Data2025-03-186 min read

How Much Do Americans Really Spend on Food Delivery? (Data Analysis)

We analyzed thousands of transactions to find out what people actually spend on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart.

The Hidden Cost of Convenience

Food delivery has become a daily habit for millions of Americans. But most people drastically underestimate how much they spend on it.

The Numbers

Based on aggregated, anonymized data from Unblur users:

  • Average DoorDash/Uber Eats spending: $250-400/month ($3,000-4,800/year)
  • Average Instacart spending: $400-700/month ($4,800-8,400/year)
  • Combined food delivery: $650-1,100/month ($7,800-13,200/year)

    • That's $8,000-13,000 per year on delivered food alone.

    The Markup Problem

    When you order through a delivery app, you're paying:

  • Menu markup: 15-30% higher than in-store prices
  • Delivery fee: $2-8 per order
  • Service fee: 10-15% of order total
  • Tip: $3-10 per order

    • A $30 in-store grocery run becomes a $45-50 Instacart order. A $15 restaurant meal becomes $25-30 on DoorDash.

    What You Can Do

  • Set a weekly delivery budget: $50/week is $200/month instead of $400+
  • Batch your grocery orders: One Instacart order per week max
  • Use pickup instead of delivery: Save $5-10 per order
  • Cancel DashPass/Instacart+: The subscription makes you order *more*, not less

    • Track Your Own Spending

    Curious what you actually spend? Upload your bank CSVs to Unblur and find out in 30 seconds. You might be surprised.

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