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Tag: Food Delivery

  • DoorDash Now Delivering Alcohol in 20 States and DC

    DoorDash Now Delivering Alcohol in 20 States and DC

    DoorDash has announced its alcohol delivery service is expanding to 20 states, as well as DC.

    DoorDash is a popular food delivery service, but the company has been expanding into the lucrative alcohol market as well. The company attributes the expansion to various cities and jurisdictions relaxing regulation during the pandemic.

    “Over the past year, many cities where we operate evolved their legislation in order to permit the delivery of alcohol to residents’ homes. Over that time, we worked tirelessly to build a trusted alcohol ordering and delivery experience for merchants, customers and Dashers,” said Caitlin Macnamara, Director, Alcohol Strategy & Operations at DoorDash. “We’re committed to providing new earning opportunities for merchants and Dashers, a safe, high quality experience for customers, and being a responsible leader in compliant alcohol delivery.” 

    The company says it has implemented “rigorous ID verification prior to checkout and multiple ID check points along the delivery to ensure customers are of legal age.”

  • Deliveroo CEO: COVID Has Accelerated Food Delivery Adoption by 2 to 3 Years

    Deliveroo CEO: COVID Has Accelerated Food Delivery Adoption by 2 to 3 Years

    While many businesses are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the food delivery industry is booming.

    Deliveroo is a London-based food delivery service that operates in a number of European and Middle Eastern countries, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore. According to CNBC, Deliveroo’s Founder and CEO Will Shu told the Web Summit conference how COVID-19 has transformed the industry:

    Our initial analysis suggests that Covid-19 has accelerated consumer adoption of these delivery services by about two to three years.

    That, in turn, as been good for Deliveroo’s business:

    We saw this incredible increase in new customers joining the platform. We also saw our existing customers looking to order more often, also ordering for the family more frequently, we saw average basket sizes increase, and also ordering a wider range of products.

    Shu’s statement is an indication of the deep-seated changes occurring in business, as well as society at large, as a result of the pandemic.

  • Coronavirus: Uber Business Taking Hit, Has Enough Funds

    Coronavirus: Uber Business Taking Hit, Has Enough Funds

    In a call to investors, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said the company is losing significant business because of the coronavirus, but has enough funds on hand.

    According to Business Insider, Khosrowshahi told investors the hardest hit areas have seen a 60-70% decline in rides, and that could go as high as 80% for the year. In spite of that, the CEO said the company has $10 billion in unrestricted cash.

    “We have plenty of liquidity on the books which positions us to come out of this crisis strong and capable,” Khosrowshahi said.

    Another bright spot is Uber Eats, the company’s food delivery service. As people forgo restaurants, Uber Eats is seeing growth in even the worst hit areas. Between the news that Uber has enough cash to survive the crisis, and news its food delivery service is growing, the company’s stock was up as much as 43% Thursday.

    Uber should serve as an example for other companies. Between having enough cash to weather a storm, and diversifying into a disruptive business, the company seems well-positioned to survive any temporary hit to its core business.

  • Uber Isn’t the Only One Getting Sued over the ‘Employee or Contractor’ Issue

    Uber Isn’t the Only One Getting Sued over the ‘Employee or Contractor’ Issue

    With the rapid growth of the so-called ‘sharing economy’, one of the biggest issues has been whether or not workers for services like Uber and Lyft are employees of contractors.

    Uber’s stance has always been that it’s a software company. Uber connects people wanting a ride to those offering a ride. It’s a logistics company. Uber simply connects third-party contractors with customers. Its drivers are independent contractors, not employees.

    This has been met with numerous lawsuits and some unfavorable (for Uber, at least) rulings from regulatory bodies.

    But it’s not just Uber that’s facing lawsuit over the employee or contractor question.

    Food delivery services like GrubHub, Caviar, and DoorDash are now embroiled in a class action lawsuit of their own.

    And it’s the same lawyer that’s going after Uber in San Francisco.

