Controversial taxi app Uber has launched a standalone food delivery service called UberEats – available from this week as part of a trial.
The launch separates the offering, trialled for the past year and a half, from the company’s ordinary car sharing service. The in-app version is available in 12 different cities but the new UberEats app is only operational in Toronto, Canada, reported Wired Magazine.
But there are suggestions that this entry into the food delivery market, by such a surprising source, could show that the sector is oversaturated.
“At Uber, the scale-this-to-the-entire-world button can be pressed very easily, and before we do that, we want to make sure we’re actually solving the problems people have,” said Uber’s head of non-people carrying services, Jason Droege.
The truth is that Uber has joined a market with a lot of competition: there are apps that deliver gourmet ready meals, fresh recipe boxes, individually portioned snack foods, the and coffee – and that’s not to mention the fast food chains that deliver, and the platforms that cater to independent restaurants that don’t.
Rahul Parekh, CEO and co-founder of online restaurant service EatFirst, believes that restaurants will begin cutting out delivering services and providing their own anyway.
Parekh said: “Food delivery services are responding to consumers’ busy lifestyles, and as result the future of the restaurant sector will be centred on online platforms, simplicity and the provision of quality, healthy and locally sourced dishes. With longer working hours leaving little time for cooking fresh cuisine, the appeal of more sophisticated, nutritious and convenient ways to dine-in is significantly broadening. More companies are taking advantage of this demand resulting in increased competition which will only benefit the customer – receiving a better price and quality from these services. While this meets the needs of busy professionals and working families, these services can sometimes be restrictive. The launch of UberEat is an example of new brands looking to capitalise upon this growing demand, but variety is important. At EatFirst we ensure we provide a varied menu that will even attract the fussiest eater, as well as evolve our menu every day to make sure consumer taste buds are continuously sizzling.”
“While the restaurant experience won’t diminish, we may see the lines within the food sector becoming more blurred or disappearing altogether. As one of the first quality online restaurants we’re leading the way in this area, carving out a new sector within the restaurant industry. By preparing and delivering high-quality cuisine, we provide the restaurant experience to consumers’ dinner tables, and are on our way to becoming the largest online restaurant by 2018. We believe other restaurants will soon follow suit, cutting out the middle-man and broadening their customer base outside of their immediate vicinity.”
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