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The Most Expensive Cities for Food Delivery in the U.S.

For close to four decades, the well-known ‘Big Mac Index’ [1] Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, ‘How the Big Mac Index Relates to Overall Consumer Inflation’. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2024/apr/how-big-mac-index-relates-overall-consumer-inflation has illustrated how you can analyze economic data using the price of a single consumer item: a hamburger. Inspired by The New York Times’ analysis in 2020 [2] New York Times, ‘Up to 91% More Expensive: How Delivery Apps Eat Up Your Budget’. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/technology/personaltech/ubereats-doordash-postmates-grubhub-review.html, research was originally conducted on behalf of Self Financial in 2023 to find out how much the price of food delivery changed across the U.S. when using different apps. The study found that delivering the same food order varied as much as $33.88 between the 100 cities analyzed.

In 2025 the research team repeated the study. They placed prospective McDonald’s orders in the 100 largest cities in the nation on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. To maintain consistency, every order included a Big Mac Combo Meal (with fries and Coca-Cola), a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe Large Meal (with fries and Coca-Cola), a 6-Piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal (with fries and water), and a Hamburger Happy Meal (with fries and water).

Contents

Key findings

Which food delivery app is the most expensive?

DoorDash was found to be the most expensive food delivery app in the U.S., costing $63.21 for an order that cost $36.95 at the restaurant (71.1% more expensive). Here is how the average markup changes when using different food delivery apps.

DoorDash was found to be the most expensive food delivery app in the U.S., costing $63.21 for an order that cost $36.95 at the restaurant (71.1% more expensive).

Average markup on food delivery apps

Uber Eats has a slightly lower markup percentage (69.4%), followed by GrubHub (65.8%), meaning these two apps are your best options when ordering food with no offers/codes implemented.

The most affordable option for food delivery is going to pick it up yourself, but if you are using an app, it’s likely going to be the one that has the best discount code for you at that time. Remember: the codes can be account-specific, so someone else you live with may have discounts you aren’t able to use.

Food delivery app Order Cost Markup (%)
DoorDash $63.21 71.1%
Uber Eats $62.60 69.4%
GrubHub $61.26 65.8%

How markup costs have changed since 2023

In 2023, the study found that the average markup between the McDonald’s food order and the delivery order was 93.8%. In the recent research, although prices had increased, the markup had decreased to 68.6%.

Between 2023 and 2025, the Uber Eats markup depreciated by 34.8% – the greatest difference in the study.

Markup UberEats GrubHub DoorDash
2023 104.2% 86.9% 90.1%
2025 69.4% 65.8% 71.1%
Cost McDonald's (food only) UberEats GrubHub DoorDash
2023 Total $29.87 $61.00 $55.84 $56.79
2025 Total $36.95 $62.60 $61.26 $63.21

As this analysis focused exclusively on McDonald’s, the data should be reviewed with that in mind. McDonald’s is a large corporation that can afford to keep its markup lower than smaller businesses; consequently, the price increase for a local independent restaurant, for example, may be even higher, or if they are running a promotion, it may be lower.

What charges do food delivery apps add?

Here’s exactly how the apps broke down the example order when compared to buying directly:

Cost UberEats GrubHub DoorDash Restaurant
Cost Food* UberEats $41.38 GrubHub $41.60 DoorDash $41.55 Restaurant $34.21
Cost Sales tax UberEats $3.49 GrubHub $3.87 DoorDash $3.56 Restaurant $2.74
Cost Service fee UberEats $7.25 GrubHub $6.27 DoorDash $6.37 Restaurant N/A
Cost Delivery fee UberEats $0.31 GrubHub $1.35 DoorDash $3.31 Restaurant N/A
Cost Other costs UberEats $2.01 GrubHub $0.19 DoorDash $0.16 Restaurant N/A
Cost Tip (15%) UberEats $8.16 GrubHub $7.99 DoorDash $8.27 Restaurant N/A**
Cost Total UberEats $62.60 GrubHub $61.26 DoorDash $63.21 Restaurant $36.95
Cost Markup UberEats 69.4% GrubHub 65.8% DoorDash 71.1% Restaurant N/A

*Order analyzed consisted of: A McDonald’s Big Mac Combo Meal, Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe meal (with large fries and Coca-Cola), 6 pc. Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal with fries and water, Hamburger Happy Meal with fries and water.

