Ubereats cancellation fee

I placed an order with Nando’s through Uber Eats. Shortly after, the restaurant informed me that they did not have the item I ordered. They advised me to cancel the order myself since they were unable to do so on their side.

I followed their instruction and cancelled, but Uber Eats then charged me a cancellation fee, stating that the restaurant had “already started preparing the order.” This is unreasonable — the restaurant could not fulfill my order in the first place, so any preparation should not have begun, and I should not be penalized for their stock issue.

I am being unfairly charged for a cancellation that was not my choice. The cancellation was entirely due to the restaurant’s inability to provide the item, yet Uber Eats has placed the financial burden on me.

I am requesting that Uber Eats reverse this cancellation fee or credit my account. Customers should not be punished for restaurants being out of stock, especially when Uber Eats positions itself as a reliable service.