How Deliveroo uses your phone number
Deliveroo asks for a phone number on your account. It can use it to verify you with a code, to send order updates, and to give riders and restaurants a way to reach you while an order is live.
The verification SMS is short: the Deliveroo name and a code to enter within a few minutes. Ask for a new code and the old one usually stops working, so type the latest one.
Why a UK number fits Deliveroo
Deliveroo's biggest market is the UK, and a UK account with a +44 number is what the app expects most of the time. That is why the United Kingdom pool on the /otp page is the first suggestion here rather than the cheaper US pool.
The UK pool sells real UK mobile numbers, priced per code. You see the Deliveroo price and stock on the page before you pay. If a cheaper US number suits you and Deliveroo accepts it, VoIP High Quality starts from $0.50.
If you order in another Deliveroo country, the app may prefer a number from there. Check what the phone field asks for, and pick the pool that matches before you pay.
Riders text during delivery: pick a number you can read
A rider who cannot find your building, or a restaurant missing an item, may call or text the number on your account. If you cannot read that number while the order is on its way, you miss the message.
A per-code number is meant for receiving the sign-up code, not for staying reachable afterwards. For an account you order with, rent a private number and keep its inbox open during deliveries, or use a line you already check.
Rider messages can mention your address and order. A free shared number has a public inbox, so do not use one here.
Deliveroo verification code not arriving
If the Deliveroo verification code does not arrive, check the number first. For a UK number, enter it with +44 and drop the leading zero. Then wait a few minutes before requesting another code, since repeated requests can be paused.
Deliveroo may also decline some numbers, such as certain VoIP ranges or numbers already tied to another account. If one number gets nothing, switch number type rather than retrying the same one.
Using Deliveroo without your personal phone number
A separate number keeps your personal number off the app's records, out of marketing lists and off the screens of people you will never meet again. If you later stop using the account, the number goes with it.
For a single sign-up, a per-code UK number is enough. For an account you keep, a rental from $4.99 runs from 1 day up to 12 months depending on the country, with unlimited SMS.
Protect an account with a card on it
Deliveroo holds your payment details, so the number on it matters. Whoever controls the number can often receive a login or reset code. Use a number you keep and only you can read, not a free shared one.
If you rent the wrong number, cancel between 5 and 120 minutes after renting, before any SMS arrives, for a refund.