foodpanda vs. GrabFood: 2 Food Delivery Giants Go Head to Head

Can you imagine your life now without your favorite food delivery service? Challenging, isn’t it—especially knowing that all your cravings, regardless of time and space, can be satisfied with just a few taps on your smartphone.

Food delivery service is undoubtedly among the most significant breakthroughs in the last decade. Many people count on two popular food delivery services: foodpanda and GrabFood. 

Keep reading this foodpanda vs. GrabFood Philippines comparison review to determine which is better.

What is the Difference Between foodpanda and GrabFood?

Two of the biggest food delivery services in the Philippines today are foodpanda and GrabFood.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey in April 2023 on food services and cloud kitchens, 70% of respondents in the Philippines said they used foodpanda, while 62% said they used GrabFood.^[1]

Launched in the Philippines in 2018, GrabFood has a large following. It’s the food delivery arm of the Singaporean transport network company Grab. Aside from GrabFood, it also has GrabKitchen, a cloud kitchen through which customers can combine orders from different restaurants.

On the other hand, foodpanda has been operating in the Philippines since 2014. It’s part of Delivery Hero, a multinational online food delivery service based in Berlin, Germany. Like GrabFood, foodpanda’s business expanded to grocery delivery, which you can find under the Shops function.

You’ll see which has a more competitive edge in this Battle of the Brands edition. For a more objective judgment, this foodpanda vs. GrabFood review takes a look at the following criteria:

• Service availability
• Food and restaurant selection
• Desktop and mobile user experience
• Customer service
• Delivery fees
• Minimum order requirement
• Payment options
• Delivery speed
• Business friendliness

Related article: Affordameals Under P150: Cheap Food Delivery Options in the Metro

Which is Better: foodpanda or GrabFood Philippines?

📌 Ordering and Delivery Process

Before we compare foodpanda vs. GrabFood, it helps to understand how they operate, as this affects the quality and speed of their service. 

Although they follow the same business model, these two food delivery services differ a lot in their procedures for placing and fulfilling orders and food delivery.

How to Order Food Online at foodpanda

1. Enter your location/address. Skip this step if the address is already on your app.
2. Search by restaurant name, cuisine, dish name, or keyword.
3. Choose a restaurant available in your area.
4. Pick the food items you want to order.
5. Proceed to checkout. Enter your exact delivery address, payment method, and phone number.

After placing your order, foodpanda forwards it to the restaurant, which starts preparing your food. The delivery person will pick up your order at the restaurant and deliver it on a bike or motorcycle.

How to Order Food Online at GrabFood

1. From the Grab app, choose Food from the product selection.
2. Provide your delivery address. Skip this step if the address is already on your app.
3. Choose a restaurant.
4. Choose a meal and add it to your basket.
5. Tap the Place Order button to complete your order.

Once you've placed your order, Grab finds and books a delivery rider. The assigned person will then go to the restaurant (and line up, if needed), order your food, wait for it, and deliver it to your address.

📌 Service Availability

Both food delivery companies serve major cities in the Philippines. They’re also expanding, so they’ll cover more areas in the coming months or years.

The two companies operate 24/7. However, that doesn’t mean their partner restaurants run 24/7, too. The availability of the restaurants will still depend on their schedule and your location.

foodpanda Delivery Areas

foodpanda serves the major cities of Metro Manila. It also covers key cities in Cavite, Laguna, Cebu, Pampanga, Rizal, and the urban areas of some provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.

• Metro Manila: Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig
• Bukidnon: Valencia, etc.
• Bulacan: Malolos, San Jose del Monte, etc.
• Cavite: Silang, Bacoor, Carmona, Dasmarinas, Tagaytay, etc. 
• Cebu: Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu
• Davao City
• Laguna: Biñan, Cabuyao, San Pedro, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, etc.
• Lanao del Norte: Iligan, Kapatagan, etc.
• Leyte: Ormoc, Jaro, etc. 
• Pampanga: Angeles City, Mexico, etc. 
• Rizal: Antipolo, Cainta, etc. 
• South Cotabato: Koronadal, General Santos City, etc.

GrabFood Delivery Areas

GrabFood is available in most NCR, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Cebu areas. While GrabFood is available 24/7 in many places in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan, it’s only available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Cabanatuan City and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. only in Olongapo.

On the other hand, GrabFood service in Batangas City is only from 7 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

• Metro Manila: BGC, Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Ortigas, Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon City, San Juan, Valenzuela, Marikina, Pateros, and Pasig
• Cavite: Bacoor and Imus
• Cebu: Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue
• Laguna: Biñan and Santa Rosa
• Rizal: Antipolo and Cainta

GrabFood offers a broad service coverage in Metro Manila and Cebu, as Grab already established its brand in these key cities. But foodpanda serves more provinces nationwide, specifically in Mindanao, where GrabFood has no presence.

