Will Instant Delivery Survive Post-Covid?

Inflation is on the rise, the economy is in a downturn, and consumers have returned to shopping in-person in pursuit of discounts—all of which spells trouble for instant-delivery companies.

Amid Labor Shortage, Gen Z Demanding ‘EWA’ Pay

Companies like McDonald’s are allowing workers to access hourly pay on demand in the hopes of shoring up the ongoing labor shortage.

Restaurant Tech Firms Adjust Amid Economic Uncertainty

A slowdown in venture capital funding and growing prospects for a recession has restaurant tech firms tightening their belts.

Consumer Survey: Delivery Apps Often Fail to Deliver

Nine out of 10 customers have had a food delivery order go wrong, according to a recent survey by Circuit, a route-planning app for delivery drivers. In fact, the survey of 1,066 American consumers who …

Third-Party Delivery Apps Facing Uncertain Future

Third-party delivery firms are making headlines again. A growing number of investors, customers, and workers are fed up as the companies hemorrhage money and relentlessly chase growth— burning cash, customers, and vendors along the way …

NYC Grubhub Debacle Furthers Restaurant-Delivery App Tensions

Is the relationship between third-party delivery companies and restaurants starting to fray? A Grubhub promotion offering free lunch to all New York City customers on Tuesday turned into chaos for both restaurants and customers. The app was offering …

Analyst: Third-Party Delivery Not Seeking Profitability, at Least Yet

Remaining Unprofitable The global market for third-party delivery companies swelled to $150 billion as of September 2021, tripling since 2017, according to research from McKinsey & Company. While restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic helped …

What Will the Key Restaurant Tech Investments Be in 2022?

From robots to scheduling software, restaurants are implementing all types of new technology into their operations of late. With so many new developments this year, The Food Institute decided to take a closer look at …

Analysis: Four Top Consumer Delivery Trends from 2021

Since the outset of the pandemic, foodservice delivery companies have become a staple of many American consumers’ habits. While they offered a lifeline to hungry consumers earlier in the pandemic during forced closures, many of …

Which Consumers Are Driving Food Delivery Growth?

New research on consumers who use food-delivery companies like UberEats, GrubHub and DoorDash indicates that today’s food-delivery customers tend to be young and wealthy. Virtual brand company Nextbite’s white paper revealed that 71% of survey …

Delivery Innovation Hitting Higher Gear, Especially in U.S.

Chicago residents in need of last-minute ingredients are in luck. Getir, the Turkish provider of ultrafast, 10-minute grocery delivery, started operations in the Windy City this week. The company, which was founded in Istanbul in …

Analysts: More Retailers Should Adopt Last-Mile Gig Delivery

In a recent Barclays conference call, a team of analysts discussed the success of gig delivery and how it could become a compelling offering for retailers. Here’s a look at the key takeaways from the …

Online Grocery and Delivery Companies Find Success Owning the Supply Chain

While Amsterdam-based e-grocery platform Picnic recently made headlines by raising $707 million in a Series D funding round led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, perhaps the bigger news is how Picnic and other food …

Delivery Landscape Changing as DoorDash, Rivals Go All in on Alcohol

As major companies are turning to alcohol delivery, they’ll face more regulation in New York City and perhaps beyond. Here’s a closer look at the issues at play: FOOD DELIVERY EXPANDS INTO ALCOHOL DELIVERY Food …

Barstool Sports Aims to Become Major Player in Virtual Kitchens

Dave Portnoy, founder of the pop culture site Barstool Sports, is jumping in on the virtual ghost kitchen trend, partnering with Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl to launch a virtual restaurant concept built around the …

What Does the Future Hold for Delivery Apps?

