[imagesource: Reuters / Mike Hutchings]

Ignorance is bliss.

For example, if you’re inclined to use food delivery services like Uber Eats or Mr D Food over collecting your chow yourself, you may not know that you’re often paying a hefty price hike for the convenience.

What may cost R150 when ordered and collected from the restaurant itself, can sometimes be R20 more (or worse) when ordered through the likes of Uber Eats and Mr D Food.

This is because they charge the restaurant a commission fee, to pay drivers and sustain their business models. Restaurants often operate on fine profit margins when it comes to food sales, so they hike their own prices as a result.

But you’re in your pyjamas, it’s cold, we’re all lazy, and you are ready to pay the extra dosh to avoid facing the world. I get it.

MyBroadband has run a detailed comparison, breaking down the price differences when ordering from those two delivery services mentioned above.

Uber Eats and Mr D Food will have different agreements in place with restaurants and chains, hence that price difference.

Whilst that difference in price of the food itself was often minimal, MyBroadband said the more important factor is the service fee:

…we found that Mr D Food charged a flat R5, no matter how far the restaurant was from our delivery location.

Uber Eats, however, charged different rates based on what appeared to be distance of the restaurant. These were experienced as follows:

Short distance: 0-2km – R3, Medium distance: 2-3km – R6, Long distance: More than 3km – R9

In addition to these fees, Uber Eats charges a 5% service on the value of an order’s food basket, before adding the delivery fee.

As the size of your Uber Eats order grows, so too does the service fee.

It’s worth looking at the full breakdown to better understand the methodology used, but here’s the gist of the conclusion drawn:

Our comparison of the total price paid showed that in the majority of instances, Mr D Food would be the cheaper choice…

Given that the vast majority of popular restaurants now charge similar or the same prices on either service, the odds are not in Uber Eats’ favour.

Whichever delivery service you use, always remember one thing.

The person who delivered your food, scooting around in the wet, cold weather, is not being paid very well.

If you can fork out for the convenience of not having to leave the couch, you can also fork out for a tip.

See MyBroadband’s full breakdown here.

[source:mybroadband]