Money The Most Expensive Cities for Food Delivery in the U.S.
For close to four decades, the infamous ‘Big Mac Index’ [1] The Economist, ‘The Big Mac Index’ - May 2022 https://www.economist.com/big-mac-index has shown that you can analyze economic data by using just the price of burgers.
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’ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/technology/personaltech/ubereats-doordash-postmates-grubhub-review.html, research was conducted on behalf of Self Financial looking at how the price of food delivery changes across the U.S. when using different apps and how much more expensive it is to use these platforms than getting the food yourself.
To find out, the research team placed McDonald’s orders in the 98 largest cities in the nation on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. The exact order placed contained a large Quarter Pounder with cheese deluxe meal with fries and Coca-Cola and a large Big Mac meal with fries and Coca-Cola. The orders were kept exactly the same each time to be able to compare the price increase fairly. Here’s what the data found.
Key findings:
- Gilbert, Arizona, is the most expensive city for food delivery apps ($79.59), costing a total of $33.88 more than the cheapest city in the analysis.
- Tucson, Arizona, has the highest price difference (213%) between buying directly from McDonald’s compared to using food delivery apps. ($23.51 vs $73.64).
- Uber Eats is the most expensive app to order food on average across all 98 cities, costing 104.2% more than buying directly.
- Fort Wayne, Indiana is the most affordable city for food delivery apps ($45.71), but Riverside, California had the lowest markup (22%) between restaurant and food delivery app prices.
Which city is the most expensive for food delivery?
Gilbert, Arizona is the most expensive city for food delivery, costing $79.59 for the example order analyzed in this study, which would cost $37.34 when buying directly from McDonald’s, that’s a markup of 113% 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 Tucson, Arizona. More on that later.
The average cost for this same order across the 98 cities in the U.S. analyzed came to $57.87 when using food delivery apps.
Gilbert’s most expensive food delivery app was Uber Eats, costing $84.47, while the most affordable was Grubhub, where the same order cost $76.95. While price differs greatly between cities, it also changes 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.
Top cities ranked by food delivery app cost
Here are the 98 biggest cities in the U.S. ranked by the average order total on food delivery apps.
| Rank | City | State | Restaurant cost | Average cost on food apps (with tip) | Markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | City Tucson | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $23.51 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $73.64 | Markup 213% |
| Rank 2 | City Seattle | State Washington | Restaurant cost $26.17 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $78.52 | Markup 200% |
| Rank 3 | City Philadelphia | State Pennsylvania | Restaurant cost $20.80 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.42 | Markup 195% |
| Rank 4 | City New York | State New York | Restaurant cost $23.67 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.48 | Markup 189% |
| Rank 5 | City St. Louis | State Missouri | Restaurant cost $21.22 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.16 | Markup 184% |
| Rank 6 | City Sacramento | State California | Restaurant cost $24.55 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $69.38 | Markup 183% |
| Rank 7 | City Milwaukee | State Wisconsin | Restaurant cost $20.54 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.85 | Markup 177% |
| Rank 8 | City Reno | State Nevada | Restaurant cost $26.11 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.97 | Markup 122% |
| Rank 9 | City Phoenix | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $21.39 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.08 | Markup 176% |
| Rank 10 | City Toledo | State Ohio | Restaurant cost $21.05 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.79 | Markup 174% |
| Rank 11 | City Denver | State Colorado | Restaurant cost $22.08 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.50 | Markup 174% |
| Rank 12 | City Dallas | State Texas | Restaurant cost $20.38 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $55.60 | Markup 173% |
| Rank 13 | City Cleveland | State Ohio | Restaurant cost $21.45 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.40 | Markup 172% |
| Rank 14 | City Omaha | State Nebraska | Restaurant cost $22.49 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.27 | Markup 163% |
| Rank 15 | City Memphis | State Tennessee | Restaurant cost $22.43 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.81 | Markup 162% |
| Rank 16 | City Greensboro | State North Carolina | Restaurant cost $20.60 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.69 | Markup 161% |
| Rank 17 | City Detroit | State Michigan | Restaurant cost $22.32 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.16 | Markup 156% |
| Rank 18 | City Los Angeles | State California | Restaurant cost $23.07 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.92 | Markup 155% |
| Rank 19 | City Baton Rouge | State Louisiana | Restaurant cost $20.63 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $52.57 | Markup 155% |
| Rank 20 | City Boston | State Massachusetts | Restaurant cost $26.15 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $65.95 | Markup 152% |
| Rank 21 | City Orlando | State Florida | Restaurant cost $23.26 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.32 | Markup 151% |