It seems like every few weeks food delivery apps are finding themselves in hot water. Most recently, Chicago officials accused both DoorDash and Grubhub of harming city restaurants and customers through high fees and other deceptive …

New Albertsons Offering Illustrates Strong Demand for Online Shopping

Albertsons Cos. has begun piloting an Instacart-powered online grocery pickup service in six major cities. The new click-and-collect service, which is currently available in 40 stores, will work in tandem with Albertsons’ Drive Up & …

Next-Generation Vending Machines Serve Up Profits

Vending machines are no longer just for snacks and drinks. Today’s “next-generation” vending machines can serve up fresh salads and hot pizza in a matter of minutes. With that, Technavio predicts that the intelligent vending …

Delivery Developments: Local Challengers, New Avenues, and Automation Increasing

As we approach the second half of 2021, the outlook for food delivery is starting to shift in a few noteworthy respects. NEW, LOCAL CHALLENGERS ENTER THE MARKET Big delivery apps including Uber, Grubhub, and …

FI Fast Break news: June 10, 2021

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down QSR menu price hikes, alt-meat’s ascent, and the so-called “meme-stock” trend that’s starting to impact restaurant chains. The Food Institute Podcast · …

DoorDash CEO’s Pay Package Latest to Raise Eyebrows

The 2020 pay package of DoorDash CEO Tony Xu far exceeded that of most S&P 500 CEOs. However, it’s not the only one to raise eyebrows. In fact, CEO compensation rose to an average $15.3 million …

FI Fast Break: June 3, 2021

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down the JBS cyber attack, Tesla’s reported restaurant plans, and the abrupt departure of Tyson’s CEO. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast …

FI Fast Break: April 30, 2021

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down the latest innovations in plant-based protein, a predicted slump for delivery apps, millennials’ favorite brands, and more. To listen, click the play/arrow button …

Study: Delivery Apps Destined for Steep Decline in Business

The food delivery app industry is facing a potentially drastic slump in sales, according to a new study by the Social Sciences Research Network, which tracked 27 delivery apps, including Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. …

Delivery Platforms Experiencing Upheaval

In many ways, the pandemic has been a boom time for third-party delivery platforms, which have benefited from consumers largely hunkering down at home and summoning dinners to their doorstep. But business is rapidly changing …

DoorDash Diversifies with Chowbotics Acquisition

After raising an eye-opening $3.4 billion in its IPO, DoorDash is spending its funds strategically. For starters, the delivery company is acquiring meal preparation startup Chowbotics. DoorDash’s revenue rose 226% year-over-year, to $1.92 billion, in …

Super Bowl Showcases Changing of the Guard for NFL (and Food Industry)

While Sunday’s Super Bowl will be the perfect platform to highlight the changing of the guard between superstar NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, the food industry will also have some significant changes on …

What Will Americans Eat During the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl parties may look different this year, but food will still be a major part of them. Frito-Lay estimates a 21% increase in snacking vs. previous Super Bowls as more consumers plan to watch …

Major Brands Sack Super Bowl Ads as Upstarts Kick Off for First Time

Some upstart brands that saw strong sales in 2020 will keep the momentum going by airing Super Bowl advertisements for the very first time. Other, more established brands are directing traditional ad budgets for the …

DoorDash Raises $3.4 Billion in IPO

DoorDash raised $3.4 billion in its IPO, making it the second highest IPO in 2020, according to Renaissance Capital. The IPO represents a year of massive growth for the food delivery company. In the first …

Chicken Sandwiches Reigned Supreme in 2020 Delivery

Grubhub released its 2020 Year in Food report, analyzing what foods were most popular with diners this year. Consumers turned back to comfort foods and caffeine to get through the pandemic, turning away from vegan …

Breakfast Delivery is Ramping Up

The year 2020 has been like no other in recent memory.  The pandemic has left Americans with many new government-enacted laws which were instituted in order to keep people as safe as possible and they …

DoorDash Files for IPO, but Still Losing Money

DoorDashfiled for its IPO on Nov. 13, reported The Wall Street Journal (Nov. 13). The filing revealed the company’s rapid growth during the pandemic, as revenue for the September quarter more than tripled from the …

2020 Referendums Backed by Big Money Deliver Victory and Loss for Food Industry

In 2020 election referendums, voters approved two milestone initiatives that amount to a win and loss for food-industry companies in two states. California workers with app-based ride-hailing and delivery services will remain independent contractors after …

DoorDash Lends a Hand to Struggling Restaurants

DoorDash is investing in a restaurant for the first time, reported The Verge (Oct. 24). It will work alongside CA-based Burma Superstar for a brick-and-mortar store called Burma Bites. It will be designed for delivery and …

DoorDash Plans IPO, Diversifies with Grocery Delivery

DoorDash plans to open an initial public offering in the fall, according to people familiar with the matter, reported Bloomberg (Aug. 22). The company had previously considered going public through a direct listing but decided …