Uber Eats makes ordering food a super accessible convenience. But what do you do when you accidentally order the wrong thing or have to cancel your order at the last minute?
Fortunately, you can cancel an order via Uber Eats—though there’s some important information you should familiarize yourself with.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to cancel an Uber Eats order, and also tell you when it’s too late to cancel, for those instances when you can’t make up your mind at all, or the restaurant has already accepted and started to prepare your food.
Is It Possible to Cancel an Uber Eats Order?
Yes, you can cancel an Uber Eats order — what matters is when you do it. As long as the restaurant hasn’t begun cooking your food and a delivery driver hasn’t been assigned to pick it up, it’s easy, and usually free, to cancel.
But if the restaurant has already begun preparing your order or your delivery person is on his or her way to pick it up, you might be allowed to cancel, but will not get all the money back.
How to Cancel Your Uber Eats Order
Here’s how to cancel your Uber Eats order quickly with very few taps:
1. Open the Uber Eats App
Unlock your phone and launch the Uber Eats app. Be sure you’re logged into the account that you made your purchase with.
2. Go to “Orders”
Touch the profile icon or menu (☰) in the lower-right corner of your screen. Scroll down to “Orders” to take a look at your past and current orders.
3. Choose the Active Order You Wish to Cancel
Look for the order you wish to cancel. It will show up under “Upcoming” or “Ongoing Orders.” Tap on that to see additional information.
4. Tap “Help”
In the order details section, scroll down and tap the “Help” button. This will take you to a page with support options for your order.
5. Choose “Cancel Order”
Find and choose “Cancel Order” from the options. Uber Eats may inquire why (such as wrong item, changed mind, or delivery takes too long).
6. Confirm Cancellation
The app will let you know a summary on if you are entitled to a refund. If you do, tap “Cancel Order” to confirm.
Will You Get a Refund?
Refunds will be at different amounts depending on how far along an order may be:
• Full Refund: Restaurant hasn’t begun prepping the order and no delivery driver has been assigned.
• Partial or No Refund: The restaurant has already started preparing it, or the delivery driver can’t turn around.
Before canceling, Uber Eats will typically let you know if you aren’t eligible for a full refund, so you have the opportunity to reconsider.
If you think you still deserve a refund after an order has begun to be processed, you can always go back to the Help section and “Report an Issue” to request that your case be reviewed.
What if You Can’t Cancel in the App?
If you can’t cancel via the above steps (maybe the app crashes, or your purchase doesn’t show up), give this a go:
• Reboot the App: Close and launch Uber Eats again to update the order status.
• Get in Touch with Uber Eats Support: Open the Help section or use the website to contact customer service.
Preventing the Cancellation
Here are some tips to prevent the need for cancellation:
• Before tapping “Place Order,” make sure you’re double-checking your order.
• Check the recipient’s delivery address and payment method.
• Do not place an order too far in advance of when you will be ready to eat.
• Review the estimated delivery times to avoid any delays or unpleasant surprises.
Final Thoughts
You can cancel an Uber Eats order, but you need to be quick about it. The secret is to nix that reservation before the restaurant begins to make your meal. Be sure to recheck your order and delivery information to cut down on errors. If you must cancel, the steps above can make it easy to do—and perhaps with a full refund.
Still need help with an existing order or refund request? Help: Bam, Uber Eats has your back straight from the app; it can be found in the “Help” section.