Frequently Asked Questions
How can we assist you? You can search our comprehensive FAQs or simply browse the categories below to quickly find answers to our most commonly asked questions.
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About DropChef
What is DropChef?
DropChef is Ireland’s first, most trusted, experienced, and best quality recipe box company. We started DropChef in Dublin in 2015 and have since expanded to delivering nationwide. DropChef caters for everyone. Our recipe boxes and prepared meal kits are perfect for families, couples, and even people cooking for 1.
Why have a DropChef Subscription?
With DropChef you can enjoy a perfectly stocked fridge. Our subscription is extremely easy to manage. You can use our website or app to select your dishes each week and we will take it from there, sourcing you the freshest and best quality ingredients. We pre-portion all of your ingredients. This means that you eliminate your food waste and save time.
DropChef’s meal plans are all extremely healthy and you can choose from a range of options such as meal kits or freshly prepared healthy meals. This means that if it suits you to cook from scratch sometimes you can and other times when you are too busy, DropChef always has the perfect solution.
Are you a subscription service?
Yes we are a subscription service. When you sign up to DropChef, you automatically enroll in one of our flexible subscription plans. This means that you are free to put your account on hold at any time and to skip a week for any reason without penalty. You just need to log in to your account and you can easily put it on hold or skip a week. Select the best option for you the week prior to your delivery. When you are ready, you can reactivate your subscription and place an order.
How does a DropChef subscription work?
Every Monday we update the menu with a new selection of healthy dishes. We send an email to inform you of the new menu choices.
As a subscription service, if your account is ‘Active’ and you have not already placed an order your account is automatically billed every Wednesday, and an order is automatically placed with random pre-selected dishes.
To update your dish selection just log into your account, select the dishes you would like, and click submit on the following page to overwrite the automatic selection. On Thursday, if you haven’t updated your dishes, we will send you a text reminder. In order to source the freshest ingredients for you, we need your dish selections before Friday so the cut-off for updating your dish selection is 23:59 Thursday.
Am I locked into a subscription?
With our flexible subscription, you are free to pause your subscription at any time, by putting it on hold or skipping a week. You decide what’s the best option for you!
Are you an Irish company?
Yes, we are a local Irish business, founded in 2015 by Ryan Scott and Roman Grogan. Our team has grown in recent years and with that our ability to hire great chefs, recipe developers, dietitians, customer support, fresh produce experts and delivery drivers. Because of the hard work of our dedicated team, DropChef is Ireland’s premier fresh recipe kit meal delivery service.
Do you offer boxes for one?
Yes, we do! We provide boxes with single servings. You can find our individual meal plans, and prices here. But a lot of our customers order our 2-person box and it works perfectly for them as they can split the servings over dinner and lunch the following day.
What do I get in my meal kit recipe box?
DropChef gives you all the ingredients you need to cook a healthy dinner from scratch. This means that you get the meat, vegetables, dry goods, sauces, herbs and anything else needed to cook the recipe you select. Inside your order, you also will receive your recipe cards that we even colour code to match the ingredients you need for that meal.
How long does your produce last?
If you receive your produce at the weekend it will last until the end of that work week.
If you receive your produce at the start of the week it will last until the end of that week.
There are best before dates on all of our meat and fish products too.
How do I properly store my ingredients for maximum shelf life?
We work with great suppliers to bring the best produce to you. Below are some tips to help to keep your ingredients fresh and get the best shelf life from each ingredient by storing them properly.
Fresh ingredients
- All the ingredients from the insulation bag.
- Vegetables: broccoli, cucumbers, green beans, radishes, cauliflower, carrots, courgettes, cabbage, peppers, and mushrooms.
- Avocados.
- Fresh herbs (except basil) and fresh ginger.
Cupboard ingredients
- Root vegetables (except carrots) squash, and aubergine.
- Spice bags
- Garlic cloves
Freezer ingredients
- Feel free to freeze any of the meat that you are not ready to use before the use-by date. All of the meat from our craft butcher is free of preservatives so the only way to extend its shelf life is to freeze it. We do not freeze the meat when receiving it so it is totally fine for you to freeze it and defrost when you are ready to cook.
