Coronavirus Coverage, Resources and Reporting
In an unprecedented time, restaurants large and small are closing dining rooms, laying off staff, and scrambling to figure out off-premises solutions. Empty, closed-off dining rooms even in areas where it’s not mandated by local governments are certainly the most visible response to the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
The entire team at Food On Demand is committed to providing well informed and timely content for our readers. Please email us at [email protected] with any questions and we will work with our industry partners to provide answers and possible solutions during this time of transition.
Uber Adds Parcel Delivery, Person-to-Person Courier Service
Uber has added a pair of new services, Uber Direct and Uber Connect, that leverage the largest network of gig drivers in the world who suddenly have a lot less driving to do. As the COVID-19 pandemic encroached into the U.S., Uber ridership tanked. In the dense urban...
ezCater’s ‘Feed the Front Line’ Sends 20,000 Meals to Hospitals
During a historic slowdown in the global catering market, Boston-based ezCater announced its Feed the Front Line program has resulted in more than 20,000 meals sent to 145 hospitals across the U.S., including hundreds from pop singer Lizzo. “Healthcare workers are...
Dog Haus Launches Multi-Concept Virtual Restaurant Company
Dog Haus, the 50-unit West Coast franchise known for gourmet hot dogs, burgers and fried chicken sandwiches, moved up a major virtual restaurant rollout to help keep sales flowing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The California-based company announced the launch of...
Galley Threads the Needle as Foodservice Reinvents Itself
For a company promising to bring order to chaotic kitchens, Galley Solutions is having a moment as its cloud-based inventory, ingredient and supply chain tools help foodservice brands work through this unplanned midlife crisis. Whether it’s a single restaurant,...
San Francisco Caps Delivery Commission Rates
San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a temporary 15-percent limit on the fees third-party food delivery providers can charge restaurants here during the pandemic. San Francisco happens to be the home base of three of the four largest national delivery brands:...
DoorDash Cuts Commission for Independent Restaurants
DoorDash is reducing commissions for all of its local restaurant partners by 50 percent, including its Caviar subsidiary. The San Francisco-based company expects this program will benefit more than 150,000 local restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Australia. The new...
JoyRun Accelerates National Launch Because of COVID-19
JoyRun, the novel delivery service that takes advantage of community interaction, is moving its national launch up partially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, which started on college campuses before expanding to military bases and a handful of corporate...
Pandemic Not Yet Boosting Third-Party Delivery Providers
According to daily average user data compiled by the research advisors at Gordon Haskett, the COVID-19 crisis is not lifting sales for third-party restaurant delivery providers. Acknowledging that we’re still in “early innings,” the firm’s research pointed to daily...
At Your Gate Delivers to Airport Workers as Travelers Stay Home
You’ve likely seen pictures of empty concourses and TSA lines as global air travel grinds to a near-halt with airplanes being parked in the desert and some carriers transitioning to hauling cargo. All this hasn’t resulted in a total shutdown of airport retail and...
BTIG Report Predicts Ugly Future for Independent Restaurants
In a new report looking ahead to the restaurant industry as COVID-19 continues to gain steam, stock analysis and financial services firm BTIG has some logical conclusions about where the industry might go from here. Above all, the crisis could be especially bad news...
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Vendors
We understand that things are changing rapidly, and your business may be changing as well. We have provided a convenient list of industry leading companies that can help provide valuable products and service solutions during this difficult time.