By Swikriti Dandotia · February 15, 2026

Uber is preparing its next big delivery push in Europe, planning to launch its food-delivery operations across seven additional countries this year. The expansion would take Uber Eats into the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania, alongside a northern sweep into Austria, Denmark, Finland and Norway—markets where local champions have become household names and competition is already fierce.

The strategy is straightforward: grow gross bookings without building an entirely new playbook. Uber believes the new-country rollout can add about $1 billion in gross bookings over the next three years, according to reporting that cites internal targets and leadership commentary. In a category where scale helps everything from delivery times to customer acquisition costs, that kind of lift is meaningful—especially in Europe, where habits and loyalty can be sticky.

Uber’s global head of delivery, Susan Anderson, framed the move as a reset moment for a sector that has matured quickly. The message: this is not just about being present, but about shifting expectations—pricing, reliability, selection and membership value—so customers feel a tangible difference when they open the app.

Why these seven markets, and why now
The map is telling. The Czech Republic and Romania offer growing urban delivery demand and a steady stream of international travelers, while Greece adds seasonal peaks that can reward platforms that manage capacity well. Austria and the Nordics, meanwhile, are attractive for different reasons: high digital adoption, strong card penetration, and consumers already comfortable paying for convenience—often through subscriptions.

Uber’s timing also reflects a broader reality: Europe’s food-delivery industry is entering a phase where incremental efficiency matters as much as growth. Customer acquisition has become more expensive than it was in the early pandemic boom, and delivery platforms are under pressure to prove they can retain users without constant discounting. That makes the “value” promise central—particularly if Uber leans on bundles, loyalty perks, and cross-app behavior between mobility and delivery.

A crowded field, but shifting ground
Uber won’t be entering empty space. Across northern Europe, Wolt (owned by DoorDash) has a deep footprint, and in several markets consumers are used to one or two dominant apps. But Europe’s competitive landscape is changing quickly through consolidation and strategic dealmaking, with platforms looking for defensible positions and stronger unit economics rather than endless expansion for its own sake.

The question is whether Uber can replicate what it claims to have achieved in some established European countries: using brand familiarity, marketing leverage, and membership programs to improve frequency. When that happens, delivery becomes less “one-off dinner” and more part of a weekly routine—grocery add-ons, last-minute essentials, coffee runs, and late-night convenience orders.

What Uber can bring that newer entrants can’t
In food delivery, the user sees a menu and an ETA. Under the hood, the edge often comes from scale: dispatch algorithms, courier density, merchant tools, and the ability to cross-sell. Uber has a built-in advantage in cities where its mobility service already has brand recognition, because discovery costs can be lower and the app already sits on a customer’s home screen.

Then there’s membership. If Uber leans into subscription perks—reduced fees, priority support, stronger merchant deals—it can make switching costs feel real. In a market where many people keep two apps installed and choose based on promotions, subscription value can tilt “default behavior” toward one platform.

Turkey deal adds momentum
The European expansion news also lands just days after Uber agreed to acquire the delivery arm of Turkey’s Getir, a move designed to strengthen its position in one of the region’s most competitive delivery arenas. That deal signals that Uber is willing to combine organic expansion with targeted acquisitions where it sees a clear path to scale.

Read the original reporting here: Reuters coverage of the plan and market list.

What this could mean for customers and restaurants
For customers, more competition can translate into sharper delivery fees, better selection, and faster ETAs—at least early on, when platforms spend to build habit. For restaurants, a new platform can be both opportunity and headache: another sales channel, but also another set of commissions, promos, and operational complexity.

The real test is whether Uber can “raise the bar” without relying on deep discounting that only works temporarily. If it can grow order frequency while improving courier utilization and keeping merchants engaged, the $1 billion gross bookings target starts to look less like a headline number and more like a plausible outcome of disciplined rollout.

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