⭐ Winner: foodpanda

📌 Selection

When discussing foodpanda vs. GrabFood, we must also check how each fares in the range of offerings. Both delivery services offer food from various restaurants and cuisines, from Asian to Western.

foodpanda has over 1,000 partner restaurants online. GrabFood, on the other hand, has 7,000 restaurant partners. 

If you love capping off the day with a glass of wine or a few cold ones, you’re in for a treat, as foodpanda and GrabFood deliver alcoholic drinks. Just be aware of the restrictions on alcoholic beverages in your area.

⭐ Winner: GrabFood

Read more: 

• [Battle of the Brands] McDonald’s vs. Jollibee: Who’s Got the Better Kids' Meals?
• Eat to Your Heart’s Content: Best Buffet Restaurants in Metro Manila

📌 Desktop and Mobile User Experience

foodpanda and GrabFood allow customers to order food through their respective apps and websites.^[2] It’s a win-win situation because they reach more customers who can order food in more ways than one.

Web Design and Functionality

foodpanda’s homepage is cleaner and crisper compared to GrabFood’s. From a design perspective, this is good, as fewer distractions keep the user focused when ordering or browsing for options online.

GrabFood’s homepage, on the other hand, has many things going on since it shows the popular restaurants right away. While seemingly cluttered, the homepage immediately shows what customers may want.

The two follow an almost identical format and workflow when it comes to ordering. Both websites are easy to use and navigate.

Mobile App Design and Functionality

When it comes to mobile, GrabFood’s app interface is also full of icons and promo ads, which make the home screen look cluttered. You can access GrabFood’s services via the Grab app, which also houses other Grab services, such as Mart, Express, and Car. 

To get to the actual GrabFood page, you’ll need to look for and click the Food icon. It’s an inevitable layer or step which may disrupt the user experience.

The foodpanda app is less cluttered since it only offers food and grocery deliveries. Thus, it’s easy to navigate. The first things you’ll see on the dashboard are the search bar, food and grocery delivery, and dine-in and pick-up options. You can also see daily deals.

In addition, foodpanda’s aesthetics are clean and basic, which means fewer distractions for the users.

Both allow customers to search for food, restaurants, or cuisine types. However, foodpanda has an edge in this area, as it displays popular restaurants with prices, distance, and delivery times.

Order and Delivery Tracking

The two food delivery apps do a great job updating customers regarding their order status in real-time, like when the restaurant is preparing the food or when the delivery rider has picked up the order. They both show the estimated delivery time, which changes from time to time depending on the restaurant and traffic situation.

A feature similar to its ride-hailing counterpart, GrabFood's delivery tracker allows customers to view the exact location of the delivery rider on a map, indicated by a motorcycle icon that moves when the rider is in transit.

⭐ Winner: foodpanda

📌 Customer Service

foodpanda and GrabFood both have a feature that lets customers leave a short note about their order to the rider. This seemingly trivial yet significant feature allows you to request change for a large bill or give specific instructions on your order (e.g., less sugar for your milk tea, removing egg, cheese, and nuts from your food, etc.).

Both have a chat feature that lets you contact the rider. It’s extremely helpful, as it allows you to change some details in your orders or guide your rider to your location in case he gets lost.

foodpanda and GrabFood have a pre-order feature, which lets you place an order when a particular restaurant is closed. You'll receive your order when the shop opens the following day.

⭐ Winner: Tie

📌 Delivery Fees

On top of your orders, you'll also need to pay a GrabFood or foodpanda delivery fee.

Note: These fees are subject to change. They may change based on the following factors: time of the day, demand, location, and the vouchers used.

One way to maximize the delivery fee is to invite your family members or friends to order, too. That way, the delivery fee can be split among yourselves, thus reducing the amount you need to pay.

⭐ Winner: foodpanda

🐼 Free foodpanda Voucher for New Users

If you're new to foodpanda, you can use the new user voucher on your first food delivery order. Input the promo code LIKEAPANDA to enjoy ₱100 off for a minimum spend of ₱399. 

You can also use this voucher to enjoy one free delivery at select restaurants. The promo code is valid until September 30, 2023.  

🐼 foodpanda Voucher for Maya Customers 

Are you a Maya cardholder who's new to foodpanda? Get 30% off your order with the code MAYANEW30 when you use your Maya card to pay for your order.

📌 Minimum Order Requirement

The required minimum order will be a burden if you order solo. For instance, let’s say you’ve been craving milk tea, which usually costs around ₱85 in your area. However, the food delivery app won’t accept your order, as it doesn’t meet the minimum purchase requirement.