**McDonald’s employees do not take tips [3] Eat This, Not That!. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.eatthis.com/mcdonalds-employee-rules/

While the price of food alone was 19.3% more on the food delivery apps, you also have to account for delivery fees, service fees, sales taxes, and in some cities, other costs (such as gas surcharges, or small order fees). This study also factored in a 15% tip for delivery drivers; however, this is not technically mandatory.

Overall, there are a lot of fees that go into the average 68.8% markup when using food delivery apps–you’re not just paying a courier to deliver your food.

Which city is the most expensive for food delivery?

Gilbert, Arizona, is the most expensive city for food delivery, costing $90.61 for the example order analyzed in this study, which would cost $51.06 when buying directly from McDonald’s, that’s a markup of 77.5% between the restaurant and delivery app. While Gilbert is the most expensive overall, the highest markup between the in-McDonald’s price and the delivery app price was in New Orleans, Louisiana. More on that later.

The average cost for this same order across the 100 cities in the U.S. analyzed came to $62.36 when using food delivery apps.

Gilbert’s most expensive food delivery app was DoorDash, costing $93, while the most affordable was Uber Eats, where the same order cost $88.53. While prices differ greatly between cities, they also vary depending on the app used.

The price of our order varied across the nation, even when buying directly; however, Gilbert had the highest average total across all three delivery apps analyzed.

Most expensive cities ranked by food delivery app cost

Here are the 100 biggest cities in the U.S. ranked by the average McDonald’s order total on food delivery apps in the U.S.

