Too busy to read? Here's the move:
Every intro deal available in Los Angeles right now
What's actually on the menu this week
Real meals delivering to Los Angeles 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.
Los Angeles-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 Los Angeles businesses | Music City Meals | Los Angeles-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. "Los Angeles delivery" means different things to different services. Here's the real coverage breakdown:
How Los Angeles compares to other southern cities
Los Angeles's meal delivery market is growing. You can compare coverage and services across different metros.
Full reviews
Every service below delivers to Los Angeles. Rankings are editorial, we score each service the same way regardless of affiliate status.
This is the one that actually worked when I was testing in my Studio City apartment. Calorie Smart meals under 550 calories, high protein (30-40g per meal), and they're ready in 2 minutes. That last part matters more in LA than anywhere else—when you're getting home at 8 PM after sitting on the 101 for 90 minutes, you're not chopping vegetables. The chipotle lime chicken bowl is 480 calories and keeps you full for hours. Meals last 5-7 days in the fridge, so you can order Monday and coast through Friday. Sodium runs a bit high (700-1050mg on some meals), but the portion control is what makes it work for actual weight loss. I lost 8 pounds in three weeks eating only Factor, and I wasn't even trying that hard.
If Factor is the reliable one, CookUnity is the exciting one. 300+ chef-crafted meals with a weight loss filter that actually works—meals under 550 calories that don't taste like diet food. The Korean BBQ short ribs are 490 calories and taste like something you'd order at a restaurant in Koreatown. I used the nutritionist consultation feature (free) and they helped me build a rotation that kept me at 1,500 calories a day without feeling deprived. Coverage in LA is solid from DTLA to Santa Monica, but gets spotty once you head east past Pasadena. Some meals are heavier in carbs or fats than Factor's strict macros, so you have to actually read the labels.
Home Chef's Calorie Conscious menu has meals under 600 calories, which is decent for weight loss but not as tight as Factor's 550. The big advantage is the mix of meal kits and prepared options—you can get some ready-made meals for busy weeknights and cook on weekends when you have time. I tested this while staying with family in Brentwood, and it worked well for feeding multiple people with different goals. Backed by Kroger, so LA coverage is solid through their delivery network. The 25-45 minute cook time is the tradeoff—if you're doing weight loss because you're time-crunched, Factor's 2-minute meals win. But if you like cooking and want portion control, this works.
For the Erewhon crowd who won't compromise on organic ingredients, Sunbasket is the move. Carb-conscious and Mediterranean diet options that support weight loss with whole foods instead of just calorie restriction. I tested the Fresh & Ready meals (no cooking) and the meal kits (20-30 min prep) while living in Silver Lake, and the ingredient quality is noticeably higher than Factor—you can taste the difference in the produce. The organic focus means better nutritional balance, but there are fewer pure weight-loss-focused options compared to Factor's Calorie Smart line. Mid-range pricing makes sense given the quality. Good for people who want to lose weight without feeling like they're eating processed diet food.
The OG meal kit. Blue Apron's Wellness menu has some calorie-conscious recipes under 600 calories, but this is primarily for people who actually enjoy cooking. At $7.99-11.99/serving, it's mid-range pricing for what is essentially measured ingredients and a recipe card. I tested this in my West Hollywood apartment and the recipes were solid—better than I'd cook on my own—but the 35-45 minute cook time after a 90-minute commute from Culver City was rough. Good for learning healthy cooking habits and portion control through measured ingredients, but if you're doing weight loss because you're time-poor (which is most of LA), Factor or CookUnity make more sense. Less focused on weight loss than competitors.
The budget king, but absolutely the wrong tool for weight loss. $4.69/meal is cheaper than a gas station lunch, and that's the only reason to consider Dinnerly. There's zero weight-loss infrastructure—no calorie counts on the website, no macro information, no portion-controlled options. You're just cooking simple meals with 5-6 ingredients and hoping you're eating the right amounts. I tested this for a week in Glendale and lost zero weight because I had no idea how many calories I was eating. If you're broke and need cheap food, fine. But if your goal is weight loss, you need Factor's strict portion control or CookUnity's calorie tracking. This is a false economy—you save $6/meal but make zero progress on your actual goal.
Los Angeles-based meal services (5 found)
These services are based in Los Angeles, founded here, operating here, and in some cases sourcing ingredients here. No other review site covers these. We researched each one individually.
Los Angeles'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 Los Angeles 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