Where is the food coming from?
DropChef is extremely proud of our new state-of-the-art kitchen. Our team has been working with the same Irish craft butcher and fishmonger since we began in 2015. Our vegetables and produce are bought from Irish farmers when in season and when out of season we buy from as close to the source/farmer as possible. This cuts out the middleman so that we get fresher produce faster and you see savings and produce that lasts.
What meals are healthy?
We put a great deal of effort and creativity into making sure that every meal is healthy and nutrient-dense. Our attitude is that we should take care of making sure that our menu gives you a healthy, varied and balanced diet so that you enjoy your meals and don’t get lost in the details. All of our recipes have been designed/approved by a dietitian and you can easily check out the nutritional macros when selecting your dishes. We also include them on your recipe cards. Our prepared meals are cooked from scratch just as you would expect from a high-end restaurant.
How is my order packed?
Each recipe kit is carefully packed by our experienced team in order to make sure all of the ingredients arrive fresh and in perfect condition. Our specially designed packaging keeps everything chilled and is made up of a range of the most sustainable, compostable, recyclable & returnable materials.
Do I need to be an experienced cook?
Not at all, so long as you can follow our recipe card you will learn as you go. If you are a more experienced cook you will really enjoy DropChef as you will feel like Gordon Ramsey or Jamie Oliver as we have given you everything you need to go. Typically the more experienced you are the faster you will be but that may only take a couple of weeks of cooking with us to be a master chef.
Do I need a lot of kitchen utensils?
Not at all, we assume you have a very basic setup. You will only ever need an oven & hob, pots pans and a knife. No food processors or equipment that takes a long time to clean up.
Does DropChef have recipes for special occasions like Christmas?
Yes, we have a special menu with amazing recipes for your Christmas dinner! DropChef has teamed up with some of Ireland’s most esteemed chefs and artisan suppliers to bring the best possible produce straight to you and your loved ones.
These kits are launched usually by November on the website, but don’t worry! We’ll let you know when the kits will be launched so you don’t miss the chance to order them and have our fresh and delicious ingredients and recipes for your Christmas dinner.
Our Christmas dinner plans for 2023 is now closed for reservation, we will be back around November 2024!
If you would like to register your interest to order our Christmas dinner for 2024, please click here to add your email address to our mailing list. Until then, you can try one of our weekly meal kits. You can check our menu here.
How do I download the app?
You can find the links here if you haven’t downloaded the DropChef app yet!
We recommend using our app to select your dishes. It’s really easy and you’ll stay logged in, so you don’t need to worry about your password or logging in every time you want to place an order.
What is your return policy?
We are dedicated to your satisfaction at DropChef. If you’re not delighted with our products, let us know and we’ll gladly send you another box or credit your account – that’s our smiley face guarantee! 🙂
Getting Started
How do I sign up for DropChef?
You can sign up for a DropChef subscription by clicking here. It’s a super simple, quick, and easy process where you can select the plan that matches your needs best!
When will my food be delivered if I order today?
If you order today, your delicious ingredients and recipes will be delivered on Saturday Oct 12th, Sunday Oct 13th, Monday Oct 14th or Tuesday Oct 15th. For all deliveries outside of Dublin you will receive your delivery on Monday Oct 14th or Tuesday Oct 15th.
When is the cut off for orders?
If you are a new customer who has never cooked with us before, we are grateful to have you with us and will always do our best to facilitate your order. Typically that means that so long as you select your dishes by Sunday evening we can deliver them to you by Tuesday at the latest. If you are ordering from Monday onwards you can select your delivery day and everything is straightforward.
Do you do gift cards?
You can purchase a Gift Card by visiting our Gift Card page. On purchase, you will receive an email confirmation with the gift cards codes in text or PDF form.
