Open the affected order in Uber Eats, select Help, and report the specific problem. Include the order number, explain what was missing or wrong, and state whether you're seeking a review for the whole order or only part of it.

Uber doesn't promise the same result for every late, cold, incomplete, or incorrect order. It reviews the order record and delivery details. The outcome could be a full refund, a partial refund, Uber Cash, another resolution, or a denial.

This information covers U.S. orders. App labels and consumer protections can differ elsewhere.

What Uber Eats may review

Uber's public Order Errors guidance is written for merchants, not customers. It lists examples such as:

• A customer not receiving an order when the restaurant uses its own delivery staff
• A store being marked open after closing, so the order wasn't prepared
• A restaurant accepting an order and then closing before the delivery person arrives
• An order delivered by the restaurant's own staff about 70 minutes or more after the merchant's estimated delivery time

The 70-minute example is narrow. It isn't a blanket customer guarantee that every order more than 70 minutes late qualifies for a refund.

Uber's merchant refund guidance also says refund decisions take multiple factors into account and that Uber uses measures to detect potentially fraudulent reports. That means an eligible issue still goes through a review rather than an automatic approval.

How to request a refund

1. Save the order details

Before throwing away the packaging, capture screenshots of:

• The order number and restaurant
• The items ordered and amount charged
• The promised or latest delivery time
• The delivery status
• Messages with the driver or support

If the food appears spoiled or unsafe, don't eat it to create evidence. Take photographs and keep the packaging if that's practical.

2. Open Help for the affected order

In the Uber Eats app, open Orders, choose the affected order, and tap Help. Select the issue that most closely matches what happened, such as:

• Missing item
• Wrong item
• Order never arrived
• Damaged food
• Billing problem

The labels may change with app versions and locations. If a support case is already open, add new information to that case instead of submitting repeated, duplicate claims.

3. Describe what happened

Give support numbers, times, and item names rather than a broad conclusion such as "the whole order was wrong." Say how many items or bags you received and what was missing.

For example:

Order 1234 was placed at 7:10 p.m. The receipt lists two bags, but only one arrived. The delivered bag is marked "1 of 2." The missing item is the chicken sandwich shown on the receipt. Photos of the bag and receipt are attached. Please review a refund for the undelivered item and any directly associated amount.

For a late delivery, include the ETA shown in the app and the time the food actually arrived. For a duplicate charge, identify whether both charges are pending or posted.

4. Attach evidence that matches the complaint

Useful attachments can include:

• The outside of the bag and its order label
• All bags and items that arrived
• The wrong, damaged, spilled, or spoiled item
• The receipt or in-app item list
• Screenshots showing delivery timing
• A statement or screenshot showing duplicate charges

For a missing item, photograph the entire delivery, not just the space where you expected the item to be. If the order contained multiple bags, show every label. Uber's merchant guidance recommends numbering multiple bags, such as "1 of 2" and "2 of 2"; labels like these can also make a customer's report easier to verify.

5. Report the problem promptly

Uber's merchant-facing guidance says order errors reported more than 96 hours after the order was placed aren't eligible for an order-error adjustment. Because that page is directed at merchants, treat 96 hours as a strong practical reporting limit, not as a promise that a customer claim submitted earlier will be approved.

Report the problem as soon as you notice it. Waiting can make missing bags, delivery times, or food-condition complaints harder to verify.

6. Keep the support record

Save the confirmation, case number, messages, and any resolution Uber offers. If the initial flow doesn't address the issue, reply in the same support thread and ask for a review of the original case. Restate the key facts and attach anything that was missing from the first submission.

How much might be refunded?

The amount depends on the part of the order affected:

• The entire order was not delivered: Ask Uber to review the full order charge.
• Only some items were missing: Identify those items and ask for a review of the missing portion.
• Some items were wrong: List each incorrect item instead of calling the entire order incorrect.
• Food was damaged or spoiled: Request a review for the affected item or items.
• The order was late: Provide the estimated and actual times, but don't assume lateness alone guarantees compensation.

A missing side dish presents a different refund question from an order that never arrived. Clear item-by-item details help support match the complaint to the order record.

Uber Cash, card refunds, and timing

The resolution message should tell you whether Uber offered Uber Cash, another in-app credit, or a refund to the original payment method. These aren't interchangeable:

• Uber Cash or another in-app credit should appear in the account or support message if that's what Uber offered.
• A refund to the original payment method may take additional time to appear on a card or bank statement.
• A pending card authorization may disappear without showing as a separate refund.
• A posted duplicate charge generally requires a billing review rather than simply waiting for an authorization to fall away.

