Missing food, a wrong order, or a delivery that never arrived? For a U.S. order, start with the app or restaurant that accepted it, report the problem through the order record, and ask for a specific remedy. Save the receipt, delivery status, messages, and photos before contacting support.

An app's estimated arrival time, GPS pin, or membership benefit doesn't by itself guarantee a particular refund. The platform's current order or billing policy usually controls its first decision. A later payment dispute is a separate process handled by your card issuer or other payment provider.

Who handles a food delivery problem?

Several businesses may be involved in one order:

• The delivery platform keeps the app order record, processes support requests, and may offer a refund, credit, replacement, or other adjustment under its policy.
• The restaurant prepares and packages the food. It is usually the first contact for an order placed directly with the restaurant.
• The courier picks up and drops off the order. Delivery status, location information, and a drop-off photo may help establish what happened.
• The payment provider processes the charge. A card transaction dispute is separate from the restaurant's or platform's refund decision.

If you ordered through DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub, begin with the order's help or support option in that service. If the restaurant charged you directly, contact the restaurant first. Don't assume a restaurant can reverse a payment collected by an app.

Identify the problem before requesting a remedy

Choose the description that matches what happened. Accurate details make it easier for support to review the order.

A missing side dish is different from an order that never arrived. A duplicate charge is different from a food-quality complaint. Report the facts as they are rather than choosing a category only because it appears to offer a better result.

How to request a food delivery refund

1. Preserve the order record

Before throwing away the packaging or closing a support chat, save:

• The order number, restaurant name, date, and time
• The itemized receipt and final amount
• Screenshots of the estimated or actual delivery status
• Any delivery photo, map location, or courier message
• Photos of the bag, seal, packaging, and items you received
• The date and time you contacted support
• The support case number and the response

For missing or incorrect items, DoorDash asks customers to provide clear, original photos with all delivered items visible and unwrapped. Its official help page for missing or incorrect items gives the current instructions.

Only share the information needed to identify the order. Don't send a complete card number or other unnecessary account credentials in a chat or photo.

2. Use the order-specific support channel

Open the affected order in the app or on the platform's website and select the closest issue category. Order-level support can connect your report to the receipt, restaurant, courier, and delivery record.

For a delivery marked complete but not received, include the location where you looked and any mismatch between the delivery photo or instructions and your address. DoorDash says it investigates reports of orders that never arrived; its official guidance for a missing delivery directs customers to support.

Uber Eats and Grubhub may use different menu names or support flows. Use the current option attached to the order instead of relying on an old walkthrough.

3. State exactly what you want

The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to explain the problem clearly and say what they want the business to do. A useful request could look like this:

Order [number] from [restaurant] on [date] was missing [item] and arrived with [specific problem]. I’ve attached the receipt and photos. I’m requesting a refund for [item or order] to the original payment method. Please confirm the amount and whether this will be a refund or account credit.

You can request a replacement, a partial refund, or a full refund depending on the problem. The platform may offer a different remedy under its policy, but being specific prevents confusion about whether you accepted a credit or asked for money back.

4. Confirm what the resolution covers

A delivery receipt can contain separate charges for food, tax, delivery, service, small-order, membership, and tip. Ask which parts of the transaction are included in the proposed adjustment.

A refund returns money through the payment process. An account credit is value available for a later order. A replacement provides the missing or corrected food. These aren't interchangeable, so check the amount, destination, and any terms before closing the case.

What if the app denies the refund?

A denial doesn't necessarily settle the issue, but repeated messages without new information rarely help. Use a short escalation:

1. Reply through the same case and restate the order number, problem, evidence, and requested remedy.
2. Ask whether the case can receive a manual or supervisor review.
3. Save the response, including any stated reason for the denial.
4. Send a written complaint if in-app support doesn't resolve it.

The FTC's consumer guidance on resolving problems with a business recommends keeping notes about your efforts and saving copies of online forms, chats, and letters. Include the date of each contact and a daytime phone number if you write to an agency or business.

Consider a payment dispute separately

If you paid by credit card, debit card, or another payment method and the platform or restaurant won't resolve an authorized purchase, contact the payment provider and ask whether its transaction-dispute process applies. The provider may have its own deadline, evidence requirements, and eligibility rules.

Give a truthful description, such as “order not received,” “wrong items,” or “service problem.” Don't describe an ordinary delivery mistake as an unauthorized or fraudulent transaction. A payment dispute is not the same as a platform refund, and starting one doesn't guarantee that the charge will be reversed.

Report suspected deceptive conduct

The FTC isn't the normal first stop for a cold meal, missing side, or delayed order. Use the platform's support process for those issues.

If you believe a company used a scam, illegal business practice, or repeated deceptive conduct, you can file a report through the FTC's ReportFraud.gov complaint service. Reports help the FTC and other law enforcement agencies identify patterns; they aren't a substitute for requesting a refund from the business.

For a significant unresolved loss, you can also check your state's consumer-protection agency or small-claims procedure. Claim limits and court rules vary by state. FTC guidance notes that some states set small-claims limits as high as $25,000.

Handle membership charges separately

DashPass, Grubhub+, and similar memberships are recurring billing arrangements, not individual meal orders. Treat these as two separate tasks:

• Cancel future membership billing through the platform's current account or membership controls.
• Save the cancellation confirmation and date.
• Contact billing support separately about a renewal that has already posted.
• Check whether a meal refund was issued as money or credit; don't assume it also cancels a membership.

Old third-party cancellation guides may show outdated screens. Use the account controls currently displayed by the platform and keep a screenshot or confirmation email.

A special note about Grubhub FTC refunds

The FTC's Grubhub refunds page describes a specific enforcement-related payment program for drivers and diners harmed by alleged deceptive or unlawful conduct. That program is separate from the ordinary process for a missing or incorrect Grubhub order.

If you receive a notice about that program, use the contact information and instructions on the FTC page. Its existence doesn't create a blanket refund for every Grubhub customer or replace normal order support.

Frequently asked questions

How soon should I report a missing or wrong food order?

Report it as soon as you notice the problem and check the platform's current instructions for that order. The research available here doesn't establish one universal 48-hour deadline for every delivery app, order type, or payment method.

Can I require the app to refund my original payment method?

Ask explicitly for a refund to the original payment method and ask the company to identify any alternative it offers, such as account credit. Whether the platform approves that request depends on its policy and the facts of the order. Keep the written offer and final resolution.

What should I do if the tracking says “delivered” but I have no food?

Check the entrance, building reception, neighbors, and delivery instructions, then report the order as not received through the platform. Include screenshots, the delivery photo if available, and the time you checked. Don't wait to document the issue.

Should I contact the restaurant or the delivery app?

Use the company that took the order or payment as your first support contact. For an app order, that is often the platform. For a direct restaurant order, start with the restaurant. Follow the platform's instructions if it asks you to contact the restaurant as part of its review.

What evidence is most useful?

A receipt, order number, delivery status, photos of the food and packaging, and a dated record of your support contacts are the strongest practical starting points. DoorDash specifically lists clear photos showing the delivered items for missing or incorrect-item reports. Other platforms may request different evidence.

Check the final resolution against your receipt, save the case record, and contact the payment provider only if the platform or restaurant has not resolved the charge and an issuer dispute may apply.