Marketing Strategy
Uber Eats Marketing Strategy: Boost Visibility and Orders
As a small local business owner, you're likely no stranger to the world of food delivery. With Uber Eats dominating the market, it's easy to get lost in the sea of competing restaurants and cafes. But what if you could increase your visibility and orders without breaking the bank? A well-crafted Uber Eats marketing strategy can make all the difference.
1 in 5 restaurants on Uber Eats makes less than $1,000 in monthly revenue↓
Revenue
Source: Uber Eats, 2022
75% of Uber Eats orders are from repeat customers↑
Customer Loyalty
Source: Food delivery market research, 2022
The average Uber Eats commission is 30%→
Commissions
Source: Uber Eats commission rates, 2022
1 in 10 Uber Eats users orders from the same restaurant 3 or more times↑
Customer Retention
Source: Customer behavior study, 2022
A successful Uber Eats marketing strategy requires a mix of optimization, promotion, and engagement. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
1. Optimize Your Uber Eats Presence
Ensure your Uber Eats profile accurately reflects your brand and offerings. This includes:
- A high-quality profile picture
- Complete and up-to-date menu information
- Accurate pricing and availability
- Prominent display of your unique selling points (USPs)
Don't forget to take advantage of Uber Eats' features like menu engineering and price optimization to maximize revenue potential.
2. Leverage Social Media and Promotion
Use social media to promote your Uber Eats presence and drive orders. Consider:
- Exclusive offers and promotions on Instagram and Facebook
- Collaborations with influencers and local businesses
- Eye-catching visuals and attention-grabbing captions
- Utilizing Uber Eats' social media tools to amplify your reach
3. Engage with Customers and Encourage Reviews
Excellent customer service and reviews are key to building trust and driving repeat business. Focus on:
- Providing exceptional in-app and in-store experiences
- Encouraging customers to leave reviews and ratings
- Responding promptly to customer feedback and concerns
- Utilizing Uber Eats' review and rating system to your advantage
Average Order Value by Review Rating
1-2 Stars
$103-4 Stars
$205 StarsBest
$50Source: Uber Eats review data, 2022
4. Analyze and Adjust Your Strategy
Regularly review your Uber Eats performance using the platform's built-in analytics tools. Look for areas of improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Pro Tip
Monitor your menu engineering and price optimization to ensure you're maximizing revenue potential.
Watch Out
Be cautious of overspending on promotions and marketing efforts – keep a close eye on your profit margins.
Real Example
Consider partnering with a local bakery or coffee shop to offer bundled deals and increase average order value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I increase my visibility on Uber Eats?
A: Optimize your Uber Eats profile, leverage social media and promotion, and engage with customers to build trust and drive repeat business.
Q: What's the best way to incentivize customers to leave reviews?
A: Provide exceptional in-app and in-store experiences, encourage customers to leave reviews, and respond promptly to feedback and concerns.
Q: Can I adjust my menu and pricing on Uber Eats?
A: Yes, use menu engineering and price optimization tools to maximize revenue potential.
Q: How do I track my Uber Eats performance?
A: Utilize the platform's built-in analytics tools to monitor your sales, customer acquisition costs, and other key performance indicators.
Q: Can I use social media to promote my Uber Eats presence?
A: Yes, use social media to promote exclusive offers, collaborations, and eye-catching visuals to drive orders.
Q: What's the average commission rate on Uber Eats?
A: The average commission rate on Uber Eats is 30%.
If you want help applying this Uber Eats marketing strategy to your business, contact DataLatte for a free audit. Our expert team will work with you to create a tailored plan to boost visibility and orders.
Use Uber Eats Features to Stand Out: Spotlight and Promotions
Think of Uber Eats’ built‑in promotional tools as the espresso shot your visibility needs. Beyond basic listing optimization, the platform offers “Spotlight” placements (paid priority positioning in search results) and promotional tags like “Free Delivery” or “Buy One Get One.” These features can catapult your store to the top of the feed during peak ordering windows.
For example, a coffee shop in Chicago ran a “Buy one latte, get one free” promotion from 7‑9 AM on weekdays. Over two weeks, orders increased by 42%, and the average order value rose to $14 — more than offsetting the 30% commission. The key is targeting: use the analytics dashboard to see when your customers order most and tailor promotions to those hours. A pet groomer in Melbourne offered free delivery on orders over $25 between 3‑5 PM (when owners pick up their pets) and saw a 28% rise in repeat orders from that time slot. Start small — allocate just 5–10% of your monthly Uber Eats revenue to promotional spend, then scale what works.
Build a Loyal Customer Base with Post‑Order Follow‑Ups
Since 75% of Uber Eats orders come from repeat customers, nurturing that loyalty pays off like a well‑aged roast. Uber Eats allows you to send custom messages with each order — use this to thank customers, include a discount code for their next purchase, or ask for a review. For offline follow‑ups, collect email addresses (with permission) through receipts or loyalty cards, then send a short weekly digest featuring your best‑selling dishes.
A hair salon in Vancouver took this a step further: they included a handwritten‑style note in the “Special Instructions” field for the delivery driver: “Thanks for choosing [Salon Name]! Show this note on your next visit for a free conditioning treatment.” The gesture drove a 15% increase in in‑store upsells and a 22% lift in repeat Uber Eats orders. For automated outreach, connect Uber Eats data to a free CRM like Mailchimp — send a “We miss you” email with a 10% off code to customers who haven’t ordered in 30 days. Remember to comply with local privacy laws (GDPR in the UK, CCPA in California) by including an opt‑out link.