Uber doesn't state one processing time that applies to every complaint. Timing can depend on the resolution, payment method, and bank or card issuer. If Uber says a refund was issued but it doesn't appear after the payment provider's normal posting period, contact Uber with the order number and refund details. You can also ask the bank or card issuer to trace the transaction.

If you want money returned to your card rather than an app credit, say that before accepting a proposed Uber Cash resolution.

California: where AB 578 may matter

California has a separate state-law layer. Assembly Bill 578 took effect on January 1, 2026. The available AB 578 bill record describes refund treatment for an order that wasn't delivered, or for an undelivered portion of an order, including directly associated taxes, fees, or gratuities. The bill materials also contemplate automated customer-service systems and fraud-related review.

Reporting on the measure describes eligible refunds being returned to the original payment method rather than being limited to app credits. It also describes itemized transaction information and access to a human customer-service representative.

AB 578 is not a nationwide Uber Eats policy. Nor does it automatically turn every cold meal, late arrival, taste complaint, or wrong-item dispute into a full refund. A completely undelivered order and one missing item can call for different amounts, and the available bill materials contemplate a fraud-related review.

If you're in California and the problem is nondelivery, use that word in your support request. Ask for an itemized explanation and, if the law applies to the facts, a refund to the original payment method. If the amount is disputed, check the current bill text and implementation details. This is general consumer information, not legal advice.

Retail orders have different return rules

An Uber Eats order from a store may follow the retailer's return policy rather than the restaurant-food complaint flow. Uber Help's retailer return policy gives examples such as:

• Ace Hardware: return or exchange within 30 days with a receipt at the listed store
• AtHome: within 60 days with a receipt at an AtHome location
• Best Buy: within 15 days with a receipt at the listed store
• BLICK Art Materials: within 365 days with a receipt at the listed location

The window can vary by retailer and product. Check the receipt for the retailer named on the order, along with the required return location and documentation.

If Uber denies the request

A denial may reflect a mismatch between the complaint and the evidence, but it isn't always the last support step.

1. Read the reason for denial and check whether Uber misunderstood the issue.
2. Reply in the existing case with a short correction and evidence that addresses that reason.
3. Ask for a manual review if the automated response doesn't answer the facts.
4. If you're making a California nondelivery claim, state the relevant facts and ask which state-law resolution applies.
5. Keep the order record, photos, support messages, and payment statement.

Don't turn a quality or delivery complaint into a false claim that the transaction was unauthorized. Accuracy matters, particularly if you later contact your bank.

When a chargeback may be appropriate

A chargeback is handled by your bank or card issuer. It's separate from an Uber Eats refund, and Uber's 96-hour order-error guidance isn't the deadline for a card dispute.

Ask the issuer about its process if:

• You don't recognize the charge
• You were charged twice and Uber hasn't corrected it
• Uber's support process failed to resolve a legitimate billing problem

Describe the transaction accurately and tell the issuer if Uber has already provided a refund or credit. The bank or card issuer decides whether the dispute fits its rules and deadlines.

Uber's chargeback explainer says merchants often have 30 days or less to respond. That's a merchant response period, not a deadline for you to file a dispute. Keep Uber's messages and any refund details for the issuer.

Common questions

Can I request a refund without a paper receipt?

For a food order, the order history and order number usually provide the transaction details needed to start a claim. Add screenshots and photos if support asks for more information. Retail returns can be different because some retailer policies specifically require a receipt.

Does a late Uber Eats order qualify for a full refund?

Not automatically. Report the estimated time shown in the app, the actual arrival time, and what went wrong. Uber's published 70-minute example is limited to orders delivered by a restaurant's own staff and is merchant-facing guidance, not a blanket promise for every late delivery.

Can Uber refund a missing item instead of the whole order?

Uber can review the affected portion rather than treating every missing item as a full-order loss. List what arrived and what didn't. California's described treatment also distinguishes between a completely undelivered order and an undelivered portion.

What should I do after a denial?

Check the reason, answer in the existing support thread, and attach evidence that directly addresses it. If the dispute concerns an unauthorized or unresolved card charge, ask your bank about its separate dispute process and keep Uber's response for the bank.