How much does meal delivery cost per month? Compare meal kit, prepared meal, and restaurant delivery costs per serving — with a grocery baseline.
Meal Kit - Standard (HelloFresh-style): $8.99–$11.99 per serving plus $10.99 shipping per weekly box. Weekly servings = meals per week × people.
Plan: 3 meals per week × 2 people = 6 servings, at the typical $9.99 per serving (low side of the $8.99–$11.99 range) with $10.99 shipping.
Calculation: Food 6 × $9.99 = $59.94 + shipping $10.99 = $70.93 weekly; monthly = $70.93 × 4.33 = $307.13. High side: 6 × $11.99 + $10.99 = $82.93 weekly / $359.09 monthly.
Plan: 4 meals per week × 1 person = 4 servings, at the typical $13.99 per serving (midpoint of $11.99–$15.99) with $10.99 shipping.
Calculation: Food 4 × $13.99 = $55.96 + shipping $10.99 = $66.95 weekly; monthly = $66.95 × 4.33 = $289.89 (low side). Full range: 4 × $11.99 + $10.99 = $58.95 to 4 × $15.99 + $10.99 = $74.95 weekly.
Order: 2 meals per week × 2 people = 2 orders, at $17.00 per serving, with the 18% tip included.
Calculation (per order): Subtotal 2 × $17.00 = $34.00; fees $34.00 × 0.12 + $3.99 = $8.07; tip ($34.00 + $8.07) × 0.18 = $7.57. Weekly = ($34.00 + $8.07 + $7.57) × 2 orders = $99.29; monthly = × 4.33 = $429.90.
Plan: 3 meals per week × 2 people = 6 servings, at $4.00–$6.00 per serving with no shipping or fees.
Calculation: Weekly = 6 × $4.00 = $24.00 (low) to 6 × $6.00 = $36.00 (high); monthly = $24.00 × 4.33 = $103.92 to $36.00 × 4.33 = $155.88.
Note: These examples use typical mid-range prices for illustration. Actual prices vary by service, plan size, region, and promotions — restaurant delivery also carries per-restaurant menu markups. The same inputs in the Calculator tab will show the full low–high range for each service.
Price per serving = the service's typical per-serving range: $8.99–$11.99 (standard kit), $11.99–$14.99 (premium kit), $11.99–$15.99 (prepared), $14.00–$22.00 (restaurant delivery), $4.00–$6.00 (groceries)
Shipping = $10.99 per weekly box for meal kits and prepared meals; $0 for restaurant delivery (fees apply) and groceries
Restaurant fees = 12% service fee + $3.99 delivery fee per order; tip = 18% of (subtotal + fees) when enabled
4.33 = average number of weeks per month
| Service | Price per Serving | Shipping & Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Meal Kit - Standard (HelloFresh-style) | $8.99–$11.99 | $10.99 per box |
| Meal Kit - Premium (Blue Apron-style) | $11.99–$14.99 | $10.99 per box |
| Prepared Meals (Factor-style) | $11.99–$15.99 | $10.99 per box |
| Restaurant Delivery (DoorDash/Uber Eats-style) | $14.00–$22.00 | 12% service fee + $3.99 delivery fee per order + 18% tip |
| Grocery Baseline | $4.00–$6.00 | None |
Pick the option that matches how you actually eat: a HelloFresh-style meal kit, a Factor-style prepared meal service, DoorDash/Uber Eats-style restaurant delivery, or a grocery baseline for comparison. Each service uses its own pricing model — per-serving price plus a flat box fee for kits, or subtotal-based service fees, delivery fees, and tips for restaurant apps.
Enter how many meals you want per week and how many people you're feeding. The calculator multiplies the two to get weekly servings, then applies the service's price per serving to every one of them. For restaurant delivery, each meal counts as one separate order with its own fees and tip.
Every result shows a low and high range based on realistic price spreads, plus a monthly projection (weekly × 4.33). The step-by-step breakdown shows exactly what you'd pay for food, shipping, service fees, delivery fees, and tips each week and month — so you can see where the money goes before you subscribe.
Remember: Prices are national averages (2025) and vary by service, region, and promotions. Restaurant delivery prices include restaurant menu markups (often 15–30% higher than dine-in). Use this tool to compare options, then confirm current pricing on each service's website.
Meal kits typically run $9–$12 per serving, prepared meal services run $12–$16 per serving, and restaurant delivery averages $14–$22 per serving before fees and tips — while a grocery-baseline serving costs just $4–$6. For a household of two eating three meals a week, that's the difference between roughly $65–$83 per week for a standard meal kit and $24–$36 per week for groceries — more than $2,000 extra per year.
What that premium buys is convenience. Meal kits deliver pre-measured ingredients with chef-designed recipes, which means no shopping lists, no partial produce bins, and a built-in variety that's hard to maintain when you cook from scratch every night. Prepared meals take it a step further — the food is already cooked and only needs reheating, which suits people with busy schedules or limited cooking skills. Restaurant delivery offers the most convenience of all, but you pay for it twice: the restaurant's menu markup (often 15–30% higher than dine-in) plus the app's service fee, delivery fee, and tip.
There are tradeoffs beyond price. Meal kits portion ingredients precisely, which can reduce food waste compared to buying larger grocery quantities you might not use — but the cardboard and ice packs add up, and if you skip a week you've paid for meals you never cook. Groceries require planning and cooking time, yet they give you full control over portions, ingredients, and cost. For most households, a hybrid approach — meal delivery a few nights a week and groceries the rest — balances the budget with the convenience.
Choose bigger plans. Per-serving prices drop as you add meals — a 4-meal plan for two people usually costs less per serving than a 2-meal plan, and the flat shipping fee gets spread over more food. If you're feeding a family, larger plans are almost always the better deal per plate.
Watch shipping and fees. A $10.99 box fee is roughly 18% on top of a six-serving standard kit, and it applies whether you order 2 meals or 6. Restaurant apps stack a 12% service fee, a $3.99 delivery fee, and an 18% tip on every order — which is why the same burrito costs $25+ delivered. Where possible, choose pickup instead of delivery to skip the delivery fee and tip.
Skip add-ons and use promotions. Desserts, premium proteins, and lunch add-ons can inflate a week's bill by 20–30% without you noticing. First-order discounts of 30–50% are common across meal kit services, and many offer free shipping on your first box — it pays to rotate services or negotiate a retention discount before canceling. Just remember to compare the post-promotion price, not the teaser rate, when deciding what your weekly food budget should really be.
⚠️ Estimates Only: Prices used in this calculator are national averages (2025) and vary by service, region, and promotions. Restaurant delivery prices include restaurant menu markups (often 15–30% higher than dine-in) that vary by restaurant and order. Results are estimates for comparison only and are not financial advice — confirm current pricing on each service's website before committing to a subscription.
When comparing meal delivery options, look beyond the sticker price per serving. Consider the shipping or delivery fees, the frequency you'll actually cook or order, minimum order requirements, and how much food gets wasted when life gets busy. A service that looks cheap per serving can become expensive if you skip weeks, and a pricier service you actually use can beat a cheaper one you don't.