Takeaway and food delivery apps in Spain compared

Key rules

• Cheapest option: Collecting food yourself avoids delivery fees, service fees and any app mark-up.
• Coverage: Apps work best in large cities and are thinner in rural areas, so enter your address to see what is available.
• Fees: Delivery fee, service fee and small-order surcharge vary by city, restaurant and time of day, so check the total at checkout.
• Subscriptions: A monthly delivery subscription only pays off if you order often.

Fees, subscription terms and which apps serve your town change often, so check current details in each app using your address.

The short answer

Collecting food yourself is usually cheaper. Delivery apps are convenient, but they add fees and often higher menu prices. Which apps work, and what they charge, depends on your city and address, so check in the app before you decide.

Which apps exist

• Glovo was founded in Spain. It has the widest coverage, including many smaller towns.
• Uber Eats and Just Eat are strongest in large cities.
• Chain apps: Telepizza, Domino's and McDonald's run their own apps and deliver themselves.
• Local options: smaller local apps exist, and some restaurants deliver with their own staff. Ask the place directly.

Coverage and choice are best in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and other large cities. In rural areas there are fewer restaurants and sometimes no delivery at all. The apps on offer in a town change over time. Enter your address in each app to see what is available.

What delivery costs

Expect to pay more than the menu price on its own:

• A delivery fee that changes with distance and demand.
• A separate service fee.
• A small-order surcharge if your basket is low.

Many restaurants also list higher prices on the apps than in the restaurant, because the apps take a commission of roughly a fifth to a third of each order. Not all do. Some keep identical prices. Compare the app price with the menu in the restaurant if you can.

Fees vary by city, restaurant and time of day. Check the total at checkout before you pay.

Are subscriptions worth it?

Glovo Prime, Uber One and Just Eat's equivalent give free or reduced delivery fees above a minimum basket, for a monthly fee. They only pay off if you order often. If you order once or twice a month, skip them.

Takeaway from a bar or restaurant

Many bars and restaurants will pack food to take away (para llevar). Phone ahead or ask at the counter. You pay the menu price, with no delivery or service fee. The trade-off is that you have to go and collect it.

How to choose

• Cheapest: collect it yourself.
• Small town or village: ask local places about their own delivery, since apps may not cover you.
• Large city and in a hurry: compare two apps for the same restaurant, because fees differ.
• Ordering often: price a subscription against what you spend in fees.

The questions below cover price differences, small towns and subscriptions.

Frequently asked questions

Why are menu prices higher on delivery apps than in the restaurant?

Many restaurants list higher prices on delivery apps because the apps take a commission of roughly a fifth to a third of each order. Mark-ups are common but not universal, and some restaurants keep identical prices.

Do delivery apps work in small towns and rural areas?

Coverage in small towns is thinner, but Glovo has the widest reach, including many smaller towns. Uber Eats and Just Eat are strongest in large cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville.

Is a delivery subscription worth it in Spain?

A subscription can be worth it if you order often, because it gives free or reduced delivery fees above a minimum basket. Glovo Prime, Uber One and Just Eat's equivalent all charge a monthly fee. It will not remove the service fee or small-order surcharge on low baskets.