Rank City State Restaurant cost Average cost on food apps (with tip) Markup
Rank 1 City Gilbert State Arizona Restaurant cost $51.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $90.61 Markup 77.5%
Rank 2 City Seattle State Washington Restaurant cost $41.54 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $89.24 Markup 114.8%
Rank 3 City Irvine State California Restaurant cost $46.18 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $77.90 Markup 68.7%
Rank 4 City Tucson State Arizona Restaurant cost $42.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $77.50 Markup 83.0%
Rank 5 City San Diego State California Restaurant cost $45.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $76.84 Markup 70.2%
Rank 6 City Stockton City State California Restaurant cost $46.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $75.01 Markup 62.1%
Rank 7 City Henderson State Nevada Restaurant cost $39.43 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $73.59 Markup 86.6%
Rank 8 City Buffalo State New York Restaurant cost $33.07 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $73.41 Markup 122.0%
Rank 9 City Anaheim State California Restaurant cost $42.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $72.45 Markup 72.3%
Rank 10 City San Francisco State California Restaurant cost $27.32 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $71.73 Markup 162.6%
Rank 11 City Sacramento State California Restaurant cost $23.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $71.49 Markup 204.7%
Rank 12 City New York State New York Restaurant cost $44.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $71.47 Markup 61.8%
Rank 13 City Norfolk State Virginia Restaurant cost $43.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $71.22 Markup 65.4%
Rank 14 City Fremont State California Restaurant cost $42.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $70.67 Markup 65.7%
Rank 15 City Pittsburgh State Pennsylvania Restaurant cost $41.43 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $70.39 Markup 69.9%
Rank 16 City New Orleans State Louisiana Restaurant cost $20.80 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $70.27 Markup 237.8%
Rank 17 City Oakland State California Restaurant cost $38.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $70.05 Markup 82.1%
Rank 18 City Anchorage State Alaska Restaurant cost $48.40 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $69.10 Markup 42.8%
Rank 19 City Washington State D.C. Restaurant cost $24.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.67 Markup 181.9%
Rank 20 City St. Louis State Missouri Restaurant cost $37.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.59 Markup 84.1%
Rank 21 City Madison State Wisconsin Restaurant cost $22.23 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.52 Markup 208.2%
Rank 22 City North Las Vegas State Nevada Restaurant cost $32.76 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.29 Markup 108.5%
Rank 23 City Kansas City State Missouri Restaurant cost $40.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $67.76 Markup 68.7%
Rank 24 City Jersey City State New Jersey Restaurant cost $42.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $67.45 Markup 60.4%
Rank 25 City Santa Ana State California Restaurant cost $31.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $67.41 Markup 115.0%
Rank 26 City Mesa State Arizona Restaurant cost $39.76 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.97 Markup 68.4%
Rank 27 City Boston State Massachusetts Restaurant cost $27.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.87 Markup 141.8%
Rank 28 City Spokane State Washington Restaurant cost $40.20 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.70 Markup 65.9%
Rank 29 City Atlanta State Georgia Restaurant cost $39.68 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.69 Markup 68.1%
Rank 30 City Colorado Springs State Colorado Restaurant cost $33.74 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.54 Markup 97.2%
Rank 31 City Jacksonville State Florida Restaurant cost $33.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.18 Markup 96.6%
Rank 32 City Chandler State Arizona Restaurant cost $42.76 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.07 Markup 54.5%
Rank 33 City Hialeah State Florida Restaurant cost $41.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $65.68 Markup 60.0%
Rank 34 City Philadelphia State Pennsylvania Restaurant cost $35.32 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $65.60 Markup 85.7%
Rank 35 City Aurora State Colorado Restaurant cost $39.01 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $65.24 Markup 67.2%
Rank 36 City Los Angeles State California Restaurant cost $28.77 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $64.99 Markup 125.9%
Rank 37 City Scottsdale State Arizona Restaurant cost $38.96 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $64.57 Markup 65.7%
Rank 38 City Orlando State Florida Restaurant cost $40.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $64.32 Markup 59.0%
Rank 39 City Memphis State Tennessee Restaurant cost $38.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.84 Markup 67.7%
Rank 40 City Columbus State Ohio Restaurant cost $39.38 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.78 Markup 62.0%
Rank 41 City Newark State New Jersey Restaurant cost $38.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.49 Markup 66.4%
Rank 42 City Phoenix State Arizona Restaurant cost $20.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.30 Markup 206.4%
Rank 43 City Lexington State Kentucky Restaurant cost $20.76 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.90 Markup 203.0%
Rank 44 City Chicago State Illinois Restaurant cost $34.56 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.85 Markup 81.9%
Rank 45 City Richmond State Virginia Restaurant cost $36.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.72 Markup 73.0%
Rank 46 City Riverside State California Restaurant cost $40.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.42 Markup 54.3%
Rank 47 City Miami State Florida Restaurant cost $38.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.13 Markup 61.5%
Rank 48 City San Jose State California Restaurant cost $35.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.06 Markup 75.5%
Rank 49 City Long Beach State California Restaurant cost $37.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.76 Markup 66.2%
