EatStreet Vs. DoorDash: Which Food Delivery Service Is Better?

Food delivery apps have become extremely popular in recent years. With just a few taps on your smartphone, you can have meals from your favorite restaurants delivered right to your door. Two of the biggest names in food delivery are EatStreet and DoorDash.

But which one is better for customers? Here is an in-depth look at the pros and cons of EatStreet and DoorDash to help you decide.

A Brief Comparison Table

Feature	EatStreet	DoorDash
Founded	2010	2013
Headquarters	Madison, WI	San Francisco, CA
Restaurant selection	More local & suburban options	More national chains & urban options
Average delivery time	40-50 minutes	30-35 minutes
Order minimum	None	$10 minimum in some markets
Rewards program	Yes	No
Order ahead	Yes, up to 24 hrs	No
Pricing model	Fixed fees	Fees based on distance
Driver fleet size	Smaller	Larger
Driver pay	Per order	Per order + tips
Support channels	Chat, email, phone	Chat, phone
Charitable giving	Yes	No
Restaurant commission	15%	15-30%
Restaurant hardware	Free tablet	$200 for tablet

Overview Of EatStreet And DoorDash

EatStreet

Founded in 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin, EatStreet is an online and mobile food ordering service. They partner with over 15,000 restaurants in over 500 cities to provide delivery for restaurants that don’t normally offer it. Customers can search for local restaurants, browse menus, and place orders for delivery or takeout. EatStreet makes money by charging restaurants a commission for using their platform.

DoorDash

Launching in 2013 in Palo Alto, California, DoorDash is now the leading food delivery app in the United States. They offer delivery from over 390,000 stores in more than 4,000 cities. With DoorDash, local restaurants can outsource delivery to DoorDash drivers, called Dashers. Customers pay DoorDash a series of fees for facilitating the delivery.

Also Read: Comparion Between Favor and Instacart

EatStreet Pros

• Wider variety of restaurants – EatStreet tends to have more menu options to choose from, including many local restaurants that don’t deliver on their own. Their goal is to enable delivery for as many restaurants as possible.
• Better for suburban areas – Doordash focuses more on major cities. EatStreet caters well to suburban neighborhoods that still have great local restaurants worth ordering from.
• Rewards program – EatStreet has a rewards program that gives you points for each order. You can redeem points for free delivery and other discounts. DoorDash does not currently have a rewards program.
• Order ahead – You can place an order up to 24 hours in advance with EatStreet, which is convenient for groups or planned meals. DoorDash requires more immediate ordering.
• Charitable components – Part of EatStreet’s pricing goes towards supporting charities that fight hunger, which appeals to socially-conscious customers.

DoorDash Pros

• Bigger restaurant selection in cities – DoorDash generally has more options in major metropolitan areas, including national chains and local hot spots. This gives you more variety without having to toggle between apps.
• Faster delivery – DoorDash focuses heavily on speed, with an average delivery time under 35 minutes. EatStreet deliveries can take 10-15 minutes longer on average.
• More premium features – DoorDash offers upgraded services like DashPass subscription for free delivery and Caviar for higher-end restaurants. EatStreet doesn’t have as many premium features.
• Larger driver fleet – The sheer size of DoorDash’s driver network (called Dashers) means there is likely to be one available near you at peak times. EatStreet has fewer drivers on the road.
• Better deals and discounts – DoorDash regularly offers promos and discounts such as $5 off or free delivery on your first order. EatStreet promotions are less frequent.

Pricing And Fees Comparison

Both platforms make money by charging fees to the customer – so your price is higher than just the menu price. Here’s how EatStreet and DoorDash pricing shakes out:

• EatStreet charges a delivery fee of around $3-5 as well as a service fee up to 10%. So a $20 meal would be $23-25 after fees.
• DoorDash charges a delivery fee of $2-10 based on distance plus a service fee around 10%. They also sometimes include a small order fee if your subtotal is low. A $20 meal can end up being $25-30.
• DoorDash fees are generally more expensive. But they offer more coupons and discounts, while EatStreet doesn’t discount fees as frequently.
• EatStreet has a flat rate delivery fee regardless of distance from the restaurant. DoorDash fees get higher the further away you are.
• For a larger order from the same restaurant, EatStreet delivery costs will be a lower percentage since fees are fixed. DoorDash charges scale up.

So EatStreet can provide better value for big orders from a single restaurant you don’t live too far from. DoorDash ends up cheaper for small orders after promos and discounts.

Also Read: Is DoorDash Better Than Favor?

Order Tracking And Support

Knowing when your food will arrive and getting help if needed is important. Here is how the two apps stack up:

• Tracking – You can track your driver’s location in real-time on both apps. DoorDash also provides ETAs and push notifications if the delivery is early or late.
• Driver communication – Both apps allow you to call or text your driver through the app for simple messages like gate codes. DoorDash makes communication a bit easier.
• Support – EatStreet has in-app live chat, email support, and phone support. DoorDash offers these options as well, but has been criticized for long support response times.
• Refunds – Getting refunds for missing or incorrect items is relatively smooth with both services. EatStreet makes it easy to request a refund directly in the app.

For order issues, the support experience is likely to be similar across both apps. DoorDash may have a slight edge with more proactive ETAs and driver communication tools. But EatStreet still provides solid support channels.

Restaurant Offerings And Menus

The variety and accuracy of menus is critical – nobody wants to order from an outdated menu! Here’s how the two services compare:

• Restaurant variety – In smaller towns, EatStreet likely has more local restaurants on board. DoorDash has wider national chains and more ethnic options in big cities.
• Menu accuracy – Both apps work directly with restaurants to integrate menus. However, EatStreet seems to do a better job keeping items and prices perfectly in sync.
• Availability – DoorDash offers more real-time inventory like showing if items are sold out. EatStreet’s menus can sometimes have unavailable dishes still listed.
• Order accuracy – There are mixed reports on both platforms about receiving the wrong or forgotten items. Likely correlated to the individual restaurant more than the service.

While DoorDash may have faster menu updates, both platforms do a decent job representing restaurant menu offerings. EatStreet menus tend to be a little more static but also accurate to what you actually receive.

Which Service Should Restaurants Use?

For restaurants deciding which delivery service to enable, here are a few key factors to consider:

• Market reach – DoorDash has the bigger customer base especially in cities. But EatStreet focuses more on giving suburban local restaurants a delivery option.
• Fees and commissions – EatStreet has a flat 15% commission on orders Vs. DoorDash’s commissions from 15-30%. For high volume, DoorDash can cost more.
• Tablet setup – EatStreet provides a free tablet to manage orders. DoorDash charges $200 for their tablet.
• Too much competition? – Having more delivery options is not always better. Some restaurants purposely use only EatStreet or DoorDash to avoid splitting delivery business.

Weigh the commission structures, hardware costs, and your target geography and customer base. In some markets EatStreet makes more sense, while DoorDash delivers advantages in others.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Also Read: Choose Between Imperfect Foods And Hungryroot.

Conclusion

In summary, both EatStreet and DoorDash offer conveniences that didn’t exist 10 years ago. DoorDash is the 800 pound gorilla with all the leading features, while EatStreet excels at helping expand delivery options for more restaurants.

Ultimately choosing between them depends on your location, preferred restaurants, order habits, and pricing sensitivity. But both provide an essential service for connecting restaurants and hungry foodies.