    From the Chicago Tribune:

    The complaints were filed in San Francisco Superior Court on behalf of the delivery drivers by Boston attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, who is also representing plaintiffs in similar lawsuits against on-demand transportation companies Uber and Lyft. A federal judge in San Francisco certified the lawsuit against Uber for class action last month.

    The complaints filed against GrubHub and DoorDash are both class actions, while the Caviar complaint is a demand for arbitration on behalf of a San Francisco driver.

    Earlier this month, a court ruled the case against Uber could proceed as a class action.

    The lawsuit, which was filed in 2013 and fought by Uber all the way, questions the company’s classification of its drivers. The class of drivers says it should be considered employees, not contractors, which would entitle them to things like reimbursement of expenses, minimum wage, overtime pay, and more.

    A week later, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) ruled that a former Uber driver was in fact an employee, not a contractor. That’s not the first time a regulatory agency has done that.

  • Amazon Is Trying Restaurant Food Delivery in Seattle, Where It Just Became a Booze Courier

    Amazon Is Trying Restaurant Food Delivery in Seattle, Where It Just Became a Booze Courier

    Is Amazon looking to get into the meal delivery business?

    The company, which already delivers products, groceries, and now alcohol, is reportedly testing delivery from restaurants in Seattle.

    From GeekWire:

    The company has been testing the service by allowing its own employees to order meals from restaurants in conjunction with the new Prime Now delivery service in Seattle, according to delivery drivers and others with knowledge of the initiative.

     

    Several new Prime Now drivers tell GeekWire they’re the same ones handling restaurant deliveries. A sign observed by GeekWire inside Amazon’s new Prime Now distribution facility, near Amazon’s sprawling headquarters campus north of downtown Seattle, even offered instructions to drivers on how exactly to make restaurant pickups.

    The company just rolled out its Prime Now one-hour delivery service in Seattle, where for the first time in the US its delivering beer, wine, and spirits through the service.

    Amazon has tested the meal delivery thing before, in very small quantities – a couple of place in New York City as well as a pre-packaged meal option via Amazon Fresh. But what Amazon is testing in Seattle seems to be a direct challenge to the GrubHubs of the world.

    Amazon isn’t the only one looking to get into this space. Uber is also getting serious about food delivery.

  • Uber Is Getting Serious About Food Delivery

    Uber Is Getting Serious About Food Delivery

    Uber has its eyes on much more than just rides.

    Uber is getting serious about food delivery. The company has just updated its app and in places where its UberEATS service is available, the food delivery options is now front and center.

    Instead of simply being another ride option at the bottom, UberEATS is now its own section on the app – right next the the regular ride-hailing button.

    “The new interface is available in UberEats cities. The layout separates RIDES from EATS and creates a more seamless, intuitive experience across services,” said an Uber spokesperson. “We are always experimenting to find new, creative ways to make the Uber app more user friendly.”

    Uber also just announced that UberEATS is now available in Austin.

    “Dig in Austin—#UberEATS has arrived! Starting this Wednesday, you can order lunch from the best Austin restaurants through the Uber app, and get this—we’ll deliver it within 10 minutes or less. Get ready for East Side King, Swift’s Attic, The Peached Tortilla, Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden, Chi’Lantro, and a whole lot more!” says the company.

    Uber is clearly looking to expand UberEATS all over the country – job postings indicate interest in hiring UberEATS GMs, operations managers, marketing, and more in cities like Nashville, San Diego, Miami, Philadelphia, and Dallas.

    UberEATS is currently available in New York City, Chicago, Barcelona, and Toronto.

    It’s clear that Uber wants to transport more than just people. Recent reports indicate that the company is also planning a big push into goods delivery as well. Apparently, Uber has already talked with over 400 retailers – some high-end like Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany’s.

    Image via TechCrunch

  • Blue Apron Finally Delivers an iOS App

    Blue Apron Finally Delivers an iOS App

    Of a crop of ready-to-cook food delivery services, Blue Apron has emerged as one of the leaders of the pack. Now, for the first time, the company has given its customers a mobile app.

    The new app, now available on iOS, offers recipes, video tutorials, and more.

