Uber Eats discovery leaves 'ashamed' Aussies reeling: 'Refuse to look'

When cooking feels like too much of a chore, so many of us take the easy way out and turn to apps like Uber Eats without a second thought. But if you were to delve into your food ordering habits, you might be rattled by what you find.

Aussie TikToker Christian Hull did some digging earlier this week, and after making a mind-blowing discovery about his own penchant for Uber Eats, showed viewers how to check exactly how many times they've ordered through the app — sending fellow users into a spin.

Find your Uber Eats order history

Looking for reassurance from his followers that the "disgustingly large" number of times he's had food delivered isn't abnormal, Mr Hull shared the following steps for tracking past Uber Eats orders:

1. Open the Uber or Uber Eats app and click on "Account"

2. Tap "Settings" (ignore this step if using the Uber Eats app)

3. Click on "Privacy"

4. Tap "Privacy Center"

5. Click on "See summary"

You'll then be shown how long you've been using the apps, how many trips you've taken, your rider rating and how many times you've ordered with Uber Eats. You can also see exactly what you've ordered and request to have detailed data emailed to you.

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'Ashamed of my number'

Mr Hull spoke to Yahoo News Australia about discovering how many times he's ordered food through Uber Eats. "My podcast producer brought it up during recording my podcast Complete Drivel. I said 'I absolutely don't want to see that'. I don't cook and I'm not a very good cook. It's just so easy [to use Uber Eats]," the comedian said.

"I looked it up and I was very ashamed of my number. I have ordered Uber Eats 940 times, which is quite significant. And I've spent about $32,000 on Uber Eats, which is a lot of money. Maybe I should learn how to cook," he added.

Order history leaves Aussies reeling

Uber Eats users flooded the comment section on Mr Hull's video, with many shocked to learn they've ordered through the app hundreds or thousands of times. "1007, I deleted the app yesterday," wrote one embarrassed foodie. "I've ordered Uber Eats 1,229 times. Oops," commented another.

"Been with them for 2,857 days and in that time, I've ordered 641 times," claimed someone else, while others said they "refuse to look" out of fear the number would be higher than expected.

Warning to users of food delivery apps

Dietician and PhD Candidate at the University of Sydney Sisi Jia says people need to consider the health impacts and not just the "ultimate convenience" of food delivery apps.

"Our previous research tells us that over 85 per cent of popular menu items on these platforms are 'junk foods' — we know that too much of these foods can elevate our risk of obesity and associated chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease," she told Yahoo.

Ms Jia also shared the following advice for users:

• Be mindful of how often you use meal delivery apps — using them once in a while is completely fine, in moderation.

• Choose healthier food options including meals abundant with vegetables, opt for grilled/steamed instead of deep-fried, and forego adding sugary drinks or fries to your order.

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