Since launching in 2014, Uber Eats has rapidly evolved from a niche food delivery service available in a handful of cities to a juggernaut that has transformed how millions of people worldwide get their meals. Today, Uber Eats is available in over 6,000 cities across 45 countries and partners with more than 600,000 restaurants globally.
The platform‘s meteoric growth is thanks, in no small part, to its catchy slogans and marketing campaigns that have made "Uber Eats" synonymous with speed, convenience and variety for an estimated 81 million users worldwide. Let‘s take a closer look at how Uber Eats deploys the power of slogans to win hearts, minds and stomachs.
Slogans: The Key to Consumers‘ Minds (and Wallets)
For any business, slogans are a crucial tool for shaping brand identity and perception. But in the hyper-competitive food delivery space, where multiple apps vie for largely the same customer base, a memorable slogan can be the difference between a hungry diner choosing your platform or a rival to supply their next meal.
"Food delivery apps are in a constant battle to define and differentiate themselves to consumers," says Dr. Cynthia Barstow, Professor of Marketing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and author of the book "Protecting Consumers in the Age of the Sharing Economy."
"Slogans give them a way to quickly communicate their unique selling points and connect with customers‘ interests and values. The right turn of phrase can lodge a delivery brand into potential customers‘ consciousness so they are more likely to think of it when that burrito craving hits."
The Evolution of Uber Eats‘ Slogans
Like its parent company Uber, Uber Eats has never been afraid to experiment with its slogans to see what resonates with consumers. Here‘s a look at how the delivery giant‘s taglines have evolved over the years:
2015 – "Your favorite food, delivered"
Uber Eats‘ original slogan when the service first debuted in Los Angeles was simple and to the point, clearly communicating the nascent app‘s core function. "At this time, the idea of being able to order from local restaurants and get it quickly brought to you was still fairly novel, so there was no need to get cute," says Barstow.
2018 – "Eat local, everywhere"
As Uber Eats rapidly expanded to dozens of new markets across multiple continents, its messaging shifted to emphasize the vast selection of local restaurants available on the platform, even for customers traveling far from home. This hyper-local angle helped Uber Eats connect with consumers‘ desire to support businesses in their own communities.
2019 – "Tonight, I‘ll be eating…"
Backed by a star-studded ad campaign featuring celebrities like Rebel Wilson and Leslie Jones longingly announcing their Uber Eats orders, this slogan represented a more playful, lifestyle-focused direction for the brand. "By putting the spotlight on mouth-watering food and the anticipation we feel waiting for that delivery to arrive, Uber Eats was able to tap into the emotional and social side of eating, beyond just convenience," says Barstow.
2021 – "Get anything. Anytime. Anywhere."
Uber Eats‘ latest slogan reflects the drastically expanded scope of its services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. No longer just for prepared restaurant meals, the app now offers on-demand delivery of groceries, convenience store fare, alcohol and other local goods. This updated tagline positions Uber Eats as an indispensable tool for navigating all of life‘s cravings and errands.
Pushing the Envelope with "Don‘t Eats"
Of course, not all of Uber Eats‘ slogans and marketing gambits have gone down smooth. For its 2022 Super Bowl ad, the company served up a bizarre campaign called "Don‘t Eats" featuring celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Trevor Noah attempting to chow down on everything from sponges to kitty litter.
While clearly aimed at highlighting Uber Eats‘ diverse offerings beyond just food, the surreal sight of glamorous stars munching on household goods rubbed some viewers the wrong way and even prompted a scolding from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about the dangers of ingesting cleaning products.
"Shock value will certainly get people talking about your brand, but there‘s such a thing as the wrong kind of buzz," says Barstow. "If people are confused or put off by your messaging, that‘s not going to drive sales or enduring customer loyalty."
Measuring the Impact
So do splashy slogans and big-budget ad buys actually deliver the goods for Uber Eats‘ bottom line? While directly attributing sales and revenue to individual marketing campaigns is an inexact science, the company‘s overall growth trajectory suggests its branding strategy is hitting the mark.
According to data from Edison Trends, Uber Eats enjoyed a 23% jump in U.S. market share in the first half of 2022, claiming 24% of food delivery sales compared to 21% for GrubHub and 59% for rival DoorDash. Globally, Uber Eats‘ bookings surged 85% year-over-year to $13.4 billion in Q2 2022.
| Company | 2021 Global Food Delivery Sales | 2022 Projected Sales Growth |
| Uber Eats | $8.3 billion | 25% |
| DoorDash | $11.4 billion | 18% |
| GrubHub | $2.3 billion | 7% |
(Sources: Company reports, YipitData)
While pandemic lockdowns and the attendant restaurant closures undoubtedly turbocharged adoption of delivery apps, Uber Eats‘ 25% projected sales growth for 2022 compared to DoorDash‘s 18% and GrubHub‘s 7% suggests the company is outpacing the competition in securing enduring customer loyalty.
Slogans that Deliver
Interestingly, Uber Eats tends to change up its slogans more frequently than its top rivals. DoorDash has consistently deployed some version of "Delivering Good" in its marketing since 2019, while Grubhub has long fallen back on "Restaurants you love, delivered" as its tagline.
Uber Eats‘ regular refreshes may reflect the challenges of settling on a single message that accurately captures its sprawling international footprint and ever-expanding suite of services. By comparison, DoorDash only operates in three countries, while GrubHub is exclusive to the U.S.
"Uber Eats‘ slogan switches show the company trying to be more things to more people, which is necessary for a global brand but also risks diluting its identity," explains Barstow. "DoorDash and GrubHub‘s consistency projects confidence in their niche."
Notably, all three of the major food delivery players‘ current slogans emphasize broadly appealing themes like ease, convenience and variety, rather than more niche selling points like cost savings or loyalty rewards.
"At the end of the day, diners are looking to delivery to make their lives easier, so hammering that point home is always going to resonate," says Barstow. "Uber Eats‘ latest slogan evolution leans into that simplicity and instantly brings to mind a world of possibilities at your fingertips."
Looking Ahead
Despite occasional controversy, Uber Eats‘ experimentation with an array of slogans and emotional appeals has largely succeeded at keeping the brand top of mind with consumers even as the food delivery space grows more crowded. Going forward, experts predict the company will continue to use its marketing muscle to stay ahead of the pack.
"In the near term, we can expect to see Uber Eats doubling down on its ‘Anything, anytime, anywhere‘ messaging as delivery become an ever more ingrained part of consumers‘ lives, especially for younger generations," predicts Barstow.
At the same time, she notes, Uber Eats and its competitors will likely need to start layering in messaging around areas like labor equity and environmental sustainability as more consumers seek to align their purchasing with their values. A 2021 survey by Zogby Analytics found that 45% of adults feel it is important for food delivery companies to provide livable wages and benefits to their workers.
"There‘s a risk of slogans coming off as superficial if the company‘s actual practices don‘t reflect its lofty promises," Barstow warns. "As Uber Eats works to build an enduring brand, it will need to make sure its marketing keeps pace with growing demands for corporate accountability in addition to a great bahn mi delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less."