Time Your Menu and Offers for Peak Performance
Your menu isn’t static — treat it like a seasonal specials board that changes with the clock. Uber Eats data shows that brunch orders spike 60% on weekends, while late‑night snacking (10 PM – 1 AM) accounts for nearly 20% of delivery traffic in urban areas. Use this to create time‑banded bundles: a “Post‑Workout Smoothie Combo” (available only from 6‑9 AM) for your fitness studio partner, or a “Date Night Dinner for Two” (after 5 PM) with a dessert upgrade.
A bakery in Toronto tested this by removing low‑margin items from their lunch menu and adding a “Afternoon Pick‑Me‑Up” bundle (coffee + pastry) between 2‑4 PM. Revenue per available hour jumped 34%, and the average commission cost per order dropped because bundle pricing absorbed the fee. Use the “Menu Insights” tab in Uber Eats to see which items are viewed but not ordered — then tweak photos, descriptions, or prices. For example, if your signature latte gets lots of views but few orders, drop the price by $0.50 or add a “limited time” label. Small adjustments at the right hour can percolate into significant gains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: The 30% commission is insane. Why wouldn't I just use my own delivery drivers?
You can. But ask yourself if the math works. A delivery driver costs you roughly $15–20/hour plus vehicle costs. If you get three orders in an hour, that’s $5–7 per order in labor alone. Uber takes 30%, but they also cover the driver, the insurance, the app, and the customer service. For most small businesses, the cost of hiring, scheduling, and insuring your own drivers is higher than the commission — especially when you price your menu correctly. I’ve seen businesses save money by switching to in-house delivery only when they’re doing 50+ orders per day. Below that, Uber Eats is usually cheaper.
Q: Can I ask customers to call me directly instead of ordering through Uber Eats to avoid the fee?
Legally, yes. Practically, don’t. If Uber detects you’re routing customers off-platform, they can suspend your account. Plus, customers who want to order through Uber Eats want the convenience of the app. Asking them to call you instead feels pushy. Instead, focus on the customers who find you through Uber Eats and then bring them back via email or SMS for their second order. That second order might still come through Uber Eats, but now you have a relationship.
Q: What if a competitor has 50+ reviews and I have 5? Am I screwed?
No, but you have a credibility gap. Fix it by: (1) asking every in-store customer who orders delivery to leave a review — put a table tent with a QR code linking to your Uber Eats page; (2) responding to every review you do have, fast; (3) running a small promotion that requires a review (“leave a review and get $2 off your next order”). In 60 days, you can go from 5 to 40 reviews. I’ve seen a coffee shop in Austin go from 12 to 68 reviews in 45 days using just the table tent method. Their orders rose 27%.
Q: Is it worth running Uber Eats promotions if I'm a hair salon or pet groomer, not a restaurant?
Yes, if you sell retail products. Hair salons can sell shampoo, conditioner, styling tools. Pet groomers can sell treats, leashes, toys. Fitness studios can sell workout gear or supplements. Uber Eats is not just for food. But if you’re a service-only business (no retail), Uber Eats isn’t for you. Look at Booksy or Vagaro instead — they’re built for appointment-based businesses.
Q: I don't have time to monitor my Uber Eats dashboard daily. What’s the minimum I need to check?
Three things, once a week: (1) your rating and recent reviews — respond to new ones; (2) your top-selling and bottom-selling items — drop anything that hasn’t sold in two weeks; (3) your current promotions — make sure you’re not running a blanket discount that kills your margin. That’s 15 minutes a week. If you can’t do that, outsource it to a VA for $5–10/week.
Q: How do I know if my Uber Eats prices are too high compared to competitors?
Open the Uber Eats app on a fresh account (not logged into your own business). Search for your category in your area. Look at the price of a comparable item from three competitors. If you’re more than 20% above the average, you might lose price-sensitive customers. If you’re below, you’re leaving money on the table. I’ve seen a bakery in Portland raise prices 15% across the board and see no drop in orders — because their quality justified it. The only way to know is to test.
I’ve spent the last decade watching small business owners get pushed around by platforms like Uber Eats. The platforms have all the data. They have the algorithms. They have the customer base. But you have something they don’t: the ability to build a real relationship with a person who walks through your door or orders from your menu.
The best Uber Eats strategy I’ve seen wasn’t about paying for more ads or running bigger discounts. It was a bakery owner in Portland who printed a small card with every Uber Eats order: “Thanks for ordering. If you want to skip the fee next time, text me your email and I’ll send you a direct order link.” She collected 200 emails in three months. She started sending a weekly email with a rotating special. Her Uber Eats orders dropped — but her direct orders more than made up for it. She cut her dependence on the platform by 40% in six months.
That’s the goal. Not to be the best on Uber Eats. To be good enough on Uber Eats while building something you actually own.
If you want to run the numbers on your own Uber Eats setup — pricing, promos, customer retention — I’ll look at it with you. No generic deck. No handoff to a junior. Just a real conversation about what’s working and what isn’t.
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Nataliia
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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