How to Maximize Your Uber Eats First-Time Discount

Uber Eats offers new users a discount on their first order. The amount varies with the campaign of the moment, but on Uber Eats in Japan somewhere between 1,000 and 2,500 yen is typical. A minimum order value usually applies, so check the conditions before you build your cart.

The discount is applied by entering a promo code. You need to enter the code after creating your account but before confirming your first order; it cannot be applied once the order is placed, so mind the timing. You can enter the code on the app's Promotions screen, or via the button for adding a promo code on the order confirmation screen.

• Size your order sensibly: Rather than scraping past the minimum order value, add a little headroom and the effective discount rate improves
• Pick a restaurant with a low delivery fee: Choosing somewhere nearby keeps the delivery fee down, so more of the discount goes toward the food itself
• Avoid peak hours: Lunch and dinner rushes concentrate demand and often trigger extra fees. Shifting your order slightly off-peak saves money
• Consider bundling: The first-order discount is a one-time deal, so order several items at once to squeeze the most out of it

Delivery fees in particular swing widely with distance. Favor restaurants within 1 to 2 km of home and nearly the entire discount ends up paying for your meal.

The first-order discount is strictly one per account. If an account has redeemed a different promo code in the past, a new code may be rejected. Codes also tend to carry expiration dates, and an expired code is simply dead.

If your discount is not applying, check the code's status on the app's Promotions screen. The classic mistake is trying to enter the code after confirming the order. The code must go in before you place the order, so make a habit of applying it as soon as your items are in the cart.

As a rule, Uber Eats accepts only one promo code per order. The first-order code cannot be combined with another coupon, so pick whichever code in your possession gives the biggest saving.

That said, restaurant-level discounts that apply automatically in the app (offers along the lines of a set amount off when you spend over a threshold) can sometimes stack with a promo code. Check the order screen to see whether a store discount has been applied automatically, and let it work alongside your code for the maximum combined saving.

And once your first-order discount is spent, keep an eye on the Promotions tab: new coupons arrive there regularly. Turn on notifications and the good campaigns will find you instead of the other way around.