A quickly evolving food on demand landscape means delivery services and restaurants alike are grappling with challenges of technology integration, consumer preferences and shifts in how people eat. While there are a seemingly dizzying number of elements to consider, the brands and companies that ultimately win will be those able to define, understand and appeal to their target customer—and avoid distraction along the way.
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Five-plus years into the sea change that is third-party delivery, restaurant operators continue to debate the merits, challenges and potential profits that result from handing over some crucial parts of the business, from guest contact, upholding the brand and a lack of shared customer data.
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Dining out is about to get a little quicker and easier with new table-side payment terminals from Square, the Wall Street delivery darling and parent company of Caviar and Zesty. Bringing two of Square’s newest products together, this update integrates Square for Restaurants with Square Terminal for an integrated handheld option that enables restaurants to turn tables faster and accept mobile payments. “We’re extending the functionality of Square for Restaurants by integrating it with Square’s newest hardware,” said Alyssa Henry, seller lead at Square. “Restaurants using Square Terminal will be […]
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The dog’s menu at Stanley’s NE Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis started as a fun way to reward dogs who accompanied their masters to happy hour on the patio and ended up on Bite Squad’s delivery route.
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On the heels of a $10 million funding round led by GV, virtual restaurant provider Kitchen United is opening its second shared kitchen, this one in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Its restaurant partners, who use the kitchen space to launch or expand off-premises dining and delivery, will move in mid-December and open their concepts to consumers in January. Kitchen United’s kitchen centers are facilities that can house 10 to 20 restaurants with commercial kitchens optimized specifically for the catering, delivery and takeout marketplace. The company creates turnkey solutions for restaurants and positions […]
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Grocery delivery service Instacart has pulled in $950 million in funding so far in 2018, the new total after the San Francisco-based company raised $600 million in its latest funding round.
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Bucking the common practice of large franchised restaurants forming exclusive partnerships with a single third-party delivery provider, Subway announced new agreements with four delivery providers, which could dramatically shift the economics of restaurant delivery in smaller markets across the United States.
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The casual dining segment of the restaurant industry in which Famous Dave’s plays continues to struggle. But Famous Dave’s is shifting efforts toward delivery both inside shared kitchens and with a small-format restaurant design. The company has continued a slow slog back to profitability, but much of its sales growth has come from off-premise dining. Sale of food consumed outside of the restaurant currently accounts for 45% of its sales (35% to go, 10% catering). That means a big opportunity to make that large part of the business a little […]
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Grocery shopping for the lazy, busy or somewhere in between has never been easier. As my town just outside Minneapolis anxiously awaits a proposed Hy-Vee grocery store, I’m looking forward to the possibilities as the company launches lunchtime and dinner delivery in its home market of Des Moines, Iowa.
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With five months to go, registration is now open for the Food On Demand Conference that will be held at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile in the heart of the Michigan Avenue dining and retail district April 1-2, 2019.
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