How To Cancel Uber Eats Delivery As Driver?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you accepted an Uber Eats delivery, but then realized you either couldn’t or didn’t want to complete the trip? As an Uber Eats driver, you are allowed to cancel a delivery before picking up the food without any negative consequences. However, there are right ways and wrong ways to go about cancelling an order. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll teach you the proper protocol for cancelling Uber Eats orders to ensure the least impact on customers.
We’ll cover topics such as:
- When you can and can’t cancel an Uber Eats delivery
- Step-by-step instructions for cancelling in the app
- What to do when the restaurant is closed
- Dealing with long wait times and problem addresses
- Getting support from Uber Eats customer service
- Alternatives to cancelling orders
- How cancellations impact customers
- Strategies for minimizing cancellations
By the end, you’ll know the ins and outs of properly cancelling Uber Eats orders as a delivery driver. Let’s get started!
When Are Drivers Allowed to Cancel Uber Eats Orders?
The most important thing to understand about cancelling Uber Eats orders is that you must not cancel after you have picked up the food from the restaurant. Once you slide “confirm pickup” in the app, you are expected to complete the delivery to the customer’s address.
However, there are certain scenarios where cancelling an Uber Eats order before food pickup might be necessary:
- You arrive at the restaurant only to find that it’s closed
- You’ve been waiting an excessive amount of time for the food
- There is an issue with the customer’s address
- Another emergency came up preventing delivery
Knowing what situations warrant cancelling an Uber Eats food delivery will help make sure you only cancel orders when absolutely required. Customers depend on getting their meals delivered promptly, so unnecessary cancellations negatively impact their experience.
Step-by-Step Guide to Cancelling an Order in the App
Once you’ve determined that you need to cancel the Uber Eats delivery you’ve accepted, here is the process to follow in the driver app:
- Tap on the order details
- Press the “Report Issue” button
- Select the reason for cancellation
- Excessive wait time
- I don’t want to do this delivery
- Unable to deliver to address
- Restaurant closed
- Confirm that you wish to cancel
And that’s it! The Uber Eats order will be removed from your delivery queue immediately. You do not have to contact support or let the customer know. Uber’s systems will automatically reassign another driver to go pick up and deliver the customer’s order.
Cancelling an Uber Eats order is quick and simple if done through the app. But there are a few extra things you may have to do for certain situations like closed restaurants or unclear addresses.
What to Do When You Arrive to Find the Restaurant Closed
Having an Uber Eats order cancelled because the restaurant is unexpectedly closed can be disappointing and inconvenient for customers. But as a driver, you can’t deliver an order from a shuttered restaurant!
If you pull up to a restaurant to find that it’s closed, follow this protocol:
- Verify the restaurant is actually closed
- Check if they have posted signs with different hours than listed in app
- Look at opening times on Yelp or Google to confirm closure
- Take photo evidence if possible
- Select “restaurant closed” when cancelling the order in app
Providing evidence that the restaurant is closed when you cancel the order will prevent Uber’s support team from taking any action against you. It proves that cancellation was necessary and unavoidable in this scenario.
While Uber Eats aims to keep dining hours updated in their system, unexpected closures can happen anytime. It’s frustrating for everyone involved, but sometimes unavoidable. At least you know how to handle closed restaurant situations properly!
Managing Long Wait Times at Restaurants
Unless it’s an exceptionally large order, food should be ready for pickup within 10-15 minutes of arriving at the Uber Eats restaurant. If you check in with the establishment and they quote you a much longer wait time, you may want to consider cancelling.
But again, because customers depend on getting meals delivered with reasonable speed, it’s always a judgement call regarding if and when to cancellation due to long wait times.
Here are some deciding factors to consider:
- How long have you already waited?
- 5-10 minutes? Probably best to stick it out
- 15-20 minutes? At your discretion
- 30+ minutes? Go ahead and cancel
- Have you confirmed with the restaurant when food will actually be ready?
- Did restaurant staff offer any compensation for waiting?
- Many will provide free food or discounts
- Is the customer tipped upfront?
- No tip? More incentive to unassign order
- How many other drivers are waiting?
- Mass unassignments by multiple drivers severely impacts customers
Use your discretion based on the above factors. As an independent contractor, it is ultimately your choice whether an Uber Eats order is worth waiting for. But try to minimize unnecessary cancellations whenever possible.
If you do elect to cancel due to excessive wait times, be sure to choose that reason in the app when cancelling. That will notify Uber Eats support that the issue was on the restaurant side.
What Should You Do with Problem Delivery Addresses?
Navigating to the correct delivery address is essential as an Uber Eats driver. But sometimes addresses entered by customers end up being incomplete or inaccurate.
If the address provided leads you to the middle of nowhere, an abandoned building, or just isn’t making sense, try these steps before cancelling the order:
- Call the customer and ask for clarification on the address
- Cross-reference the building number with Maps or Street View imagery
- Ask people in the area if they are familiar with the address
- Search phone numbers connected to the address
If you’ve taken all reasonable steps to find the actual delivery location but have been unsuccessful, then you should cancel the Uber Eats order in the app accordingly. Just make sure you contact support afterward to inform them of the unclear address that forced cancellation.