| Rank 22 | City Virginia Beach | State Virginia | Restaurant cost $19.68 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.99 | Markup 149% |
| Rank 23 | City Lexington | State Kentucky | Restaurant cost $21.69 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.58 | Markup 147% |
| Rank 24 | City Corpus Christi | State Texas | Restaurant cost $21.72 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.61 | Markup 147% |
| Rank 25 | City Bakersfield | State California | Restaurant cost $21.90 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.07 | Markup 142% |
| Rank 26 | City Charlotte | State North Carolina | Restaurant cost $23.97 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.82 | Markup 141% |
| Rank 27 | City Louisville | State Kentucky | Restaurant cost $22.85 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.31 | Markup 138% |
| Rank 28 | City Fresno | State California | Restaurant cost $21.90 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $52.05 | Markup 138% |
| Rank 29 | City Richmond | State Virginia | Restaurant cost $22.59 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.40 | Markup 136% |
| Rank 30 | City Atlanta | State Georgia | Restaurant cost $23.25 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.29 | Markup 133% |
| Rank 31 | City Wichita | State Kansas | Restaurant cost $22.06 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $50.97 | Markup 131% |
| Rank 32 | City Tulsa | State Oklahoma | Restaurant cost $22.19 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $50.99 | Markup 130% |
| Rank 33 | City Fort Wayne | State Indiana | Restaurant cost $19.98 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $45.71 | Markup 129% |
| Rank 34 | City Chicago | State Illinois | Restaurant cost $26.42 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $59.92 | Markup 127% |
| Rank 35 | City Lubbock | State Texas | Restaurant cost $21.40 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.52 | Markup 127% |
| Rank 36 | City Las Vegas | State Nevada | Restaurant cost $23.70 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.54 | Markup 126% |
| Rank 37 | City Albuquerque | State New Mexico | Restaurant cost $22.03 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $49.38 | Markup 124% |
| Rank 38 | City Oklahoma City | State Oklahoma | Restaurant cost $23.47 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $51.02 | Markup 117% |
| Rank 39 | City Indianapolis | State Indiana | Restaurant cost $24.93 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.90 | Markup 116% |
| Rank 40 | City Houston | State Texas | Restaurant cost $22.39 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.10 | Markup 115% |
| Rank 41 | City North Las Vegas | State Nevada | Restaurant cost $31.86 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.28 | Markup 114% |
| Rank 42 | City Gilbert | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $37.34 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $79.59 | Markup 113% |
| Rank 43 | City Cincinnati | State Ohio | Restaurant cost $26.83 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.12 | Markup 113% |
| Rank 44 | City Raleigh | State North Carolina | Restaurant cost $26.47 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.30 | Markup 113% |
| Rank 45 | City Tampa | State Florida | Restaurant cost $29.74 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.08 | Markup 109% |
| Rank 46 | City Austin | State Texas | Restaurant cost $23.87 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $49.62 | Markup 108% |
| Rank 47 | City Anaheim | State California | Restaurant cost $32.17 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $66.22 | Markup 106% |
| Rank 48 | City Winston-Salem | State North Carolina | Restaurant cost $25.84 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $52.38 | Markup 103% |
| Rank 49 | City Irvine | State California | Restaurant cost $36.78 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $74.07 | Markup 101% |
| Rank 50 | City Honolulu | State Hawaii | Restaurant cost $26.99 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.99 | Markup 100% |
| Rank 51 | City Buffalo | State New York | Restaurant cost $34.08 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $67.67 | Markup 99% |
| Rank 52 | City Jersey City | State New Jersey | Restaurant cost $33.23 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $65.07 | Markup 96% |
| Rank 53 | City San Jose | State California | Restaurant cost $29.74 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.22 | Markup 96% |
| Rank 54 | City Pittsburgh | State Pennsylvania | Restaurant cost $28.91 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.58 | Markup 96% |
| Rank 55 | City St. Petersburg | State Florida | Restaurant cost $30.49 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.43 | Markup 85% |
| Rank 56 | City Fort Worth | State Texas | Restaurant cost $26.40 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $47.96 | Markup 82% |
| Rank 57 | City Durham | State North Carolina | Restaurant cost $27.02 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.86 | Markup 81% |
| Rank 58 | City Washington | State District of Columbia | Restaurant cost $37.16 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $67.13 | Markup 81% |
| Rank 59 | City Baltimore | State Maryland | Restaurant cost $27.62 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $49.66 | Markup 80% |
| Rank 60 | City Jacksonville | State Florida | Restaurant cost $34.86 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.91 | Markup 78% |
| Rank 61 | City New Orleans | State Louisiana | Restaurant cost $39.94 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $70.68 | Markup 77% |
| Rank 62 | City Santa Ana | State California | Restaurant cost $32.92 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.08 | Markup 76% |
