigate to your order history.
Select the problematic order and tap on “Help” or “Report an issue.”
Choose “Food arrived cold” or “Order was late” as the reason for your complaint.
Provide details about the issue, including how late the order was or the condition of the food.

Uber Eats typically offers two types of compensation:

Full refund: For severe issues, such as extremely late deliveries or inedible food.
Partial refund: For minor problems, like slightly cold food or missing items.

In some cases, Uber Eats may offer credit for future orders instead of a direct refund.

This credit can usually be applied to your next purchase on the platform.

It’s important to act promptly when requesting a refund. Uber Eats generally allows customers to report issues and request refunds within 7 days of the order date.

However, submitting your request as soon as possible increases the likelihood of a favorable resolution. 24 hours time frame is usually optimal.

When submitting your refund request, consider providing additional evidence to support your claim:

Take photos of cold or poorly prepared food.
Screenshot the order tracking page showing significant delays.
Note any communication attempts with the driver or restaurant.

If your initial refund request is unsuccessful or you’re unsatisfied with the offered compensation, you can escalate the issue by contacting Uber Eats customer support directly through the app or website. You may also want to go through Twitter our preferred approach.

Make a comment (usually derogatory) about the issue at hand. Post it on Twitter and tag the company’s handle. It could be on your Timeline – works well if you have a considerable amount of followers, or at least to a degree. It could also be on a popular post — inevitable that you won’t be getting a comment from the company in question in a matter of hours.