    – Discover seasonal recipes and cooking tips each week
    Each week, our culinary team creates 10 new recipes that feature what’s in season. Recipes include integrated how-to videos and cooking tips along with step-by-step instructions.

    – Create photos of your meal with custom filters and effects
    The camera feature includes food-friendly filters and special effects like captions, stickers, and even animated steam!

    – Save and share your favorite Blue Apron recipes
    Save your favorite recipes to your personal recipe box in the app, and share these favorites with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, email, and text.

    – Manage your weekly deliveries and review your meals
    Blue Apron customers can manage their deliveries in the app, including customizing your menu, updating your delivery information, and scheduling deliveries. After you’ve cooked your meals, review your meals and send us your feedback!    ‘

    Yes, the Blue Apron app encourages users to take photos of their food, snap filters on them, and share them across social media (you know you’re going to do it anyway). The app also lets you share its content with friends via iMessage and email.

    If you;re unfamiliar with Blue Apron, here’s a quick rundown. The company offers free delivery of pre-measured ingredients based on seasonal recipes crafted each week (over 800 so far in the Blue Apron cookbook). Each meal is between 500-700 calories and takes about 35 minutes to make.

    Much of the app’s content, like recipes and videos, are also available on the company;s website but the app makes surfacing it all much easier. It’s also nice to be able to manage your food deliveries on the go.

    According to Blue Apron, it delivers over three million meals a month. Last month, it closed on a new round of funding, valuing the company at $2 billion.

    An Android version of the new app is on the way.

  • Uber Is Now Delivering Food in NYC and Chicago

    If Uber can get you a ride in a reasonable amount of time, the company thinks it can also get you a hot (hopefully) meal in that same window.

    Uber has announced it’s expanding its UberEATS food delivery service to two giant markets – New York City and Chicago. Uber first started delivering food in Los Angeles under the name UberFresh, but changed it to UberEATS when it began testing in Barcelona.

    Uber is promising fast delivery – within ten minutes in some cases.

    According to Uber, it’s been a smashing success in LA.

    “The response to UberEATS has been amazingly positive. In LA (where it was previously known as UberFRESH) we continue to grow our roster of restaurants, have added brunch service on the weekends, and cut down delivery times to 10 minutes or less. Hot spots like Bay Cities, Bottega Louie, and Canter’s have expanded their reach and boosted their business. And our driver partners tell us they love having another way to earn more through the Uber platform,” says the company.

    Uber told The Verge that UberEATS has its own dedicated drivers, and it’s looking to deliver $9 to $12 lunches and $10 to $15 dinners (with a $3-$4 delivery fee).

    Uber promises food from “iconic” restaurants. The menu will be changed on a regular basis.

    “This week’s menu in New York City features an exclusive sandwich from American Cut, Kale Caesar salad from sweetgreen, steak sandwich from Num Pang, and more. In Chicago, we’ll be delivering the Pepito Torta from XOCO, Carne Asada Cemita from Cemitas, and more,” says Uber.

    If you live in one of the four cities with UberEATS, the service is baked into your Uber app.

  • Square Launches Caviar App For iOS

    Back in August, Square announced its acquisition of San Francisco-based food delivery service Caviar. Now the company has launched a new iOS app for it.

    A post on the Caviar blog says:

    Enjoying dishes from your city’s best restaurants just got a whole lot easier — our free iOS app is now available for download. Order lunch while riding the elevator, or decide what’s for dinner on your way home. If you have nothing but leftovers in your kitchen, we’ve got you covered.

    With just a few taps, you can browse through photos of the most popular meals in your city. And you can keep track of your order status, so you know exactly when to expect your food. The Caviar app is also optimized for Apple Pay.

    By the way, when Caviar says “your city,” it only means Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Brooklyn and the SF Peninsula and South Bay.

    It’s unclear when Square might expand Caviar into additional locations or offer it on Android.

    It’s been a big week for food delivery. Amazon also launched a new service, though it’s only available in Seattle for now.

    Image via Caviar