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DoorDash vs Caviar 2026: Which Delivers Better?

DoorDash is a mass-market food delivery platform serving 80+ million customers across 7,000+ cities with lower fees and broader restaurant selection, while Caviar (now closed as of 2023) was a luxury-focused delivery service targeting high-end diners with premium restaurants and white-glove service.

DoorDash

DoorDash

Largest U.S. food delivery platform with fastest average delivery times and largest driver network.

Budget-conscious diners, students, busy professionals, families seeking convenience across most US cities and neighborhoods.

Score71%
VS
Caviar

Caviar

Defunct luxury food delivery service acquired by Square in 2019 and shut down in 2023, formerly focused on premium restaurants.

No longer applicable—service is defunct. Historically served affluent diners in major cities seeking fine dining delivery with premium service.

Score67%

Quick Answer

AI Summary

DoorDash is a mass-market food delivery platform serving 80+ million customers across 7,000+ cities with lower fees and broader restaurant selection, while Caviar (now closed as of 2023) was a luxury-focused delivery service targeting high-end diners with premium restaurants and white-glove service.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

DoorDash is the only viable option in 2026 as Caviar permanently ceased operations in 2023 after Square's acquisition. Choose DoorDash if you value broad restaurant selection, affordable fees, and reliable service across most US cities. Caviar is no longer an option, though luxury users seeking similar experiences can now use premium delivery tiers on existing apps or high-end restaurant concierge services.

Community feedback

Was this verdict helpful?

DoorDash
10/10
Caviar
5/10
DoorDash

Choose DoorDash if

Best pick

Budget-conscious diners, students, busy professionals, families seeking convenience across most US cities and neighborhoods.

Caviar

Choose Caviar if

No longer applicable—service is defunct. Historically served affluent diners in major cities seeking fine dining delivery with premium service.

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Key Differences at a Glance

  • Market Status (2026):DoorDash wins(Active and operating globally vs Permanently closed (acquired by Square in 2019, shut down in 2023))
  • Service Model:DoorDash wins(Mass-market delivery across all restaurant tiers vs Luxury-focused delivery for fine dining only)
  • Geographic Coverage:DoorDash wins(7,000+ cities across US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Ireland vs Limited to ~15 major US metropolitan areas at peak)
See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

38 numeric metrics compared

MetricDoorDashCaviarRatio
US Market Share67%
Countries Operating~27
Annual Revenue(USD Billion)$8.6 Billion
2026 U.S. Market Share(%)60%
Active User Base(millions)35 million
Restaurant Partners(count)400,000+
2024 Annual Revenue(billion USD)$8.9 billion
Annual Revenue (2024)(Billion USD)$8.5 billion
Average Delivery Time(minutes)35 minutes
Monthly Active Users(millions)35+ million
US Market Share(%)59%
Active Restaurants(count)450,000+
Average Delivery Fee(USD)$2.99
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)$9.99/month
Founded Year2013
U.S. Market Share(%)59%
Average Delivery Time(minutes)28 minutes
Typical Service Fee(USD)$2.49 (avg)
Restaurant Partners(restaurants)490,000+500-800 curated luxury
Active Monthly Users (U.S.)(millions)28.5 million
Year Founded2013
City Coverage(cities)7,000+ cities worldwide
Restaurant Selection(restaurants)390,000+
Average Delivery Time(days)28 minutes
Geographic Coverage(cities)7,000+ cities
iOS App Rating(stars out of 5)4.6 stars
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)$9.99 (DashPass)
Market Share (US)(percent)57%
Minimum Order (base)(USD)$5.00
U.S. Market Share (Q3 2025)(%)59%
Countries of Operation(countries)27
Active Restaurant Partners (Global)(millions)0.65 million
Active Delivery Personnel (U.S.)(millions)2.3 million Dashers
Loyalty Program Monthly Cost(USD)$9.99 (DashPass)
Customer App Rating (iOS)(stars)4.7/5 stars
Delivery Fee (Standard)(USD)$5-$10+$5-$10+
Average Delivery Time (Major Cities)(minutes)18-25 minutes (premium focus)18-25 minutes (premium focus)
Annual Revenue (2024)(USD billions)Defunct (0)Defunct (0)

Sourced from publicly available data ·

Key Differences

7 attributes compared head-to-head

DoorDash
6DoorDash
DoorDash leads1 tie
Caviar
0Caviar
  • Market Status (2026)

    DoorDash

    Active and operating globally(winner)

    Caviar

    Permanently closed (acquired by Square in 2019, shut down in 2023)

  • Service Model

    DoorDash

    Mass-market delivery across all restaurant tiers(winner)

    Caviar

    Luxury-focused delivery for fine dining only

  • Geographic Coverage

    DoorDash

    7,000+ cities across US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Ireland(winner)

    Caviar

    Limited to ~15 major US metropolitan areas at peak

  • Average Delivery Fee

    DoorDash

    $2.99-$3.99 standard; $0 for DashPass members(winner)