Thankfully, GrabFood doesn’t have a minimum order requirement. However, it has a small order fee, which applies to orders less than the amount specified by a restaurant.

foodpanda, on the other hand, has some vendors requiring a minimum order value before the order can be placed and delivered. In cases where an applicable order fails to meet the minimum required order value, you can pay the difference or add more items to your order.

⭐ Winner: GrabFood

📌 Payment Options

Both food delivery services offer multiple payment options. foodpanda customers can pay via pandapay (foodpanda’s wallet), cash on delivery, credit card, debit card, GCash, or a linked bank account. 

Likewise, GrabFood accepts payment through COD, credit card, debit card, GCash, and GrabPay (Grab’s very own mobile wallet and payment solution).

However, each merchant or restaurant may accept only a specific payment. Small shops, for instance, are likely to accept cash only.

⭐ Winner: Tie

📌 Delivery Speed

Sometimes, customers may experience delivery delays on both food delivery platforms. However, GrabFood appears to be generally faster at around 30 minutes. 

foodpanda, on the other hand, sometimes takes too long. There are even a few occasions when they cancel the order at the last minute.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that the delivery speed is influenced by many factors, such as your location, the size of your order, the queue at the restaurant, the traffic conditions, the weather, and the vehicle that your rider is using (for instance, some foodpanda and GrabFood riders use bicycles).

⭐ Winner: GrabFood

📌 Business Friendliness

This criterion is not for customers. Instead, it’s for merchants and restaurants who wish to use foodpanda and GrabFood’s service to deliver and promote their products.

foodpanda vs. GrabFood Merchant Fee in the Philippines

If you’re running a restaurant or a food mart, you need to know how much these companies will charge you for their services. That way, you can gauge how much you should set aside monthly and plan your business operations accordingly.

Below are the GrabFood and foodpanda merchant fees in the Philippines to take note of.

Note: These rates may change without prior notice. Contact these food delivery companies’ respective business development teams to learn more.

Merchant Application Process

To become a partner merchant with these food delivery services, here are some things you need to note.

👉 foodpanda Merchant Application Steps

1. Sign up with foodpanda by registering your interest on the online form.^[3]
2. Enter your name, email address, and phone number.
3. Click Get Started. 
4. You’ll receive an email or phone call regarding the next steps of your foodpanda registration. 
5.  Prepare the following business documents:
   • Mayor’s/Business Permit
   • DTI Certification
   • Valid ID of the restaurant owner
   • Halal Certificate (if applicable to your restaurant)

👉 GrabFood Merchant Application Steps

1. Sign up with GrabFood online.^[4]
2. Wait for an email with registration instructions from Grab. Complete and submit the following requirements:
   • Certificate of Registration
   • Secondary license: either BIR Form 2303 or Mayor’s/Business Permit
   • Valid photo-bearing ID and specimen signature of DTI-named owner
   • Valid photo-bearing ID and specimen signature of authorized representatives
   • Articles of Incorporation
   • General Information Sheet
   • Secretary’s Certificate
   • Contract
   • Photo proof of bank account
   • Valid ID of the bank account holder
   • Letter of authorization
3. Wait for the contract.
4. Sign the contract with Grab.
5. GrabFood will verify your details. 
6. Wait for the final approval of your application.

⭐ Winner: GrabFood

Related reading: Dinner for Two: Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in Metro Manila

Final Thoughts

It’s a tight fight between this foodpanda vs. GrabFood review, as there are criteria where they end up in a tie. 

Because they’re the country's two leading food delivery platforms, they bear the pressure to improve their services and outperform each other. The pressure is immense, with other players in the Philippine food delivery sector, such as Pick.A.Roo, Borzo Eats, and Central Delivery by Landers, competing for customers.

The solution is to install both food delivery apps on your phone. That way, you’ll experience what each of them has to offer. Also, this will compensate for the dilemma where your preferred restaurant or shop is not in one food delivery app. 

Ready to order? Enjoy perks such as rewards, cashback, and discounts by using the best credit cards for dining: 

Credit Card	Dining Perks
UnionBank Rewards Credit Card	3x points on dining locally and abroad 1 point per ₱30 spend
HSBC Red Mastercard	4x points on dining, online purchases, shopping, and overseas spend 1 reward point per ₱20 spend
Security Bank Complete Cashback Mastercard	2% cashback on dining   Year-round cashback E-commerce purchase protection
BPI Amore Platinum Cashback Card	4% cashback on dining and online delivery spend Up to 0.3% cash back on other international spend Exclusive perks and deals at any Ayala Malls nationwide
RCBC Flex Visa	2x rewards points on dining

Sources:

• ^[1] Most popular food delivery apps in the Philippines as of April 2023 (Statista)
• ^[2] foodpanda website and app (Android | iOS) | GrabFood website and app (Android | iOS)
• ^[3] foodpanda Merchant Application page
• ^[4] GrabFood Merchant Application page