11 Key Results from Our Food Delivery Apps Comparison

6. Delivery Speed and Reliability: Underreported but essential

The public comparisons we found focus heavily on price and less on delivery speed or reliability, which are major factors for real-world satisfaction. Delivery time depends on local driver availability, restaurant prep times, and peak-hour demand, so the fastest app in one neighborhood may be slower in another. Because verified, large-scale timing data is scarce, the practical recommendation is to run local tests: place similar orders across apps at non-peak hours and during dinner rushes to note average delivery times. Pay attention to in-app estimated arrival windows and whether those estimates are realistic when compared to actual deliveries. Over time you’ll learn which app consistently hits time windows in your area; that reliability can be worth a modest price premium when you need food quickly.