    Caviar

    $5-$10+ per order (premium service markup)

  • Restaurant Partners at Peak

    DoorDash

    Over 400,000 restaurants globally(winner)

    Caviar

    Approximately 500-800 curated luxury restaurants

  • Annual Revenue (2024)

    DoorDash

    $8.9 billion(winner)

    Caviar

    N/A (defunct since 2023)

  • Target Customer Demographic

    DoorDash

    Mass market: students, families, professionals seeking convenience

    Caviar

    Affluent diners seeking fine dining delivery experiences

Full Comparison

DoorDash
Caviar
US Market Share
67%
Countries Operating
~27
Active User Base(millions)
35 million
Restaurant Partners(count)
400,000+
Annual Revenue(USD Billion)
$8.6 Billion
Annual Revenue (2024)(Billion USD)
$8.5 billion
YoY Revenue Growth (2024)(percent)
24%
2026 U.S. Market Share(%)
60%
US Market Share(%)
59%
U.S. Market Share(%)
59%
Market Share (US)(percent)
57%
U.S. Market Share (Q3 2025)(%)
59%
Tip Transparency
Full upfront visibility
Driver Pay Guarantee
No minimum guarantee
2024 Annual Revenue(billion USD)
$8.9 billion
Order Fraud Detection
Hyper-sensitive GPS monitoring (2026)
Average Delivery Time(minutes)
35 minutes
Average Delivery Time(minutes)
28 minutes
Average Delivery Time (Major Cities)(minutes)
18-25 minutes (premium focus)
Monthly Active Users(millions)
35+ million
Active Monthly Users (U.S.)(millions)
28.5 million
Merchant/Store Partners(count)
100,000+ restaurants
Driver Hourly Earnings(USD per hour)
$15-25
Geographic Coverage(states)
27 countries
Subscription Fee (Monthly)(USD)
$9.99 (DashPass)
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)
$9.99/month
Typical Service Fee(USD)
$2.49 (avg)
Base Delivery Fee Range(USD)
$2.00-$3.99
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)
$9.99 (DashPass)
Show 5 more attributes
Minimum Order (base)(USD)
$5.00
Loyalty Program Monthly Cost(USD)
$9.99 (DashPass)
Base Delivery Fee Range(USD)
$2.99-$6.99
Delivery Fee (Standard)(USD)
$5-$10+
Monthly Subscription Cost (Optional)(USD)
N/A (no membership program)
Active Restaurants(count)
450,000+
Restaurant Partners(restaurants)
490,000+
500-800 curated luxury
Average Delivery Fee(USD)
$2.99
Customer Satisfaction(stars)
4.1/5.0
Geographic Coverage(countries)
4,500+ cities
15 major metros (at peak, 2019)
Countries of Operation(countries)
27
Founded Year
2013
Year Founded
2013
Non-Food Delivery Categories(categories)
3 (groceries, convenience, pet supplies)
City Coverage(cities)
7,000+ cities worldwide
Restaurant Selection(restaurants)
390,000+
Average Delivery Time(days)
28 minutes
Geographic Coverage(cities)
7,000+ cities
iOS App Rating(stars out of 5)
4.6 stars
Customer App Rating (iOS)(stars)
4.7/5 stars
Active Restaurant Partners (Global)(millions)
0.65 million
Active Delivery Personnel (U.S.)(millions)
2.3 million Dashers
Active Status (2026)
Permanently closed (2023)
Restaurant Price Tier Focus
Premium/luxury only
Annual Revenue (2024)(USD billions)
Defunct (0)

Pros & Cons

9 pros·4 cons across both

DoorDash
Caviar
DoorDash

DoorDash

+5-2

Pros

  • Operates in 7,000+ cities providing unmatched geographic coverage
  • Partnerships with 400,000+ restaurants across all price points and cuisines
  • DashPass membership offers $0 delivery fees and 5% discounts (saves ~$200-400/year for frequent users)
  • Average delivery time of 28-35 minutes in major metros
  • Real-time order tracking with GPS integration and driver contact

Cons

  • Service fees (15-30% restaurant markup) increase meal costs 20-25% above dine-in prices
  • Inconsistent quality due to variable driver training and high turnover (70%+ annually)
Caviar

Caviar

+4-2

Pros

  • Curated selection of 500-800 Michelin-starred and upscale restaurants only
  • White-glove service with carefully vetted drivers trained in fine dining protocols
  • Premium packaging designed to preserve food quality and presentation
  • Concierge support available for special requests and dietary accommodations

Cons

  • Service completely discontinued as of 2023 with no alternative migration path
  • Operated in only 15 metropolitan areas at peak (NYC, SF, LA, Chicago, Boston, Miami, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

5 questions

  1. No. Caviar was acquired by Square in 2019 for $89 million and permanently shut down in 2023. Square consolidated Caviar's operations and user base into other services. There is no active Caviar service as of 2026.

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