These codes can be redeemed at our Gift Card Redemption page. Once redeemed, you can use them when you sign up to the subscription plan of your choice, and they will be applied to your subscription renewal order every week.
Plans, Recipes & Add-ons
Plans
How much will my subscription cost?
We offer flexible plan sizes and menu options. You can check all our options and prices by clicking on the links below:
How does the Classic Plan work?
The Classic plan has our most extensive menu and options. It is suitable for all households and you can easily select how many people you are cooking for and how many nights during the week you will cook with us.
How does the Plant-Based Plan work?
The plant-based plan is ideal for customers who would like to enjoy a vegetarian/plant-based diet. You will have over 9 recipe kit options to choose from and also a further range of prepared meals. These dishes are carefully designed to make sure you have a good source of protein with plenty of variety. Don’t worry, these are not meat dishes without meat, we work with great plant-based recipe developers and put a great deal of thought into creating these dishes.
How does the Family Plan work?
This is a great, cost-effective option for people who are cooking for a family or those on a budget.
We have 2 Family Plans to choose from – the Hungry Family Plan or the Small Family Plan. Both plans offer customers a choice between 10 dishes from our Family Menu.We recommend the Hungry Family Plan if your family consists of 2 adults and 2 children over the age of 10.
We recommend the Small Family Plan if your family consists of 2 adults and 2 children under the age of 10.
Customers on this plan may also select dishes from the Plant-based Menu at no additional cost or the Classic Menu for an additional €5 per dish. For details on how to do this please email [email protected].
Can I get meals to reheat that I don’t need to cook?
Yes, these are new addition for us. With ‘Made Fresh from DropChef’ you can enjoy a range of prepared meals. These dishes only need to be reheated (in an oven or microwave). Some are even suitable to be eaten while still chilled.
What’s the Made Fresh Plan and how can I order?
Like classic DropChef this menu will change every week. This means that all of our dishes are made from scratch specifically for your order by our trusted chefs. Meaning we deliver healthy, restaurant-quality meals that are ready to eat in minutes. Ideal for lunches and evenings when you are a little more pressed for time.
Selecting your choices further in advance helps us plan our cook and reduces food waste significantly. By selecting your dishes late you may find some dishes aren’t available so please get your order in early to avoid disappointment. You can order your Made Fresh meal by clicking here.
Can I freeze the Made Fresh meals?
Feel free to freeze any of the Made Fresh meals that you are not ready to use before the use-by date. All our ingredients are fresh and it has not been frozen before so it is totally fine for you to freeze them and defrost them when you are ready to eat.
Do you have specific dietary plans?
We currently do not have plans for specific dietary needs, but a recipe development team designs all of our dishes, and our meals are developed to be balanced with portions created based on quantities of carbs and protein according to the needs to feed an adult.
Can DropChef accommodate food allergies?
We do not have the facilities to prepare the products in a separate area. We process and pack ingredients with milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy.
Our suppliers and fulfillment team handle a wide range of ingredients daily, so there is a small possibility of cross-contamination. Therefore we are unable to provide a dairy-free or gluten-free option for someone with a severe food allergy, for example.
However, we do have some gluten-free dishes that would be suitable for someone without an allergy. On our website, we list the allergens for all of the dishes. If you are unsure about a particular dish then just let us know and we can check it out for you. Or if there is a dish that you like that includes gluten let us know and if possible, we can replace an ingredient with a gluten-free alternative.
Recipes
Can I get lunch?
Yes, DropChef has lunch options. All of our dinners are also suitable for lunch.
Where can I find my recipe card online?
You can download your recipe from your order each week.
Go to My Account
Click on Orders
Click on the order containing the recipe you need
Click on View Recipe Card below the recipe that you want to download.
Can I choose my recipes?
Yes! You can choose your recipes from our menu with a wide range of delicious healthy, and easy-to-prepare meals. You can check this week’s options here.
Where can I find a list of allergens?
You can see the allergens for each dish if you click on ‘More Info’ within the online menu.
Do you provide nutritional and caloric information?
