Here's the situation: you're hungry. But, you're too busy to cook a meal at home or drive to pick up something to eat. You know you want to order in, but what's the best app to use? The answer might be Foodpanda. This app makes it easy to see all your options, sign up, and get food from local eateries.
However, you should consider a few things before you try the app. Here's everything you need to know about ordering food with the Foodpanda app, plus some pros and cons.
About Food Panda
FoodPanda is a food delivery service that priorities good food and good service. The platform is the largest one of its kind in Asia, and it has had an impact around the world. Using the app, customers can place orders for food or groceries from a list of partner establishments. Then, a Foodpanda biker will pick up that order and deliver it to the customer's address. People use Foodpanda at home, for work, and when traveling.
The app currently operates in over 400 cities in 12 countries:
- Japan
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong
- Philippines
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Cambodia
- Thailand
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
The company is constantly expanding and adding new locations. So, if they don't service your area yet, don't fret! They also have an impressive number of partner restaurants: over 115,000. Users can find anything from popular chain restaurants to local places.
How Foodpanda Works
If you've ever used an app to order food, then you're likely familiar with the user interface of Food Panda. Once you download the Foodpanda app and create an account, you'll click a button that reads "find food now." Then, you'll see a list of restaurants in your city. From there:
- select a restaurant that matches the type of food you want to eat
- browse the menu and add items to your cart
- hit "checkout" and enter your location and payment information (add any coupons you have here)
That's it! After those simple steps, you can sit back and wait for your meal to arrive at your door. Food Panda also makes it easy to narrow down your options if you're feeling overwhelmed. When you browse the app, you can sort restaurants by cuisine or minimum order amount. If you need your food as soon as possible, you can even check the delivery time for each place to see which will be the fastest.
The food delivery service sends your order to the restaurant, and a delivery person will pick it up when it's ready. The app keeps track of your delivery preferences and your past orders, which means re-ordering food is extremely quick.
In some locations, you can even pre-order food. That means you can place an order up to a day before you need it. So, if you know you won't have time to get lunch tomorrow, you can set up a delivery in advance online, so your food comes to you without you having to lift a finger.
What You Can Expect From Your Meal
The items you get depend, of course, on your order. Still, the overall experience is always the same. Once you use the Foodpanda app to order food, you'll get an SMS text message confirming the order and the approximate delivery time. Sadly, you can't track the status of your food in real-time like with other apps. Some apps will tell you when your food is ready, when the driver picks it up, and how long it should take to get to you.
If you have any special requests, make sure you leave comments in the "notes" section of the order page for your delivery person. Also, depending on where you are, you can pay for your delivered meal with either cash or a credit card.
Sample Meals
The options available in the FoodPanda app depend on your location. You can find nearly any cuisine you could want, including burgers, pizza, Thai food, pasta, Indian food, and more. Whether you're ordering family dinner or a solo lunch at your job, there are plenty of ways to make Foodpanda delivery services work for you.
Delivery
Foodpanda provides each customer with an estimated time of delivery as soon as you order. If this time looks long, don't worry. Often, your food will come earlier than planned if your rider isn't delayed. Riders pick up orders from the companies and store the food in an insulated backpack. Then, they bike or drive to your destination.
Costs
Fortunately, Foodpanda frequently offers vouchers, coupons, and discount codes that help customers save money. For example, every customer gets a sign-up discount on their first order. Like many similar services, Foodpanda has a delivery fee that varies depending on your city and the restaurant.
The food delivery service also had minimum order requirements. So, a customer can't just order one small item and have it delivered. However, you can take advantage of this rule by adding an appetizer, drink, or dessert. Or, you can place an order for more than one person and split the cost of the service.
There are several ways users can pay for Foodpanda:
- COD (cash on delivery)
- PayPal
- Debit card
- Credit card
Certain businesses may not accept all forms of payment, so make sure you review the conditions before you check out.
FAQS
Customers enjoy Foodpanda and GrabFood for different reasons. Both food delivery services offer order tracking, lots of choices, and fast delivery. Consider downloading both apps to see how they compare in your area.
Foodpanda has been the subject of a few controversies since 2020. In 2021, some users and restaurant owners boycotted the company after people claimed that it inhibited free speech and had unfair wage policies. However, the company worked quickly to respond and correct these issues.
The Foodpanda delivery fees and service fees depend on your area. Customers can log into their online accounts to see the most current prices.
Other Ways to Use The App
Ordering food for yourself when you're hungry is the app's main function. However, that's not all you can do with it. If you want to get a bit creative, here are other uses for the Foodpanda app:
Deliver Food to a Friend
Know someone who could use a good meal? You can use the app to send them one. Food delivery makes a great gift for any occasion, whether it's a holiday, a birthday, or just because. The surprise will be even better if you know their favorite restaurant. All you need to do is use your friend's address instead of yours at the checkout page. Just make sure they're home first!
Try Something New
You don't have to keep re-ordering from the same place every night. If you're feeling adventurous, browsing the app is a great way to see what's out there. Maybe there's a local shop near you that you've never tried or a type of cuisine you haven't heard of. The app's filters can help you find something exciting. Maybe you'll even discover a new favorite place.
Check Reviews
When you want to try a new restaurant, you may go online to check the reviews. With the Foodpanda app, all of these options and reviews are in one place. Check out what other customers have said about different places so you can decide which ones you want to support. If you've had food from a certain place before, you can even leave your own review without leaving the app. This way, you don't have to waste time clicking over to different sites.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Wide variety of restaurant options and reviews
- The Foodpanda team is easy to reach for customer support
- The app keeps track of your orders and account information
- Frequent promotions in the app and via e-mail to save you money
Con:
- Not available in every country
Food For Thought
Let's face it, cooking every night can be a hassle. Sometimes, you just want to sit at home, relax, and have your meals come to you. A food delivery app like Foodpanda allows you to do just that. If you're in an applicable country, you can download the app and have food delivered within no time.
Foodpanda is one of the most popular apps for ordering food in its service area, and for a good reason. There are many partner food places waiting to deliver your items. Plus, the app interface is so much fun to use. It is full of detailed photos and vibrant, appealing colors. It's also easy to search for the shops you want, view their menu, and fill in your information.
Foodpanda also shows you customer reviews for a place so you can make an informed choice. After you order online, you can save the details to make future ordering easier. No more calling restaurants on the phone and no more driving to pick up your favorite meals. We only wish the service was more widely available and that they would delete the order minimums.
Food Panda is most compatible with people who are looking to save time by having food delivered to their door.
Food Panda