| Rank 63 | City Hialeah | State Florida | Restaurant cost $35.41 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.41 | Markup 76% |
| Rank 64 | City Oakland | State California | Restaurant cost $36.32 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.14 | Markup 74% |
| Rank 65 | City San Francisco | State California | Restaurant cost $43.25 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $75.04 | Markup 74% |
| Rank 66 | City Chula Vista | State California | Restaurant cost $37.38 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.81 | Markup 71% |
| Rank 67 | City Long Beach | State California | Restaurant cost $31.86 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.88 | Markup 69% |
| Rank 68 | City Plano | State Texas | Restaurant cost $31.37 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $52.35 | Markup 67% |
| Rank 69 | City Portland | State Oregon | Restaurant cost $38.05 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.37 | Markup 67% |
| Rank 70 | City Aurora | State Colorado | Restaurant cost $32.65 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.35 | Markup 66% |
| Rank 71 | City Garland | State Texas | Restaurant cost $29.72 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $49.19 | Markup 66% |
| Rank 72 | City Madison | State Wisconsin | Restaurant cost $39.64 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $65.17 | Markup 64% |
| Rank 73 | City Colorado Springs | State Colorado | Restaurant cost $34.83 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.78 | Markup 63% |
| Rank 74 | City Fremont | State California | Restaurant cost $37.66 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.77 | Markup 61% |
| Rank 75 | City Kansas City | State Missouri | Restaurant cost $38.82 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.17 | Markup 60% |
| Rank 76 | City El Paso | State Texas | Restaurant cost $29.83 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $47.02 | Markup 58% |
| Rank 77 | City St. Paul | State Minnesota | Restaurant cost $34.55 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.45 | Markup 58% |
| Rank 78 | City Chandler | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $37.34 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.55 | Markup 57% |
| Rank 79 | City Henderson | State Nevada | Restaurant cost $40.62 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $63.14 | Markup 55% |
| Rank 80 | City Scottsdale | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $39.24 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $60.91 | Markup 55% |
| Rank 81 | City San Diego | State California | Restaurant cost $43.94 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $68.18 | Markup 55% |
| Rank 82 | City Lincoln | State Nebraska | Restaurant cost $36.57 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.51 | Markup 55% |
| Rank 83 | City Spokane | State Washington | Restaurant cost $40.08 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $61.71 | Markup 54% |
| Rank 84 | City Glendale | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $35.36 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.91 | Markup 52% |
| Rank 85 | City Nashville | State Tennessee | Restaurant cost $34.20 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $51.78 | Markup 51% |
| Rank 86 | City Columbus | State Ohio | Restaurant cost $38.05 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $57.04 | Markup 50% |
| Rank 87 | City Miami | State Florida | Restaurant cost $38.14 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $56.87 | Markup 49% |
| Rank 88 | City Arlington | State Texas | Restaurant cost $32.21 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $47.79 | Markup 48% |
| Rank 89 | City San Antonio | State Texas | Restaurant cost $33.65 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $49.63 | Markup 47% |
| Rank 90 | City Mesa | State Arizona | Restaurant cost $42.28 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $62.04 | Markup 47% |
| Rank 91 | City Chesapeake | State Virginia | Restaurant cost $38.51 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.19 | Markup 41% |
| Rank 92 | City Irving | State Texas | Restaurant cost $33.44 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $47.02 | Markup 41% |
| Rank 93 | City Anchorage | State Alaska | Restaurant cost $45.75 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $64.09 | Markup 40% |
| Rank 94 | City Newark | State New Jersey | Restaurant cost $41.98 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $58.77 | Markup 40% |
| Rank 95 | City Minneapolis | State Minnesota | Restaurant cost $38.87 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $54.27 | Markup 40% |
| Rank 96 | City Norfolk | State Virginia | Restaurant cost $36.57 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $48.48 | Markup 33% |
| Rank 97 | City Boise | State Idaho | Restaurant cost $40.77 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $53.61 | Markup 32% |
| Rank 98 | City Riverside | State California | Restaurant cost $45.46 | Average cost on food apps (with tip) $55.66 | Markup 22% |
Which city is the cheapest for food delivery?
For the same order, Fort Wayne, Indiana, had the lowest price when using food delivery apps ($45.71). El Paso and Irving, both in Texas, took the second-top spot at $47.02. Here are the top five cheapest cities in the U.S. for food delivery apps:
- For Wayne, Indiana ($47.51)
- El Paso, Texas ($47.02)
- Irving, Texas ($47.02)
- Arlington, Texas ($47.79)
- Fort Worth, Texas ($47.96)
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 in respect to the local area. To do this, the study compared the average price of using each food delivery app against the price of buying the same order directly from the restaurant (McDonald’s in this study).