Our full-time dietitian designs our meals to be nutritionally balanced. You can view the nutritional information for each dish on the menu. Just click on ‘More Info’ within the online menu.
Add-ons
Can I get healthy snacks?
Yes, DropChef has developed our own range of healthy treats that are extremely low in sugar, and have a lot of fibre and protein.
What is the snack lab and how do I order it?
The snack lab contains a variety of healthy wholesome snacks. Specially formulated trail mixes, protein balls, energy cakes and more. Designed to be as nutrient dense as possible, to help you maintain peak performance in physical and cognitive tasks.
You can add a snack lab to your account on the My Account Add-ons page. Click on Add.
To remove the Snack Lab from your subscription go to the My Account Add-ons page. Click on Remove.
Delivery
Where do you deliver to?
DropChef delivers to the whole of Ireland. This means that if you want to have healthy meals delivered to Dublin, Cork, Galway, Meath, Wicklow, Belfast, Donegal and beyond DropChef can help.
When do you deliver?
DropChef operates a fleet of delivery vehicles which means that we can deliver a very high level of service and treatment of your order. For deliveries inside Dublin, we can deliver to you from Saturday to Tuesday. For deliveries outside of Dublin, we deliver to you on Monday & Tuesday. For deliveries outside of Dublin, we use a trusted third party but don’t worry we keep a very close eye on your order and are contactable if you have an issue.
What about bank holidays?
On bank holidays your delivery will automatically be moved to the following day. So, if you normally have a box delivered on Saturday at home, it will arrive on Sunday. If you normally have a box delivered on Sunday at home, it will arrive on Monday. If you normally have a box delivered on Monday, it will arrive on Tuesday. If you normally have a box delivered on Tuesday, it will arrive on Wednesday. If you want to change your delivery day you can contact us at [email protected].
What if I’m not at home during delivery?
Don’t worry if you aren’t home, our driver will make arrangements to have it left in a safe place or with a neighbor and our packaging will keep everything chilled for that day. You can also leave us delivery instructions, so the driver will know the best way to deliver your box!
Can the box sit in my office all day?
Yes, our ice gel packs will keep things cool and fresh for longer than 24 hours. Think of your box as a mobile fridge, but remember to place things in a real refrigerator as soon as you get home.
Can I narrow down my delivery window?
Our delivery time slot is from 8am to 6pm. We do our best to accommodate customers’ delivery requests, however, the exact delivery time is determined based on the number of deliveries and their location. We send Dublin customers a text message the day before the delivery. Our delivery courier partner will send a message to customers outside Dublin on the delivery day with an estimated delivery window so you can narrow the time frame to expect your delivery. Please be aware these are estimated and can change due to the driver’s route or unpredictable situations such as traffic or road blockages.
My box hasn't arrived as expected, what do I do?
If the delivery window indicated in your text message has passed or you are expecting a box but did not receive a text message please get in touch with our Customer Service Team who can get this sorted for you.
How do I change my delivery day?
To change your delivery day go to My Account
Click on Delivery
Select your preferred delivery day from the dropdown box
Click on Save Changes.
Please note that the cut-off for making any changes to your order, including your delivery day, is 23:59 Thursday.
How do I change my delivery address?
Go to My Account Delivery
Click on Edit
Update with your new delivery address.
Please ensure you do this 23:59 Thursday to ensure we have the correct details for your weekend delivery.
Account & Subscription
How do I skip a week?
To skip a week, log into your account on the website.
Go to My Menu
Navigate to the week you want to skip
Click on Manage Your Order
Click Skip This Week
Click Skip this week to confirm.
Your subscription will not renew on that week.
If you want to skip more than the available weeks we suggest putting your account on hold.
How do I put my subscription on hold?
To put your account on hold, log into your account on the website or in the app.
Go to My Account Subscriptions
Click the Suspend button at the bottom of the screen
Click Indefinitely
Click OK to confirm.
This will put your subscription on hold indefinitely.
Is my order automatically cancelled if I skip a week or put my account on hold?
