Shipping

Request iFood couriers for your orders — including those placed outside the platform. Use the Shipping API when your own fleet is overloaded or unavailable.

When to use

Scenario	Solution
Peak demand	Request iFood couriers as backup
Own fleet unavailable	Transfer deliveries to iFood logistics
External orders (WhatsApp, phone)	Use the On-Demand service

How it works

1. Check availability

Before requesting a courier, confirm coverage for the delivery address.

2. Request courier

Send the request with order details. For iFood orders, use the orderId. For external orders, provide complete origin and destination data.

3. Track delivery

Track the courier's real-time location after assignment.

Order types

Type	Description	Requirements
iFood order	Order with an existing `orderId` on the platform	Only the `orderId`
External order	Order from other channels (phone, WhatsApp, app)	Complete delivery details

External orders: On-DemandTo request couriers for orders placed outside iFood, use the On-Demand service.

Prerequisites

Before using the Shipping API:

Requirement	How to resolve
Contract the service	Go to Partner Portal → Services
Check eligibility	Confirm the order is `DELIVERY` (not available for pickup)
Validate coverage	Use the availability endpoint before requesting

Fullservice merchantsIf your store operates in fullservice mode, iFood logistics is already included. The Shipping API is for merchants with their own fleet who need additional support.

Delivery tracking

Track the delivery in real time after the courier is assigned.

When to start tracking

Tracking becomes available after the ASSIGN_DRIVER event. Before that, the endpoint returns a 404 error.

Tracking data

Use GET /tracking to get the current location:

Field	Type	Description
`latitude`	`decimal`	Courier's current latitude
`longitude`	`decimal`	Courier's current longitude
`expectedDelivery`	`datetime`	Expected delivery time
`pickupEtaStart`	`integer`	Seconds until pickup (negative = delay)
`deliveryEtaEnd`	`integer`	Seconds until delivery
`trackDate`	`datetime`	Query timestamp

All fields may return null while the courier is being assigned or en route to the store.

Best practices

Practice	Recommendation
Polling interval	Every 30 seconds
404 error	Wait 30s and try again
Rate limit	Respect limits to avoid temporary blocking
Start tracking	Only after receiving `ASSIGN_DRIVER`

Tracking is only available for orders delivered by iFood logistics.