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, Tucson, Arizona was found to have the highest percentage markup (213%) when comparing the price of buying directly from the restaurant against the full charges from food delivery apps.
In Tucson, buying directly from McDonald’s would cost just $23.51, whereas the delivery apps charge 213% more totaling $73.64. Seattle, Washington was the second-highest city for delivery app markups (200%), followed by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a markup of 195%.
Which city has the lowest markup on food delivery apps?
Riverside, California has the lowest markup when using food delivery apps. On average, hungry customers in the city will only pay an extra 22% for the convenience of having food picked up and delivered. With introductory discounts and occasional 10% off codes, it could be a no-brainer for Riverside locals to use those apps to claim food at similar prices to buying directly.
Which food delivery app is the most expensive?
Uber Eats was found to be the most expensive food delivery app in the U.S. costing $61 for the analyzed order, 104.2% more than buying directly from the restaurant. Overall, it’s expected that by using food delivery apps, the average consumer pays 93.8% more than if they were to go to McDonald’s and buy directly.
Here is how the average markup changes when using different food delivery apps.
Average markup on food delivery apps:
GrubHub has a slightly lower markup percentage (86.9%), followed by DoorDash (90.1%) 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats | $61.00 | 104.2% |
| GrubHub | $55.84 | 86.9% |
| DoorDash | $56.79 | 90.1% |
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 our order when compared to buying directly:
| UberEats | GrubHub | DoorDash | Restaurant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food* | UberEats $38.12 | GrubHub $38.19 | DoorDash $38.27 | Restaurant $28.33 |
| Sales tax | UberEats $3.27 | GrubHub $3.45 | DoorDash $3.19 | Restaurant $1.54 |
| Service fee | UberEats $6.51 | GrubHub $4.96 | DoorDash $5.56 | Restaurant - |
| Delivery fee | UberEats $4.87 | GrubHub $1.77 | DoorDash $2.28 | Restaurant - |
| Other costs** | UberEats $0.26 | GrubHub $0.20 | DoorDash $0.08 | Restaurant - |
| Tip (15%) | UberEats $7.95 | GrubHub $7.28 | DoorDash $7.39 | Restaurant - |
| Total | UberEats $61.00 | GrubHub $55.84 | DoorDash $56.79 | Restaurant $29.87 |
| Markup | UberEats 104.21% | GrubHub 86.94% | DoorDash 90.11% | Restaurant - |
*Order analyzed consisted of: Big Mac Large meal with fries and Coca-Cola, Quarter pounder with cheese deluxe meal Large (with fries and Coca-Cola), 6 pc. Chicken nuggets happy meal with fries and water, Hamburger happy meal with fries and water.
While the price of food alone was 34.80% 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 93.8% markup when using food delivery apps–you’re not just paying a courier to deliver your food.
Ordering takeout vs cooking at home
Using prices from Walmart, we found that cooking the same order (measured by exact weight) would cost $9.16, around 54.36% cheaper than buying it from McDonald’s ($20.07).
This may not be that surprising as getting takeout is almost always going to be more expensive than making it yourself since you pay for the convenience of your food being prepared, cooked, and (in this study) delivered after all.
If you are looking to save some money, it can help to think in terms of how many dollars you’re saving every time you don’t order takeout. Across a full year, these small lifestyle changes can add up, but also, it’s okay to treat yourself if you need it. If you changed a monthly McDonald’s to an at-home alternative, you could save $130.92 in one year while still eating the same food.
Methodology
The study took data from 98 McDonald’s restaurants in the largest 98 cities in the U.S. with an identical order every time. Researchers on behalf of Self Financial placed orders via Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash using the same restaurant locations and delivery points. 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:
- Big Mac Large meal with fries and Coca-Cola
- Quarter pounder with cheese deluxe meal Large (with fries and Coca-Cola)
- 6 pc. Chicken nuggets happy meal with fries and water
- Hamburger happy meal with fries and water
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 restaurant to destination, this varied by a margin of 0.1 miles where it was not possible to achieve 1.
Prices were correct as of September 25th 2023. Data was collected between 5-8 p.m. across weekdays.
Individual McDonald’s restaurant pricing data came from PriceListo, Allmenus, and McMenu. PriceListo verifies restaurants' prices in person through their network and Allmenus has a database of over 415,000 restaurants across the U.S.
Sources
- [1] The Economist, ‘The Big Mac Index’ - May 2022 https://www.economist.com/big-mac-index
- [2] New York Times, ‘Up to 91% More Expensive: How Delivery Apps Eat Up Your Budget’ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/technology/personaltech/ubereats-doordash-postmates-grubhub-review.html
- [3] PriceListo https://www.pricelisto.com/
- [4] AllMenus https://www.allmenus.com/
- [5] McMenu https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/full-menu.html
