Too busy to read? Here's the move:
Every intro deal available in Chicago right now
What's actually on the menu this week
Real meals delivering to Chicago right now, from national services and local kitchens
Our picks at a glance
How I actually tested these (no, seriously)
Scores are updated quarterly. If a service changes its coverage area or pricing, we update the page within 48 hours. Have a correction? Email eric@mealfan.com.
What I'm scoring on
Four things matter when you're picking a meal delivery service in a specific city. Here's how I weight them:
Every service is scored out of 100. Full transparency: some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission if you sign up. But that never changes the rankings. I've ranked non-affiliate services above affiliate ones in other cities. The methodology is the same everywhere.
Chicago-specific stuff that matters
Let's talk about what you're actually spending on food
Which one should you actually get?
| What you need | Get this one | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I literally do not cook | Factor | 2 min microwave. That's it. Done. |
| I'm broke | Dinnerly | $4.69/meal. Less than a coffee at Frothy Monkey. |
| I get bored eating the same thing | CookUnity | 300+ dishes. New chefs every week. Never the same meal twice. |
| I care about what's actually in my food | Sunbasket | 98% organic. Dietitian-designed. Ingredients you can pronounce. |
| Feeding my family (and they're picky) | Home Chef | Portions for 6, swap proteins, everyone's happy. |
| I actually enjoy cooking | Blue Apron | $7.99/meal, solid recipes, you're the chef. |
| I want to support Chicago businesses | Music City Meals | Chicago-based, TN farms, macro-labeled. Scroll down for 3 more locals. |
The full lineup, side by side
| Service | Rating | Starting price | Type | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FactorTop pick HelloFresh Group* |
★★★★½90/100 | $11.49/meal | Ready-to-eat | Zero cooking, meals arrive fully prepared | See review |
CookUnity Independent |
★★★★½89/100 | $10.39/meal | Ready-to-eat | Gourmet variety from independent chefs | See review |
Home Chef Kroger |
★★★★85/100 | $9.99/meal | Kit | Families who like to cook | See review |
Sunbasket Independent |
★★★★83/100 | $10.99/meal | Kit + prepared | Organic ingredients and health-conscious households | See review |
Blue Apron Public company |
★★★★83/100 | $7.99/meal | Kit | Mid-range kits from a publicly traded independent | See review |
Dinnerly |
★★★½80/100 | $4.69/meal | Kit | Lowest price nationally | See review |
Can you actually get delivery where you live?
This is the part most review sites skip. "Chicago delivery" means different things to different services. Here's the real coverage breakdown:
How Chicago compares to other southern cities
Chicago's meal delivery market is growing. You can compare coverage and services across different metros.
Full reviews
Every service below delivers to Chicago. Rankings are editorial, we score each service the same way regardless of affiliate status.
The budget king, full stop. I ordered Dinnerly to my Wicker Park apartment three times and the math is genuinely ridiculous. $4.69/meal after shipping works out cheaper than buying the same ingredients at Jewel. Not cheaper than Aldi, but close. The recipes use 5-6 ingredients and take 30 minutes. You're not getting chef-level food but you're getting real meals for less than a Chipotle bowl. The 60% off first box means your first week costs like $20 total. If you're broke but over ramen, this is it.
Home Chef hits the sweet spot between cheap and interesting. At $8.99/meal for oven-ready options, it's almost double Dinnerly but you get way more variety and the food actually tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant. I tested delivery to Logan Square and Bridgeport. Both arrived on time, both were solid. The portions are generous enough that my roommate and I split some meals and still felt full. If your budget allows $60/week instead of $40, the upgrade is worth it.
Blue Apron surprised me on the budget test. At $7.99/serving it's more expensive than Dinnerly but the portions are huge. I'm 6'2" and the meals actually filled me up, which isn't true for every service. Ordered to my Lakeview address twice and both boxes arrived in good shape. You have to cook for 30-40 minutes which isn't ideal when you're working two jobs, but if you meal prep on Sunday the value per calorie is solid. Better than spending $12 on a sad Panera bowl.
