However, delivery companies enjoying a sudden spike in sales, such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, have been less helpful. Current initiatives look more like an attempt to boost revenues and market share for the major delivery companies, rather than genuine help for sinking restaurants. In the US, Uber Eats has waived delivery fees for over 100,000 independents (its UK arm introduced a similar delivery fee cut on Friday, until 31 March). Instead, in Australia, Uber Eats pledged to spend $AUS5m helping restaurants “deploy promotions”, presumably on its own app. Like most disruptive tech, delivery companies inserted themselves between restaurants and their pre-existing customer base, and are now charging restaurants to access what, without irony, they describe as an exciting new market.

Source: The Guardian March 22, 2020 13:00 UTC