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Zuul Diversifies into Multi-Concept Ghost Kitchen Tech

By Tom Kaiser | February 18, 2021

Zuul is now moving into the restaurant technology space with the release of its ZuulOS that helps operators manage multi-brand restaurant and ghost kitchen operations. It’s an increasingly crowded space, as the restaurant software industry reacts to the fast rise of ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants.

As Delivery Matches Rides, Uber Posts $968M Quarterly Loss

By Tom Kaiser | February 18, 2021

Uber announced its fourth-quarter financial results, which also included full-year results for 2020. The prime highlights are year-over-year delivery bookings up nearly 130 percent as food delivery has pulled even with its ride-sharing business. Even so, Uber reported a net loss of $968 million for the quarter.

Restaurant Vets Launch OrderB4 Ghost, Virtual Kitchen Management

By Tom Kaiser | February 12, 2021

As the very definition of a restaurant is in flux, legacy point-of-sale providers and cloud-based upstarts are scrambling to build technology that makes it easy to keep multiple brands humming without manually entering data between platforms never intended to work together.

For Virtual Hopefuls, More Options Pop Up

By Nicholas Upton | February 11, 2021

The industry can add two more novel virtual restaurant companies to the list. The first, a revenue-sharing model, Trivr Eats. The second is the first legally defined virtual restaurant franchise: Local Culinary. Both emphasize speed to market and a focus on high-quality culinary offerings, but with their own special operational models. Trivr founders Frank Chiodo and Brady Grover said they’re looking closely at the small independent operator who has plenty to do aside from coming up with a new virtual brand. “One the initial questions is, ‘Can you take 50 […]

Grubhub Announces Full Year 2020 Earnings

By Nicholas Upton | February 11, 2021

Grubhub announced fourth quarter and full-year earnings in potentially its last year as a private company. Earnings from the Chicago-based company were somewhat mixed, but Grubhub’s overall revenue was up significantly.

Food Dudes Finds Delivery Volume in the Smallest Towns

By Tom Kaiser | February 11, 2021

Food Dudes is a restaurant delivery service that’s finding success in cities and towns that are much smaller than any burg served by the biggest players in the industry. With a lean team and a remote headquarters team, Food Dudes is profitable, growing across the prairie and looking to maintain its independence amid a blizzard of mergers and acquisitions.

DoorDash Grabs Majority of Surging Convenience Market

By Tom Kaiser | February 11, 2021

DoorDash is leading the online convenience category by a country mile, according to new transaction data analyzed by Edison Trends. After 2020, in which consumer spending at online C-stores grew by 346 percent, DoorDash ended last month with 58 percent share over second-place goPuff with 24 percent of the market.

DoorDash Provides Discounted Rapid Tests to Independent Merchants

By Tom Kaiser | February 11, 2021

As a grim but practical sign of the times, DoorDash has partnered with Cellex to make discounted COVID testing available for partnered independent restaurants with three locations or fewer. This new program is a direct result of feedback the company gathered through its Restaurant Advisory Council.

Sharebite’s Charitable Focus Targets Workplace Meals

By Tom Kaiser | February 4, 2021

With old-school catering still sidelined and facing an uncertain future due to the pandemic, the workplace meal-delivery scene is heating up with New York-based Sharebite, which recently inked some high-profile corporate partnerships for its lunchtime delivery service that puts a big focus on charitable giving.

Ghost Bar Slinging Cocktails Virtually

By Nicholas Upton | February 3, 2021

One of the best things about going out for both consumers and restaurants is a perfectly crafted cocktail. With all the syrups, bitters, juices and expert balance, they’re almost invariably better than one can make at home and carry a great profit margin for the business. Of course, since COVID hit, there are a lot fewer people buying those cocktails because they are either prevented through regulations, as in New York, or just unaccustomed to delivered cocktails.  Amelie Kang saw that as an opportunity to do two things, help a […]