Uber seems intent on expanding its services, as the popular ride-hailing app has announced that it is launching its standalone food delivery service, UberEATS, to a number of key U.S. cities on Tuesday. The company has decided to enter the American market after a successful run in Toronto, where the app made its initial debut.
Starting Tuesday, customers from Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston will be able to use the full suite of services offered by the company's UberEATS app, a dedicated food delivery service that is designed to offer all-day food delivery services from more than a hundred partner restaurants.
Susan Alban, general manager for Uber Everything in San Francisco, is optimistic about the dedicated app's launch, emphasizing that UberEATS gives users the convenience of being able to get good food just at the tap of a button.
"Just as you can get a ride with the tap of a button, now you can get great food at the tap of a button as well. We're leveraging our Uber network and think we can deliver as fast as 25, 30 or 40 minutes from the time the food is ordered," she said.
The dedicated UberEATS service is scheduled to expand to other key U.S. cities as well, with New York, Washington, Atlanta, Seattle and Dallas set to enjoy the service soon.
Paolo Lorenzoni, UberEATS general manager, has also stated that while the food delivery market is very competitive in areas such as Chicago, he believes that the company has a pretty good advantage over its competitors as a result of its established driver base and its direct relationship with restaurants.
Food deliveries ordered from the dedicated app would carry a flat rate of $5 per transaction. For now, however, the service is under a limited-time promotional period.
Since being launched in Toronto, the UberEATS service enjoyed much success, with the app reaching number 4 in the Food section on the same day it was launched. The services offered then were vastly limited compared to the full suite of offers that American consumers would receive.
Uber, now valued at an impressive $64.6 billion, has always promised its investors that the company would expand into new horizons, ultimately becoming a full-fledged logistics company.