Rank 50 City Portland State Oregon Restaurant cost $37.15 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.61 Markup 65.9%
Rank 51 City Reno State Nevada Restaurant cost $39.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.29 Markup 55.7%
Rank 52 City Durham State North Carolina Restaurant cost $34.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.11 Markup 76.3%
Rank 53 City Bakersfield State California Restaurant cost $20.96 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.90 Markup 190.5%
Rank 54 City Milwaukee State Wisconsin Restaurant cost $29.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.86 Markup 106.6%
Rank 55 City Detroit State Michigan Restaurant cost $35.56 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.47 Markup 70.1%
Rank 56 City St. Petersburg State Florida Restaurant cost $29.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.42 Markup 105.8%
Rank 57 City Cleveland State Ohio Restaurant cost $39.56 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.25 Markup 52.3%
Rank 58 City Denver State Colorado Restaurant cost $38.71 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.03 Markup 55.1%
Rank 59 City Omaha State Nebraska Restaurant cost $21.62 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.00 Markup 177.5%
Rank 60 City Raleigh State North Carolina Restaurant cost $36.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.91 Markup 65.2%
Rank 61 City Chula Vista State California Restaurant cost $35.56 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.91 Markup 68.5%
Rank 62 City Lincoln State Nebraska Restaurant cost $35.86 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.89 Markup 67.0%
Rank 63 City Chesapeake State Virginia Restaurant cost $33.69 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.60 Markup 76.9%
Rank 64 City Minneapolis State Minnesota Restaurant cost $35.57 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.26 Markup 66.6%
Rank 65 City Arlington State Texas Restaurant cost $35.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.23 Markup 67.0%
Rank 66 City Cincinnati State Ohio Restaurant cost $37.76 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.18 Markup 56.7%
Rank 67 City Honolulu State Hawaii Restaurant cost $40.96 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.14 Markup 44.4%
Rank 68 City Tampa State Florida Restaurant cost $29.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.06 Markup 101.1%
Rank 69 City Charlotte State North Carolina Restaurant cost $33.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.94 Markup 76.7%
Rank 70 City Nashville State Tennessee Restaurant cost $31.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.13 Markup 83.6%
Rank 71 City St. Paul State Minnesota Restaurant cost $34.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.04 Markup 68.4%
Rank 72 City Indianapolis State Indiana Restaurant cost $33.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.53 Markup 73.0%
Rank 73 City Toledo State Ohio Restaurant cost $20.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.52 Markup 185.3%
Rank 74 City Glendale State California Restaurant cost $36.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.24 Markup 58.3%
Rank 75 City Dallas State Texas Restaurant cost $33.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.15 Markup 71.3%
Rank 76 City San Antonio State Texas Restaurant cost $35.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.84 Markup 62.1%
Rank 77 City Austin State Texas Restaurant cost $20.77 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.57 Markup 172.4%
Rank 78 City Virginia Beach State Virginia Restaurant cost $33.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.52 Markup 69.4%
Rank 79 City Baton Rouge State Louisiana Restaurant cost $32.86 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.31 Markup 71.4%
Rank 80 City Louisville State Kentucky Restaurant cost $32.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $55.69 Markup 72.6%
Rank 81 City Corpus Christi State Texas Restaurant cost $36.06 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $55.66 Markup 54.4%
Rank 82 City Fresno State California Restaurant cost $20.96 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $55.27 Markup 163.7%
Rank 83 City Greensboro State North Carolina Restaurant cost $33.56 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.88 Markup 63.5%
Rank 84 City Houston State Texas Restaurant cost $26.65 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.88 Markup 105.9%
Rank 85 City Las Vegas State Nevada Restaurant cost $32.86 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.84 Markup 66.9%
Rank 86 City Plano State Texas Restaurant cost $33.16 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.52 Markup 64.4%
Rank 87 City Boise State Idaho Restaurant cost $34.76 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.98 Markup 55.3%
Rank 88 City Albuquerque State New Mexico Restaurant cost $21.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.33 Markup 150.8%
Rank 89 City Winston-Salem State North Carolina Restaurant cost $32.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $52.20 Markup 59.8%
Rank 90 City Baltimore State Maryland Restaurant cost $26.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $51.89 Markup 96.9%
Rank 91 City Oklahoma City State Oklahoma Restaurant cost $30.26 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $51.86 Markup 71.4%
Rank 92 City Lubbock State Texas Restaurant cost $31.57 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $51.59 Markup 63.4%
Rank 93 City Tulsa State Oklahoma Restaurant cost $21.53 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $50.85 Markup 136.2%
Rank 94 City Fort Worth State Texas Restaurant cost $29.74 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $50.49 Markup 69.8%
Rank 95 City Wichita State Kansas Restaurant cost $30.66 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $49.39 Markup 61.1%
Rank 96 City El Paso State Texas Restaurant cost $28.36 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.58 Markup 71.3%
Rank 97 City Fort Wayne State Indiana Restaurant cost $32.56 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.35 Markup 48.5%
Rank 98 City Garland State Texas Restaurant cost $28.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $47.95 Markup 68.5%
Rank 99 City Irving State Texas Restaurant cost $30.46 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $47.21 Markup 55.0%
Rank 100 City Laredo State Texas Restaurant cost $28.04 Average cost on food apps (with tip) $45.39 Markup 61.9%

