• HelloFresh

HelloFresh

Overview

HelloFresh has a rating of 1.67 stars from 1,038 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about HelloFresh most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and free meals problems. HelloFresh ranks 150th among Food Delivery sites.

  • Service
    436
  • Value
    430
  • Shipping
    410
  • Returns
    323
  • Quality
    395

This company does not typically respond to reviews

Positive reviews (last 12 months): 1.5%
Positive
3
Neutral
1
Negative
193
126
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What reviewers want you to know

Positive highlights

No positive highlights yet

Critical highlights

  • I have just spoken to someone on their Customer Service chat line and they are refusing to send me my second box.
  • They also have everything extra that you have to pay more for and again couldn't use gift card for those.
How would you rate HelloFresh?
Top Positive Review

“I'm shocked how fresh the food in my order was.”

Cheryl S.
2/24/24

My first meal contained salmon. It was sealed in a package and when I opened it there was no odor it was so fresh and delicious. I'm very impressed with this company.

Top Critical Review

“Scam”

Christy C.
2/14/24

Signed up for a subscription to view the meals on Feb. 10, didn't see anything I liked, and canceled my account in less than an hour. Then today, I get a message saying my first box will be arriving soon!? My debit card was charged after my account was closed. I had to contact HF customer service, request a refund (5-7 business days), confirm this won't happen again, and now I'm going to wasting food I didn't want in the first place! Total scam!

Reviews (1,038)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (296) gift card (33)
Thumbnail of user ashleighf21
14 reviews
0 helpful votes
September 28th, 2021
Verified purchase

I started getting hello fresh almost weekly around 4 months ago and it's been so helpful (I fell into one of those youtube ads)! I haaaate cooking and thinking about what to make for dinner so it does make my life easier. Only thing is I wish they had more menu options for dietary restrictions! You can easily adjust most meals to fit your needs but sometimes that means wasting ingredients.

On an occasion where I was sent the wrong meal they quickly credited me back that cost and it was an easy fix.

Tip for consumers:
Make sure to remember that you have to choose your meals/have the option to skip only until a certain day of the week (which coincides with your box delivery date).

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Thumbnail of user michaelg2568
3 reviews
1 helpful vote
October 13th, 2020

Excellent recipes and thoughtful flavors. Food is mostly of good quality, although vegetables (sometimes) but sometimes have not been totally fresh, or ingredients have been missing from kits. Otherwise delicious and nutritious!

Thumbnail of user alinam52
3 reviews
6 helpful votes
July 21st, 2020

After my first weeks I can see that most recepies have almost the same ingredients, spring onion, garlic, soy sauce, so not a lot of diversity. Also, I was looking for some recepies that were a big hit with us, but I can't find them to order them again. It looks like each week they have some variation of the same tastes. It has a good side too, as I've learnt that you can buy bulk ingredients and mix them in a variety of way, if you like a specific flavour.

Thumbnail of user micaelaw4
2 reviews
4 helpful votes
December 23rd, 2020

The recipes from my order were delicious. I was gifted a great discount from a relative who subscribed to HelloFresh, which is why I decided to try it. For the price I paid it was great! Very convenient, the ingredients were delivered fresh, the instructions were very easy to follow, truly thrilled from the experience. But when looking to maybe subscribe for myself the prices just aren't worth it for the quantity of food you get (there will not be leftovers, which is also unfortunate when we get busy). So yes, delicious, and I've kept the recipe cards for the future, but not worth the cost for me.

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Thumbnail of user elizabethh991
1 review
4 helpful votes
October 28th, 2020

Hello Fresh has been great until the last month. Went to cook enchilladas tonight and found the Mexican spices and sour cream missing from the delivery. For the last two weeks we have only received from 420-460 gms of meat for each meal for 4 people and there have been missing spices twice. The basil, coriander and spinach has been wet and brownish when opened. We have had 3 chicken meals that I had to replace the chicken for as it smelt when opened. Lift your game please as I love having H. F. food delivered so I can cook without thinking. 0413 995 663

Thumbnail of user justinc998
1 review
0 helpful votes
December 9th, 2022
Verified purchase

I tried this for the first time yesterday. The food turned out delicious. Nice flavors that were a good change from my normal weeknight meals. It was more work than I was expecting. For some reason I was thinking these would be simple meals (i.e. Ready in 15 minutes). But that's not a negative. Having all the fresh vegetables and ingredients to make it yourself taste way better than pre-prepped meals out of a box. Overall I thought it was pretty darn good. My only complaint would be the amount of packaging that it comes in. It's a nice presentation and very well packaged, but it's sooooo much packaging. Seems like a lot of waste.

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Thumbnail of user patriciag2030
1 review
1 helpful vote
April 27th, 2022

I was reviewing the Hello Fresh reviews today and happened to only see the negative reviews and I'm thoroughly confused. I have been using Hello Fresh now for about a year and only 1 time was the receipe card missing from the shipment. No biggie, I just went online and printed one out. No muss, no fuss. One time I received an incorrect meal but I simply adjusted and made that meal instead. I take care of my elderly mother and have to prepare meals after working all day and I love HELLO FRESH.

