In the past few years food delivery apps, like Uber Eats and GrubHub, have become the go-to when you don't want to leave the house.
Gone are the days when you had to choose between pizza and your local Chinese place for takeout — now you can have just about any food imagined delivered to your doorstep within an hour.
Postmates was founded in San Francisco in 2011. The app was designed to be "a remote control for your city" that allowed you to have food and other services delivered to your door at will.
The idea itself actually predated the smartphone, but the company's ability to put it in an app is what allowed it to survive and eventually be copied by dozens of others.
One of the cool things about Postmates, though, is that it isn't just for food delivery.
The idea behind Postmates was that you could have anything delivered — and it's slowly on the way to fulfilling that dream.
Besides takeout, you can also order delivery from certain grocery stores, pharmacies, and even electronics and liquor stores, depending on where you live and which nearby stores are available.
Now, it is worth noting that Postmates is a tad more expensive than other delivery apps. On top of a delivery charge that can run between $3.99 and $5.99, they also charge a 9% service fee.
There is also a small-cart fee of $1.99 if your order is below $12, or $10 if you're in Los Angeles.
However, there is a silver lining because if you use Postmates often enough, there is a cheaper alternative to paying the delivery fee every time.
Postmates Unlimited costs $9.99 a month and gives you unlimited free delivery from any partner companies or merchants, as long as your order is over $12.
Postmates Unlimited members also get extra benefits like exclusive offers, access to events and giveaways, and no delivery hikes on orders under $12, even during peak hours.
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How to use Postmates
Using Postmates is about as simple as any other delivery app.
First, of course, you should download the app on your iPhone or Android and create an account, if you don't already have one.
To browse the options available closest to you, simply scroll in the main menu when you open the app. You can use the tabs at the top to select whether you'd like to order delivery or pickup.
You can also use the "Party" option, which rewards you with free delivery for ordering from businesses that are popular at that moment. These orders are timed and you only have a few minutes to secure your free delivery before the list is updated.
If you're looking for something specific, use the search bar in the top-right corner of the app. You can tap one of the suggestions, like "Sushi" or "Thai." You can also enter the name of a specific restaurant or item to get more specific.
To access your account info and see your recent orders and available promos, or to get support or join Postmates Unlimited, tap the account icon in the top-left corner.
If you want to change the specifics of your account, like contact info, addresses, and payment, tap the settings button in the top-left corner of your account menu.
The other thing you need to know about Postmates is that they often run promos, both for free delivery and discounts or free trials of their unlimited service, so be on the lookout for those.
How to use gift cards on Postmates and where to purchase them
How to tip your delivery person on Postmates, and what to do if there's an issue with your order
How to cancel a Postmates order, whether you've just ordered it or scheduled it in advance
'Can you pay cash for Uber Eats?': Yes, but not in the U.S. — here's how to pay for Uber Eats in all locations
How to redeem an Uber gift card and use it to pay for your rides
Melanie Weir
Freelance author
Melanie Weir is a freelance author for Insider, mainly focusing on the Tech Reference section, but occasionally contributing to Lifestyle and Entertainment topics as well. She is also a freelance writer for ScreenRant, and is the Lead Weekend News Editor at TheThings.com. In her spare time she writes plays for both stage and screen. She can be reached atmelanie.weir1008@gmail.com, orthrough LinkedIn.
Postmates is a goods and food delivery service that allows customers to order almost anything they want, including personal items, groceries and restaurant meals.
People can order anything from anywhere in the city using Postmates. Within an hour, the order is delivered to the customer's home. Postmates is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Customers may track their orders once they've been placed.
Download the Postmates App and Start Making Deliveries
This app will serve as your primary tool for accepting and completing delivery requests. Once you're all set up, you can start making deliveries and earning money.
You can tip on Postmates as soon as your food is delivered, just by opening the app. When you tip on Postmates, you can pick between default amounts of 10%, 15%, and 20%, or set a custom tip. If there was an issue with your order, you can report it in lieu of tipping.
The extra costs are highest on Postmates, where higher prices, service fees, and a tip for the worker delivering the food increased the cost of orders by 105% on average. DoorDash was the second-highest at 95%, while Grubhub came in third at 93%. Uber Eats had the lowest markup — but it was still 80%.
The order process is much simpler with Uber Eats delivery. Unlike Postmates, Uber Eats drivers deliver only restaurant food and the food is ready when the driver arrives at the restaurant.
Overall, working as a Postmates delivery driver can be a rewarding experience, offering flexibility, independence, and opportunities to earn extra income. However, it's essential to consider the potential challenges such as inconsistent earnings and vehicle - more...
Instacart is recognized as the food delivery app with the best initial compensation for its drivers. On average, drivers for Instacart can earn about $30 per hour, with a typical range of $26 to $32 per hour, which can vary based on the city.
Postmates Inc. is a food delivery service, founded in 2011, and acquired by Uber in 2020. It offers local delivery of restaurant-prepared meals and other goods. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
In every instance when the food costs topped $75, Grubhub was either the cheapest or essentially tied with Uber Eats, and both Uber Eats and Grubhub were cheaper than DoorDash. This is likely due to DoorDash's fixed 15% service charge that climbs in congruence with your bill.
While Postmates can encourage you to tip, it is not compulsory. It makes sense for Postmates to encourage tipping as it boosts drivers' pay at no cost to themselves. If customers don't tip, it would likely result in fewer drivers on the road, resulting in higher prices for customers.
After your order arrives, you'll be prompted to add a rating and tip for the delivery person. You can: Follow the onscreen prompts to add your rating and view your current tip amount. Tap Edit to change the amount.
Postmates partners with a wide range of local merchants, including restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers, allowing customers to choose from vast products and services. You can order food from your favorite restaurants, groceries from your preferred grocery store, and other items from local retailers in one app.
Working for Postmates is a mixed bag of both good and bad. I like that I can work whenever I want and that I can pick and choose which order to accept. The tips can also be good some of the time. The problems i had were that it's mostly a part time gig.
Postmates is a convenient option for busy people who need access to take-out or grocery items. Though its delivery fees are higher than similar services, many find the ability to have food, drinks and staples delivered worth the cost. We recommend Postmates for its extensive variety and intuitive app.
Besides takeout, you can also order delivery from certain grocery stores, pharmacies, and even electronics and liquor stores, depending on where you live and which nearby stores are available. Now, it is worth noting that Postmates is a tad more expensive than other delivery apps.
Hobby: Shopping, Table tennis, Snowboarding, Rafting, Motor sports, Homebrewing, Taxidermy
Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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