No. Your account is renewed every week on Wednesday morning and you receive an automatic email when this happens.
If you skip a week or ask to go on hold after your account has been renewed on Wednesday morning, your next renewal date will be pushed forward by one week and your current order will not be affected.
To see if you have any active orders on your account go to My Account Orders.
If you want to cancel an order, click on it
Click the Cancel this Order button at the bottom of the screen
Click OK to confirm.
As ever, if you have any questions about this or anything else – please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].
My subscription is on hold, how do I reactivate it?
To reactivate your subscription, log into your account on the website or in the app.
Go to My Account Subscriptions
Click on View to view the subscription you would like to reactivate
Click Reactivate.
Alternatively, select your dishes for that week and your account will automatically reactivate.
What day do I need to choose my dishes by?
In order to source the freshest ingredients for you we need to receive your dish selections before Friday. If your account is ‘Active’ on Thursday afternoon and you haven’t selected your dishes, then we will send you a text reminder with dishes that have been thoughtfully selected for you. If you would like to change these selections simply reply to the message or go to My Menu to select your dishes.
What happens if I forget to select my dishes?
If you forget to select your dishes, do not worry!
If you do not select your dishes before Friday they will be automatically selected for you.
Some people regularly let us select their dishes for them because enjoy the surprise!
My dishes were automatically selected for me. How do I change them?
In order to source the freshest ingredients for you we need to receive your dish selections before Friday.
If you do not select your dishes before Friday they will be automatically and thoughtfully selected for you.
Some people enjoy the surprise, but if you would like to change this selection then go to the My Menu page before Friday and simply make your new selection.
How do I change the plan I'm on?
Go to My Account Subscriptions
Click on Switch Subscription
Select your new plan
Click on Switch Subscription
Complete the payment details
Click on Switch Subscription.
Orders
Can I cancel my order?
Of course, please read our terms of service. In general, if we haven’t delivered to you we are happy to issue you a refund or credit so long as it’s not last minute and we haven’t already made or dispatched your order. We are extremely pragmatic and understanding and hope you are too. Our customer support isn’t online over the weekend so please make sure to contact us in advance. Please beware of other providers who force you to receive your order unless you have cancelled 6 days in advance.
How do I cancel my order?
To cancel an order just follow the steps below.
You need to cancel before Friday each week for it to be processed in time.
Go to My Account Orders
Click on the order that you want to cancel
Click the Cancel this Order button at the bottom of the screen
Click OK to confirm.
This will cancel that order and your payment will automatically be credited to your DropChef account.
If you want to cancel a future order you can skip a week or place your account on hold.
Payments
When will my account be billed?
If your account is ‘Active’ on Wednesday then your subscription will automatically renew and your account will be billed for the following week. If you do not want to place an order that week you can put your account ‘on-hold’. If you suspend your account before Wednesday your account will not be billed.
My payment is pending, how do I complete it?
Go to My Account Orders
Click on the relevant order
Click on Pay for this order
Select the payment method. You can choose to pay with your existing card or add a new one.
Click on Pay for this order.
How do I update my payment method?
Go to My Account Payment Methods
Delete any existing payment details
Click on Add Payment Method
Select the payment method.
Packaging & Recycle
How do I recycle my box?
Please keep your box, denim liner pack and ice gel packs.
For customers in the Greater Dublin Area we will try to pick it up with your next delivery. Many of our customers simply leave last week’s box out for us when we deliver to them each week.
For all other customers please save up 5 weeks of denim liner and ice gel packs, put them into 1 box, and then email us at [email protected] to arrange the return of the packaging.
You can also find more information about our packaging and recycling here.
Contact Us
If I have a question how do I contact you?
We are happy to help. Our local team is contactable Monday-Friday 9am-5pm (Irish Standard Time) by phone and email. If you are having trouble getting through drop us an email at the below address, and the whole team will man email support at peak times. We will always get back to you and resolve any problems you may have. Our support email address is [email protected] and our phone number is (01) 515 8211