Thumbnail of user kathyp509
1 review
1 helpful vote
January 25th, 2020

Hello Fresh wins hands down. Meals are picture perfect, well planned, delicious and easy to prepare.

Tip for consumers:
Of course I could go to the store and pick up the necessary items for less and everyone who use this service obviously knows that. But there is so much more to using this type of service. Its not only the convenience or not liking or wanting to shop, but the learning of different culinary aspects is valuable and adding new flavor profiles to your table.

Products used:
I didn't give them a 5 overall because I have had to contact customer service for bad produce, or because the amount was not as stated. But they do provide a financial remedy, which may not always be feasible. I also don't fault them for issues related to shipping because I have had items destroyed, delivered upside-down, you name it and UPS is the blame for that. They don't accept returns but the site would not allow me to select not applicable and they do provide a credit.

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Thumbnail of user laurenm522
36 reviews
44 helpful votes
January 31st, 2022

I will admit that I thought every one of HelloFresh's meals I ordered tasted good, and is something I would make again. The pricing is more affordable with discount codes, but those are easy to find so I was happy with the cost. That being said, the shipping needs improvement. The ice keeps everything very cold, but they place the meat loosely in packaging at the bottom, which causes the packaging of it to open up very easily. One of my boxes had this happen, and I will say customer service was more than helpful and ended up sending me a whole new replacement order for free and let me keep both. It makes for a fun date night or an easy meal alternative to eating out, but it does create a lot of waste and I don't think it's sustainable enough to order on a consistent basis. Overall, I would recommend trying it even once!

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Thumbnail of user carik15
2 reviews
0 helpful votes
November 13th, 2020

It is fresh and timely. It's a little pricey but I like the instructions and cooking tips that come with each meal. My sister sent me a free week. I ordered one more week by "accident". It wasn't exactly what I would have chosen but was still pleasantly surprised.

Thumbnail of user aleksd4
1 review
2 helpful votes
October 5th, 2019

I love this site, it is awesome, they have so much of variety of products, quality and price...

Thumbnail of user kaminia3
3 reviews
5 helpful votes
January 6th, 2021

Received a box for 4 meals from them for 2 people. The ingredients were fresh and well preserved and portioned. A little on the expensive side but then you are saving time and traveling to the grocery market and wasting the extras you end up getting. Had everything required for the meal prep, even the oil. Would recommend if you work full time and find yourself struggling going to shop for food.

Tip for consumers:
Try different dishes to figure out what you like the best. They have long list of options.

Products used:
Steak peppercorn, chicken tikka masala, sausage and peppers and chicken pad-thai.

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Thumbnail of user marilynk470
1 review
0 helpful votes
January 18th, 2023

I agree, it's not what it was pre-Covid, but nothing is, when no one wants to work. I still love the meals. AND they have taught me some cooking lessons. Nice to come home from a long day at the hospital and the dinner plan is made-- that is not stopping at the fast food place. I tend to add even more veggies and plan my shopping list around the menu. I Choose my meals knowing "lettuce greens" are not going to travel well when it's hot in AZ from NY. I have NEVER had a billing issue. Delivery is 98% on time-- even when I moved from a large town in VA to a tiny town in AZ. I still post my meals on line! I still think, for the money, it's a good option for healthier food if YOU choose correctly. I don't like their rolls/bread though--so I don't order those--we should avoid processed carbs anyways!

Tip for consumers:
read my review--duh

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Thumbnail of user gilbertb48
6 reviews
3 helpful votes
May 28th, 2019

I absolutley love the meals. Arrives nicely packed and ingredients are always fresh. Super convenient for me and my family.

Thumbnail of user dottiew24
1 review
1 helpful vote
January 21st, 2023
Verified purchase

The trick is that if you are doing a promo, your credit for bad food isn't applied until your first fill-price box. I think they basically have to do that so that people don't abuse the system. But when you're a full-paying customer, in my experience the customer service is totally fine. Every recipe card has a QR code and if you scan it and explain what the problem was with your order, you get refunded for that ingredient. I have only done this with some missing noodles and some rotten broccoli, but it was a simple process. Also once the whole box arrived warm and I called and complained and they gave me a credit for the whole box. I am a huge fan of the meal box concept as a whole; i love using as few brain cells as possible while making dinner, and most of the recipes are really good.

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Thumbnail of user lisaa222
11 reviews
37 helpful votes
March 11th, 2018

I had a less than perfect experience, but that being said I think that their customer service is great and they made it right. I love the idea of the subscription service and the recipes cards are great. This really gives you an opportunity to check out things you may not ordinarily eat, but have always wanted to try. A little too much packaging, but find a coupon and give it a try.