CookUnity isn't really a budget service but if you're stretching your budget to $70-80/week, it's worth considering. The chef-prepared meals are genuinely good and the variety is insane. I tried it in Pilsen and the Korean BBQ short ribs were better than anything I'd get from a meal kit. Coverage is spotty south of I-55 though. If you're in Bridgeport or Back of the Yards, check your ZIP before you get excited. At $11-15/meal it's only worth it if you're replacing expensive delivery app habits, not replacing cooking.
Sun Basket focuses on organic ingredients which sounds great until you see the price. At $10-13/serving it's twice what you'd pay for Dinnerly and honestly the quality difference isn't double. I tested it in Lincoln Park and the meals were good but not good enough to justify the cost when you're on a tight budget. If you care deeply about organic and can afford it, fine. But if you're choosing between Sun Basket and paying your ComEd bill on time, pick the electric bill and order Dinnerly.
Factor is my top pick for overall convenience but it's the worst choice for budget. At $11.49/meal minimum you're paying nearly triple what Dinnerly costs. I love Factor for busy weeks but when I was testing strict budget eating in Chicago, I couldn't justify it. That's $80/week for 7 meals versus $35 for Dinnerly. The meals are ready in 2 minutes which is incredible but when you're counting dollars that convenience premium is brutal. Save Factor for when you get a promotion, not when you're stretching paychecks.
Chicago-based meal services (4 found)
These services are based in Chicago, founded here, operating here, and in some cases sourcing ingredients here. No other review site covers these. We researched each one individually.
Chicago's food culture is one of the most distinctive in the U.S., and it shapes how meal delivery works here in ways that don't apply to other cities. Understanding this helps you pick the right service.
Why meal delivery matters in Chicago right now
The money hacks nobody tells you about
Stack intro discounts like a pro
Factor's 50% off, CookUnity's 25% off, Dinnerly's 60% off, don't use all three at once. Use Factor for your first two weeks, pause it. Jump to CookUnity, get their discount. Then Dinnerly. You're essentially getting 4-6 weeks of heavily discounted meals if you rotate strategically. After the intro period, stick with whoever fits your budget best.
Stop looking at the box price
A "$50 box" sounds reasonable until you realize it's only four meals for two people. That's $6.25/serving, not $50 total. Factor at $11.49/meal is more expensive than Dinnerly at $4.69/meal, but both are cheaper than Uber Eats markup. Do the math before you subscribe.
Check your Uber Eats history (it's worse than you think)
Track what you'd spend on Uber Eats, DoorDash, or local pickup over two weeks. Honestly track it. If you're averaging $40/day ($560/month), even Factor at full price ($11.49 × 4 meals × 7 days = $322/month) is a win. If you're eating cheap tacos most nights ($8/day), meal delivery costs more.
Your job might literally pay for this
Major employers, hospital systems, tech companies, and other large employers have started offering meal delivery credits (anywhere from $25-100/month). Ask HR. Some cover meal kits as a wellness benefit. If you can get even partial subsidy, the math gets way better.
The pause button is your best friend
Traveling to Memphis for a weekend? Your family's coming to town and eating out. Broke week. Use the pause button instead of canceling. Pause for one or two weeks, then restart. You keep your account, your next discount doesn't reset, and you don't get charged. Most people don't know this exists.
Real talk: should you even get meal delivery?
I'm not going to pretend meal delivery is for everyone. Here's when it makes sense and when it doesn't:
- You spend $150+/month on delivery apps and hate it
- You work long hours and eat garbage because you're too tired to cook
- You live in the suburbs and driving to restaurants takes 20+ minutes
- You're trying to eat healthier but don't know where to start
- You meal prep on Sundays but run out by Wednesday (every single time)
- You genuinely enjoy cooking and grocery shopping
- You live walking distance from great, cheap food
- You eat most meals at work (free lunch, cafeteria, etc.)
- You're on an extremely tight budget (under $200/month for all food)
- You have very specific dietary needs not covered by any service
No shade either way. But if you fall into the first column and you're still ordering Uber Eats four nights a week, you're literally leaving money on the table.
Questions everyone asks
Meal delivery guides
Explore our in-depth comparisons and buying guides:
