Food Delivery Photo Requirements 2026: Every Platform Compared
Every delivery platform wants different photo dimensions - and rejects photos for surprisingly similar reasons. Here's the complete 2026 comparison: exact specs for seven platforms, the universal rules, and a workflow to shoot once and publish everywhere.
In This Article
- The Comparison Table
- Hero and Header Images
- The Rules Every Platform Shares
- Platform-by-Platform Summaries
- Shoot Once, Publish Everywhere
- FAQ
The Comparison Table
No two delivery platforms want the same photo. Uber Eats asks for 5:4, DoorDash and Wolt demand 16:9, Grubhub wants 4:3, and Deliveroo takes landscape JPEGs only. Here are the menu item photo specs for all seven major platforms as of 2026:
| Platform | Aspect Ratio | Minimum Size | Formats | Max File Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats | 5:4 to 6:4 (recommended) | 550 x 440 px (1200 x 800 recommended) | JPG, PNG, GIF | 10 MB |
| DoorDash | 16:9, landscape only | 1400 x 800 px | JPG, PNG | 2 MB |
| Grubhub | 4:3 | 1600 x 1200 px | PNG, JPEG | Not published |
| Deliveroo | Landscape (crops to 1:1) | 1200 x 675 px | JPEG only | 8 MB |
| Wolt | 16:9, horizontal required | 1000 x 563 px | JPG, PNG | Not published |
| Lieferando | Not published (crop tool at upload) | Not published | PNG, JPG (headers) | Not published |
| Talabat | Landscape (16:9 works best) | Not published | JPEG recommended | Not published |
Each platform name links to our detailed guide with the full specs, rejection rules, and sources.
Three traps hiding in that table:
DoorDash's 2 MB cap is the strictest file limit of any platform - a straight-off-the-phone photo usually exceeds it. Export compressed.
Deliveroo takes JPEG only. The PNG that sailed through Wolt gets bounced by Deliveroo.
Almost everything crops to a square thumbnail. Uber Eats, Deliveroo, DoorDash, and Lieferando all display 1:1 crops somewhere in their apps. Whatever ratio you shoot, keep the dish dead-center with breathing room.
Hero and Header Images
Storefront headers have their own specs - and they're worth getting right, since DoorDash reports header images lift monthly sales by up to 50%.[1]
| Platform | Header Spec | Content Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats | 2880 x 2304 px, 5:4, JPEG | Multiple dishes (3-5), no logo-only images |
| DoorDash | Min 1400 x 800 px, 4:1 web / 16:9 app | No text or overlays |
| Grubhub | Min 2400 x 1800 px, 4:3 (crops to 4:1 desktop) | Food-focused, center composition |
| Deliveroo | Min 1920 x 1080 px, 16:9 and 3:2 layouts | At least 5 different dishes |
| Lieferando | 1600 x 800 px, 2:1, PNG/JPG | Simple readable text allowed; up to 10 schedulable by time of day |
The common thread: extreme horizontal crops. DoorDash's web header is 4:1, Grubhub crops 4:3 down to 4:1 on desktop. Keep your best dishes in the vertical center of the frame or they'll vanish on desktop layouts.
The Rules Every Platform Shares
Under the different pixel counts, all seven platforms enforce the same five rules: one dish per photo, no people, no text or watermarks on dish photos, no stock images, and no misrepresenting what customers receive.
One dish per photo. Universal. If the combo includes fries, show the combo; if it doesn't, don't.
No people. Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Wolt tolerate hands at most; Grubhub rejects even hands holding food. Keep everyone out of frame and you're safe everywhere.
No text, logos, or watermarks on dish photos. The only notable exception is branding physically on packaging - and Lieferando's header images, which allow simple text.
No stock photos. Every platform requires you to own the rights. Grubhub goes furthest and runs a reverse Google image search on every upload.
Authenticity. The 2026 pattern across platforms is remarkably consistent: AI enhancement of real photos is officially embraced - DoorDash ships AI Retouch and Replate in its Merchant Portal, Wolt has "Improve with AI," Deliveroo auto-enhances submissions - while AI-generated food and misleading edits are banned. The photo must show the real dish the customer receives. That's precisely the line GourmetPix is built around: your actual food, professionally presented.
One more ownership warning: photos from a platform's own free photoshoot are typically licensed for that platform. Wolt explicitly prohibits using its photoshoot images on competing services, and Uber Eats' user-submitted photos can't be reused by the restaurant at all. Photos you own are the only photos that work everywhere.
Platform-by-Platform Summaries
Uber Eats - 5:4 items, strict cover photo rules, review up to 3 business days, free onboarding photoshoot. Watch out: customers can submit photos for items you haven't covered. Full Uber Eats guide
DoorDash - 16:9 landscape only with a 2 MB cap, 14 published rejection reasons, free 1.5-hour photoshoot (up to 20 items), and built-in AI photo tools. Full DoorDash guide
Grubhub - 4:3 items at 1600 x 1200, automated review with reverse image search, free photoshoot via your Account Advisor. Strictest no-people rule. Full Grubhub guide
Deliveroo - JPEG only, min 1200 x 675, automated three-outcome quality check, hero images need 5+ dishes. Photoshoot packages (Silver/Gold) priced on request. Now DoorDash-owned, UK/EU/Middle East. Full Deliveroo guide
Wolt - 16:9 mandatory, up to 5 images per item (use them), explicit AI-generation ban, photoshoot free in some countries with platform-restricted usage rights. 32 countries across Europe and beyond. Full Wolt guide
Lieferando - Germany's market leader. Content rules over pixel specs for dishes, 2:1 headers at 1600 x 800 with time-of-day scheduling, ~2 business day review. Full Lieferando guide (auch auf Deutsch)
Talabat, Careem & Keeta (Gulf region) - landscape orientation, JPEG, no white/grey cover backgrounds on Talabat, and a fast-changing competitive field since Keeta's arrival. Full UAE platform guide
Shoot Once, Publish Everywhere
The efficient workflow isn't seven photoshoots - it's one high-resolution landscape master photo per dish, cropped per platform:
- Shoot landscape at the highest resolution you can, dish centered, generous space on all sides. That single frame contains a valid 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 crop.
- Light it once, properly. Every platform's quality bar comes down to sharp focus and good light - our lighting guide covers it with nothing but a phone and a window.
- Crop per platform from the master: 5:4 for Uber Eats, 16:9 for DoorDash and Wolt, 4:3 for Grubhub, landscape for Deliveroo and Lieferando.
- Export to each platform's limits - especially DoorDash's 2 MB and Deliveroo's JPEG-only rule.
GourmetPix automates the middle of that pipeline: upload one phone photo, enhance the background and lighting while keeping the dish authentic, and export in each platform's aspect ratio at 4K - well above every minimum in the table. With menus with photos earning up to 44% more monthly sales,[1] the hour this workflow takes is one of the best-paid hours in your restaurant.
One photo, every platform. Try GourmetPix free with 10 credits - no credit card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same photo on all delivery platforms?
The same source photo, yes - the same file, no. Platforms require different aspect ratios (5:4 for Uber Eats, 16:9 for DoorDash and Wolt, 4:3 for Grubhub) and different formats (Deliveroo accepts JPEG only). Shoot one high-resolution landscape master and crop per platform.
Which delivery platform has the strictest photo requirements?
DoorDash for file size (2 MB cap and landscape-only), Grubhub for content (rejects even hands in photos and reverse-image-searches every upload), and Deliveroo for format (JPEG only). Uber Eats has the most detailed cover photo rules.
What photo size works across all delivery platforms?
There's no single size, but a landscape master photo of at least 2400 x 1800 pixels can be cropped to meet every platform's minimum: 1400 x 800 (DoorDash), 1600 x 1200 (Grubhub), 1200 x 800 (Uber Eats recommended), 1200 x 675 (Deliveroo), and 1000 x 563 (Wolt).
Do delivery platforms allow AI-edited photos?
All major platforms accept enhanced photos of your real dish - DoorDash and Wolt even ship their own AI enhancement tools. What's banned everywhere is AI-generated food or edits that misrepresent what the customer receives.
Why do platforms reject stock photos?
Because the photo must show the actual dish your restaurant serves. Every platform requires image ownership; Grubhub enforces it with an automated reverse Google image search, and the others flag suspected stock imagery in review.
Do menu photos really increase orders?
Yes, by the platforms' own numbers: DoorDash reports up to 44% more monthly sales for menus with item photos and up to 30% higher sales for restaurants with high-quality photos, with header images adding up to 50%.
References
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