How has this changed since 2023?

In 2023, the average delivered order cost $29.87 directly from McDonald's, or $57.87 when delivered. In 2025, the same order cost $36.95 directly from the restaurant and $62.36 when delivered. This is a 23.7% price increase at McDonald's, and a 7.8% increase in delivery costs.

But in some locations, the year-on-year price changes were more significant. For example, Gilbert, Arizona, was also the most expensive city for food delivery in 2023. Back then, the delivery total for the same order was $79.59. This is $11.02 less than the price two years on, which has increased by 14.3%.

The cities that saw the biggest increase in food delivery costs since 2023

On average, food delivery costs increased by $4.49. But this varied city-by-city. In Norfolk, Virginia, the overall food delivery costs increased by $22.74 (from $48.48 to $71) – the greatest two-year increase in the study. In comparison, if someone were collecting the same order directly from McDonald's, there was a more moderate $6.49 increase - $16.25 less than the price increase via the apps.

Food delivery prices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, increased by $13.81 since 2023, and $12.40 in Atlanta, Georgia (the second and third greatest increases).

There were 11 cities in the study where the delivery costs for the orders had fallen. However, these differences were slight. In Chula Vista, California, the average delivery cost was $3.90 cheaper, in San Francisco, California, it was $3.31 cheaper, and in Tampa, Florida, the average delivery cost was $3.01 cheaper.

Which city is the cheapest for food delivery?

For the same order, Laredo, Texas, had the lowest price when using food delivery apps ($45.39). Irving, also in Texas, took the second-top spot at $47.21. Here are the top five cheapest cities in the U.S. for food delivery apps:

  1. Laredo, Texas ($45.39)
  2. Irving, Texas ($47.21)
  3. Garland, Texas ($47.95)
  4. Fort Wayne, Indiana ($48.35)
  5. El Paso, Texas ($48.58)

Food delivery app price markups

While the outright cost gives us an idea of how expensive food delivery apps can be, it’s also important to consider the data with respect to the local area. To do this, the study compared the average price of using each food delivery app against the price of the same order directly from the restaurant (McDonald’s in this study).

A McDonald’s order, which cost $36.95 directly from the restaurant, cost an average of $62.36 when purchased via a food delivery app (68.8% more expensive).

Which city has the highest markup on food delivery apps?

While Gilbert charges the most for residents to get their hands on some fast food, New Orleans, Louisiana, was found to have the highest percentage markup (237.8%) when comparing the price of buying directly from the restaurant against the full charges from food delivery apps.

In Madison, Wisconsin, buying directly from McDonald’s would cost just $22.23, whereas the delivery apps charge 208.2% more, totaling $68.52. Phoenix, Arizona, was the third-highest city for delivery app markups (206.4%).

In New Orleans, Louisiana, the cost of the McDonald’s order increased by 237.8% when ordering via a delivery app rather than purchasing directly from the restaurant.

Which city has the lowest markup on food delivery apps?

Anchorage, Alaska, has the lowest markup when using food delivery apps. On average, hungry customers in the city will pay an extra 42.8% for the convenience of having food picked up and delivered. With introductory discounts and occasional discount codes, it could be a no-brainer for Anchorage locals to use those apps to claim food at similar prices to buying directly.

Methodology

The study took data from 100 McDonald’s restaurants in the largest 100 cities in the U.S., with an identical order every time. Researchers on behalf of Self Financial placed prospective orders via Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash using the same restaurant locations and delivery points. [4] Uber Eats. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.ubereats.com [5] Grubhub. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.grubhub.com [6] DoorDash. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.doordash.com All fees were recorded. No ‘new member’ discounts or offers were used or considered in the analysis for apps or in-restaurant fees.

The items included in the order were:

To try and keep orders consistent, the orders were placed in the same destination in each city on all three apps. On average, the destination was kept to 1 mile from the restaurant to the destination, this varied by a margin of 0.1 miles where it was not possible to achieve 1.

Prices were correct as of April 1st, 2025. Data was collected between 5-8 p.m. across weekdays. Previous data was collected on September 25th, 2023, using the same methodology.

Individual McDonald’s restaurant pricing data came from PriceListo, Allmenus, and McMenu. [7] PriceListo. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.pricelisto.com/ [8] AllMenus. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.allmenus.com/ [9] McMenu. Accessed August 20, 2025 https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/full-menu.html McMenu was used as the primary source, with PriceListo and Allmenus used where specific location data was not available. PriceListo verifies restaurants' prices in person through their network, and Allmenus has a database of over 415,000 restaurants across the U.S.

Sources

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