Delivery App Setup Guide

Get on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub the Right Way

Delivery apps can double your revenue. But only if set up correctly. This guide shows you how to get on top platforms fast — with descriptions that sell more food.

Chapter 1: Why Delivery Apps Are Worth It

• DoorDash: 35+ million active users
• Uber Eats: 6,000+ cities worldwide
• Grubhub: 375,000+ restaurant partners

Platforms take 15–30% commission. But additional orders you would not have gotten otherwise often justify the cost.

Key: Account for the commission in your delivery pricing.

Chapter 2: Choose Your Platforms

DoorDash — largest US delivery app. Best for broad reach.

Uber Eats — strong in urban areas. Popular for corporate orders.

Grubhub — strong in northeastern US and college towns.

Free tip: Start with DoorDash first. Get it optimized before adding more platforms.

Chapter 3: Write Menu Descriptions With ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a free AI tool made by OpenAI.

Try:

"Write delivery app menu descriptions for these 5 dishes at my taco restaurant: carne asada tacos, chicken quesadilla, street corn, nachos, churros. Craveable, under 20 words each. Sensory language."

Short, punchy descriptions get more orders on small phone screens.

Chapter 4: Set Up DoorDash Step by Step

1. Go to get.doordash.com and click "Sign Up"
2. Enter your restaurant name, address, and cuisine type
3. Upload your menu (you can import from a PDF or enter manually)
4. Add photos for every item (required for best performance)
5. Set your delivery area and hours
6. Choose your commission plan (basic, plus, or premier)
7. Complete verification and go live

After approval (usually 3–5 business days), your restaurant appears on DoorDash.

Free tip: DoorDash offers a 0% commission trial for new restaurants. Ask about it when you sign up.

Chapter 5: Price Your Delivery Menu for Profit

Delivery apps charge you 15–30% per order. If you charge the same prices as your in-house menu, you lose money.

Simple pricing rule: add 20–25% to your in-house prices for delivery items.

• In-house burger: $14 → Delivery burger: $17
• In-house pasta: $16 → Delivery pasta: $20

This protects your margin without overcharging.

ChatGPT can help:

"Here are my in-house menu prices: [list]. Add 22% to each and round to the nearest clean number. Format as a table."

Chapter 6: Get to the Top of Delivery App Search

Delivery apps have algorithms. Better-performing restaurants show up higher in search.

How to rank higher:

• Maintain a high acceptance rate (accept most orders)
• Keep order error rates low (wrap carefully, include everything)
• Have a high customer rating (4.5+ stars)
• Respond to reviews on the app
• Run promotions occasionally (DashPass, Uber rewards)

ChatGPT can write your review responses:

"Write a short, professional reply to a 4-star DoorDash review where the customer said their food was slightly cold on arrival."

Your Delivery App Action Plan

1. Sign up for DoorDash first
2. Use ChatGPT to write descriptions for all your menu items
3. Take high-quality photos of your top 10 items
4. Set your delivery prices at 20–25% above in-house prices
5. Maintain a high rating by packaging food carefully

Delivery apps are a direct revenue channel. Set them up right and they run all day.

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