Restaurants that self-deliver with their own drivers have seen their ups and downs, as labor costs and availability have fluctuated along with the universal rise of direct-to-consumer convenience. For Atlanta-based Wing Zone, which has always had its own fleet, sales have actually risen during the pandemic as a wave of new applicants apply to work in its restaurants or out on the road. Even while missing out on the typical March Madness basketball rush for wings and as most college markets have gone quiet, Wing Zone sales have surged in […]
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For the New York-based Figure 8 Logistics crew helping restaurants spin up profitable delivery, carryout and native delivery operations, the COVID-19 crisis has been a sea change. Rather than focusing on executing soft- and hard-launches on previously planned schedules, the delivery-focused consultancy is helping restaurant concepts turn on a dime to provide customers what they really need to survive isolation—be it fresh produce or make-at-home cocktails. While Figure 8 is a new company (first profiled by FOD back in February), some of its initial clients are early-stage restaurants, some of […]
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DoorDash is moving beyond restaurant meals and into convenience store products with the launch of its new Convenience vertical, giving customers the ability to order household staples for delivery or pickup, including household products and ready-made meals. The new offering has been in the planning stages at the company for a while, but was accelerated giving what’s happened with COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions. The largest U.S.-based third-party delivery brand, DoorDash has partnered with more than 1,800 convenience store locations across the country, including mega-brands like 7-Eleven, CircleK and regional stores […]
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In one of the most high-profile pivots from a major restaurant brand, Panera Bread has begun selling grocery items like milk, bread and produce alongside its traditional soups, salads and sandwiches. The new service has been quickly launched as grocers experience sudden increases in volume, leaving many customers to schedule delivery and pickup orders relatively far into the future compared to the pre-COVID era. Officially called Panera Grocery, the new service leverages Panera’s existing supply of produce and ingredients, which can be ordered through the Panera app or through the […]
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Uber Eats has launched a new program to give users in New York the ability to contribute to their favorite local restaurants directly through the delivery app at checkout. Announced by Janelle Sallenave, head of Uber Eats for the U.S. and Canada, the delivery provider will then match every contribution with a donation to the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund up to $5 million. “The restaurant industry is being decimated by this virus, and it’s going to take people helping people to get through it,” says Paul Barker, owner of Pauli’s […]
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*Image above provided by Jason Albus Photography Walk-On’s, the Cajun-themed sports bar and restaurant chain partly owned by New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, has gone all in on family-style meals after each of its 37 locations closed their expansive dining rooms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused on three primary questions—what do people want, what can we do and what can we execute—the Louisiana-based brand has created a family-focused to-go menu, while also building makeshift drive-thru lanes and ramping up its food truck program to serve as many customers, […]
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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 volume declines at Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Postmates to conclude that a decline in third-party app usage could be “here to stay,” partially supported by the number of restaurants that have closed instead of pivoting to off-premises operations. This new report includes a comment from Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney, who […]
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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 restaurant operations in most cities, as janitors, gate agents, security personnel and other airport staff continue to eat—with social distancing—even as passenger volume plummets. Third-party airport delivery provider At Your Gate has seen some employees choosing to stay at home, but founder and CEO P.J. Mastracchio […]
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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 for independent restaurants who don’t have the liquidity or scale of chain operators. As the economic impact of the coronavirus spreads across the U.S., “we expect many temporary closures will become permanent and independents will cede share to chain operators,” wrote Peter Saleh. He noted a […]
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shake the restaurant industry, industry data is giving some clarity to just how bad sales are. Data from various outlets shows an industry in free fall, and while sobering, a clear view is important so the Food On Demand world can respond appropriately. Stock analysis firm Cowen put out a note exploring some point-of-sale (POS) data from WhatsBusy, a data tracking firm that partners with POS providers. Cowen’s Andrew Charles and George Mihalos had a conversation with founder Jordan Thaeler to pour over the […]
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