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Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

forbes.com

11–18 of 18 posts

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#11

There are enough players in this area: Sprig, Munchery, Grubhub, Seamless, Caviar, etc. etc. What is Uber bringing to the table?

1.) The ability to deliver from any restaurant, not just those participating or offering their own delivery service. 2.) Drivers in a large number of locations, likely closer to the intended restaurant than any "pick it up for you and deliver" service could ever be.

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#12

There are enough players in this area: Sprig, Munchery, Grubhub, Seamless, Caviar, etc. etc. What is Uber bringing to the table?

1.) The ability to deliver from any restaurant, not just those participating or offering their own delivery service. 2.) Drivers in a large number of locations, likely closer to the intended restaurant than any "pick it up for you and deliver" service could ever be.

Wait, did I miss the part where they can deliver from "any restaurant"? How would that work? Is that what their goal is?

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#13

There are enough players in this area: Sprig, Munchery, Grubhub, Seamless, Caviar, etc. etc. What is Uber bringing to the table?

1.) The ability to deliver from any restaurant, not just those participating or offering their own delivery service. 2.) Drivers in a large number of locations, likely closer to the intended restaurant than any "pick it up for you and deliver" service could ever be.

This is basically Postmates.

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#14
post #3

How useful is this for customers if it's just a small period of time (and likely vendors not to mention limited area)? I know it's a big jump to add a whole new competency (delivery vs. cabs), but I'm not sure I'd even try it out given other options (DoorDash) exist and don't operate on a trial basis.

I think someone in Uber has some dream of creating a system where drivers are constantly kept busy and completing jobs (small deliveries, driving people, food deliveries) in an efficient, algorithmic flow that keeps downtime at a minimum, while drivers earn money and Uber earns even more money.

Sounds like it'll only ever be a dream. Assuming they can keep sabotaging their way towards market dominance, eventually they'll reach a point where they have to deal with humans directly - and with humans you get problems you can't solve technically.

They will either have to dedicate people to strictly or mostly food delivery, or offer an annoying service where your driver has to make a detour so he or she can pick up a hamburger for someone else.

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think someone in Uber has some dream of creating a system where drivers are constantly kept busy and completing jobs (small deliveries, driving people, food deliveries) in an efficient, algorithmic flow that keeps downtime at a minimum, while drivers earn money and Uber earns even more money.

Sounds like it'll only ever be a dream. Assuming they can keep sabotaging their way towards market dominance, eventually they'll reach a point where they have to deal with humans directly - and with humans you get problems you can't solve technically. They will either have to dedicate people to strictly or mostly food delivery, or offer an annoying service where your driver has to make a detour so he or she can pick…

You call it an annoying service, they call it UberEconomy!

(In all seriousness, I think there could be a market for almost all of their ideas. The problem is the need for seamless integration and management of human assets that have little allegiance, combined with small, test markets, makes it hard to predict what services will take off and what will flounder)

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1.) The ability to deliver from any restaurant, not just those participating or offering their own delivery service. 2.) Drivers in a large number of locations, likely closer to the intended restaurant than any "pick it up for you and deliver" service could ever be.

This is basically Postmates.

I agree, but I guess the argument is they are more efficient because unlike Postmates their drivers can work as both taxis and delivery vehicles so will have less down time.

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#17
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is basically Postmates.

I agree, but I guess the argument is they are more efficient because unlike Postmates their drivers can work as both taxis and delivery vehicles so will have less down time.

There is a big difference between - delivering food you have in your trunk in under 10 minutes, and what Postmates or Caviar does. It seems UberFresh is closer to a Sprig/Spoonrocket model than a Postmates model.

Re: Uber Trials Fast Food Delivery Service UberFresh

#18

There are enough players in this area: Sprig, Munchery, Grubhub, Seamless, Caviar, etc. etc. What is Uber bringing to the table?

1.) The ability to deliver from any restaurant, not just those participating or offering their own delivery service. 2.) Drivers in a large number of locations, likely closer to the intended restaurant than any "pick it up for you and deliver" service could ever be.

As a driver, I'm sure you make more money delivering passengers than burgers. Which would you rather pick: taking a ride across town and making $25, or delivering a $8 sandwich the same distance and making $5, tops?
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