Getting the specifics around inaccurate customer addresses to Uber Eats support will prevent them taking action if this happens again in the future through no fault of your own.
How to Get Support for Emergency Cancellations?
Generally, cancelling an Uber Eats order in the app is simple and doesn’t require contacting support. But there may be certain unforeseen situations where you need to speak to an Uber representative to cancel an order.
For example:
- You get into an accident or your vehicle breaks down
- A personal or family emergency arises suddenly
- Extreme weather or unsafe traffic conditions
In cases like these, immediately call the Uber Eats support team to explain your emergency situation. Typically you’ll press the headset button on the main menu of the driver app.
Explain your circumstances to the representative. They will then contact the customer regarding the issue, take appropriate actions to cancel the order, and remove any penalties that would normally happen.
Having support from Uber as needed for emergency cancellations enables you to handle surprise incidents smoothly without worrying about ratings/completion rate impacts.
Alternatives to Cancelling an Uber Eats Delivery
Cancelling an Uber Eats order you’ve already accepted should always be an absolute last resort. There are often other preferable solutions besides having to unassign the delivery that negatively affects the customer.
Here are two options to consider instead of cancelling:
1. Return Food Back to the Restaurant
If you have concerns about a delivery after picking up food but don’t want the customer to be left hungry, returning items back to the restaurant kitchen is often the best move.
For example, maybe you realized the drop-off location doesn’t work or will take too long for food to still be warm upon arrival. After starting delivery, have the restaurant take back their cuisine on your way out.
Customers may still have to wait a little longer while a new driver is connected with the order. But at least they are still able to get their meals!
2. Have Support Adjust Delivery Details
Another alternative is to contact Uber Eats support to see if they can modify some aspect of the delivery.
For example:
- Input updated address if location seems questionable
- Add boost pay if drive seems too lengthy
- Adjust delivery route to avoid traffic snarls
See if support can update the necessary details. If they’re able to accommodate changes that allow you to still complete the delivery, problem solved!
Avoid instantly cancelling without considering potential options to adapt the trip specifications as needed first.
How Cancellations Affect the Uber Eats Customer Experience?
t’s only natural that as a driver, your first priority with any delivery is your own self-interest. But it’s important to also consider how cancelling Uber Eats orders affects the ordering customer.
Each cancellation delays the customer from receiving their meal. And no one likes to eat cold, soggy food!
Other impacts cancellations have on Uber Eats users include:
- Longer wait times when order has to be reassigned
- Higher likelihood of multiple drivers cancelling
- Greater chance food won’t meet temperature standards
- More difficulty getting refunds or credits
While an Uber Eats diner can technically place their order again if a driver cancels, the convenience of fast, reliable delivery is diminished.
Cancelling orders should always be a last resort. But when required, be sure to follow the proper protocol outlined here so that customer disappointment is minimized whenever possible.
How Cancellations Affect Your Statistics as a Driver?
Many Uber Eats drivers worry that cancelling orders will count against their account performance statistics. The good news is there is no impact at all on ratings or completion rate when you properly cancel deliveries in the app.
Uber understands there are reasonable situations when orders cannot be fulfilled. Wisely utilising the cancellation functionality does not jeopardize your delivery status.
However, if you cancel after picking up food repeatedly, you may eventually risk deactivation. Uber’s systems can detect excessive instances of starting trips then cancelling with possession of orders.
As long as you only cancel before food pickup and for valid reasons, statistics tracking cancellations will not cause performance issues. Just don’t make a habit of it!
Strategies to Minimize Cancelling Orders
The easiest way to avoid cancelling Uber Eats deliveries is to avoid taking trips likely to require cancellation in the first place!
Here are some proactive methods to minimize unassigning orders:
- Analyze expected payout before accepting delivery
- Carefully examine pickup and drop off locations
- Zoom in on delivery address to validate
- Set minimum dollar per mileage standard
- Stick to a defined delivery zone
Utilize all the trip info available to selectively accept quality, profitable orders you can actually fulfill start-to-finish.
Apply these prevention strategies to have fewer cancellations and happier customers.
Summary – Cancel Uber Eats Deliveries Carefully & Correctly
Having to cancel some Uber Eats orders from time to time is inevitable. But utilize the cancellation functionality judiciously and only when absolutely necessary.
By properly cancelling deliveries before food pickup and contacting support as needed, you will avoid undue harm to your own rating while also minimizing disappointment on the customer end when possible.
Carefully evaluate trip particulars up front to eliminate the need for cancellation in the first place. Only accept orders you intend to — and realistically can — complete from start to finish.
Managing cancellations properly helps make the platform work smoothly for yourself, riders, and Uber Eats support staff alike. Follow this advice to master cancellation protocols while providing diners with positive meal experiences.