Thumbnail of user saskial
1 review
2 helpful votes
October 11th, 2018

We have done hello fresh meals now for four weeks and we have found all the recipes delicious. It is is a bit expensive compared to our own meal planning and cooking, but each meal is a winner. It's not really a time saver for us. Although everything is there in the bag, the receipts are fairly complicated and lengthy after a tiring day of work. We have moved it to the weekends as a fun activity to do together and we make simpler meals during the week. Would recommend if you are looking to expand your cooking inspirations and make meal times exciting with delicious new recipes. Its not necessarily an easy quick fix for dinner time.

Thumbnail of user roseannz
104 reviews
534 helpful votes
February 21st, 2019

Hello Fresh is a service that delivers the ingredients for meals you select. They had a special price for 4 weeks, so I thought I would try it so my husband and I could cook together. Hahaha! He didn't get into it at all.
To explain how it works, a customer can choose the basic plan, a veggie plan or a family plan for however many meals a week you want for however many people you want to feed. I chose 2 meals a week for 2 people, and after the first week, it came up to about $27+ dollars a week, on the special. They send all the ingredients to your home, along with directions on exactly how to make each meal. Every meal was DELICIOUS.
I do NOT like to cook. It's time consuming and messy.
I ended up cancelling hellofresh because it was just too much work to make the meals.
However, their recipes gave me great ideas that I can simplify and use in the future.
And I have to say that all the deliveries came on time, even though i now live outside a small town in Wisconsin, and the winter here has been brutal!
I may sometime get back with HelloFresh and just order 2 meals for 2 people per month. They have very flexible plans. I maybe can handle complex meals twice a month.
But remember, i don't like to cook, and haven't done much cooking, so what's complicated for me may be simple for you.
It was easy to cancel, which I appreciated.
So I believe they are a good company, but it's just too much work for someone who hates to cook.

Thumbnail of user alexj250
1 review
1 helpful vote
September 29th, 2019

Great place to buy goods i would definitely recommend to anyone that wants to buy high quality items at a great price.

Thumbnail of user tonib45
4 reviews
12 helpful votes
April 17th, 2018

This was my first experience with meal kits. I was delighted with the packaging of the ingredients, and the freshness of most, with the exception of a few wilted salad greens, and the Mango which was too green to be usable. Fortunately I had a ripe Mango on hand to 'save the day". Plenty of delicious food for dinner, and it was FUN!

Thumbnail of user lucieo2
2 reviews
5 helpful votes
November 24th, 2017

I had just the first box now and I like it, easy to cook, everything delivered to you - so you don't have to go shopping or think what to do for a dinner. I had all good experience, food fresh, everything ok.

However, I tried few recipes myself and it definitely can go cheaper if you buy all yourself. I also don't like the amount of waste, so I will not stay with that for long.

But very good for lazy (really, not much effort to have a really good meal) or very busy people

Thumbnail of user beverlyg31
10 reviews
4 helpful votes
July 23rd, 2017

I enjoyed this very much, but I had to clean up after myself, which was my laziness popping up. I was able to experience new and different foods which I had never tried before and found them very enjoyable. I do recommend this to anyone that doesn't know how to cook or can cook. The directions were very easy to follow but it was lacking in the nutritional value printout.

Thumbnail of user lorrainek15
1 review
1 helpful vote
September 8th, 2017

I don't know why there are so many negative reviews. I've had about 2 months of meals so far and also tried Blue Apron. A few times I had avocados that were not ripe and I got instant credit Of corse the objective is not to have to call about product but considering hoe fragile and delicate produce is I think they do a great job. I mostly get the veggie meals - all have been interesting and delicious When I get the classic plan I've had excellent steak, chicken shrimp. So I don't understand the complaints

Thumbnail of user nicolem137
3 reviews
3 helpful votes
February 14th, 2017

I am surprised by the amount of negative review. I've always received fresh veggies and meats. I work from home so my boxes don't have a chance to be in the elements for an extended period of time - that said you can schedule what day your delivery comes and plan accordingly. Anyhow, after my discount first box I knew I'd be charged for subsequent boxes unless I paused a week or I called to cancel the service completely. There was quite up front in the information presented to me and I think pretty par for the course as far as ordering on subscription anywhere. I've loved most of my meals, and the ones I didn't like were more just personal preference. I currently have my account on hold now due to my kitchen being gutted for renovations but I'll be back. I've dealt with customer service once and was pleased with their responsiveness and friendly manner.

Thumbnail of user shelleys11
14 reviews
18 helpful votes
March 22nd, 2018

My husband is a picky eater. The dinner was tasty and since I rarely cook any more; my plate looked like I put my heart and soul into it. I hope it continues as good as the first

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From the business

Delicious, pre-measured ingredients and simple, chef-made recipes that we deliver to your doorstep every week. Extra flexible for your busy lifestyle.

Company Representative

Thumbnail of user delphinec12
Sydney S.
Typically does not respond to reviews

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