Postmates adds non-contact delivery option as coronavirus spreads

Customers can now request to have their food orders left at the door, a move that could help the platform capture more diner spending as U.S. companies urge employees to work from home.

By Alicia Kelso • March 9, 2020

2020 is the year of the breakfast wars

Chains like Wendy's, McDonald's, Dunkin', Starbucks and Panera have expanded menu offerings for breakfast to capture growing demand for the daypart.

By Julie Littman • March 9, 2020

5 ways Dine Brands is combating traffic declines

CEO Steve Joyce explains how the company's growing catering platform and new focus on urban markets are among the ways it is trying to bring in more guests.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 28, 2020

NYC Council introduces series of food delivery regulations

The six bills would impact restaurant partnerships and include proposals for a 10% commission cap and a ban on charges for phone calls that didn't result in an order. 

By Alicia Kelso , Julie Littman • Feb. 27, 2020

DoorDash heads toward public status with confidential filing

Investors will likely put DoorDash's earnings under a microscope as earnings from Grubhub and Uber Eats have faced industry critique.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 27, 2020

Noodles & Company's digital sales grew 46% last year

The company aims to eventually bring guests from third-party delivery partners to direct delivery, CEO Dave Boennighausen said on its Q4 earnings call. 

By Lauren Manning , Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 27, 2020

Grubhub debuts benefits-focused subscription service

Grubhub+, which offers members perks ranging from unlimited free delivery to 10% cash back and access to special menus and events, could help the delivery platform's retention.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 26, 2020

Uber Eats lead steps down amid profitability struggles

Jason Droege, who launched the Eats division in 2015, will be replaced by vice president of international rides Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty effective immediately.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 25, 2020

Wingstop bolsters digital growth with pickup lockers, ghost kitchen

CEO Charlie Morrison said on an earnings call that Wingstop's digital mix topped 40% in January and its off-premise business drives about 80% of sales. 

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 20, 2020

Inspire Brands explores ghost kitchens

Inspire, which would be one of the first multi-brand owners to explore the model, told Restaurant Dive it wasn't ready to comment on its ghost kitchen trademarks as of Tuesday.

By Lauren Manning • Feb. 19, 2020

Proposed CA bill would require food delivery apps to share customer data with restaurants

The bill will be amended to require delivery apps to gain agreement from restaurants before listing them on their platform, Lorena Gonzalez's office told Restaurant Dive, echoing proposed Rhode Island legislation.

By Julie Littman • Updated Feb. 20, 2020

Proposed RI bill would fine delivery providers for listing non-partnered restaurants

Companies would be penalized $1,000 each day a violation occurs, and any merchant could bring action in superior court to recover actual damages or up to $5,000. 

By Julie Littman • Updated Feb. 12, 2020

Burger King, Tim Hortons invest in personalized drive-thru tech

The brands' menu boards will offer locational, situational and customized offerings similar to McDonald's rollout of Dynamic Yield.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 10, 2020

Grubhub adds 150K non-partnered restaurants as controversy grows

The delivery platform grew its network to 300,000 restaurants in Q4 and is eyeing a subscription program and pickup to gobble more market share, but frustration over its strategy could threaten its future.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 7, 2020

Uber Eats spent $1B on excess driver incentives, referrals in 2019

The food delivery platform is paying drivers more than its earning from trips as it aggressively expands into new markets and tries to grow its driver base amid a shortage of these gig workers.

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 7, 2020

Waitr will lay off 2,300 drivers as it shifts to contract workers

All impacted drivers, whose jobs will be terminated effective April 8, will be able to continue working with the struggling delivery company as contractors, a Waitr spokesperson told Restaurant Dive. 

By Alicia Kelso • Updated Feb. 18, 2020

Saladworks pilots virtual kitchens in 3 markets

Saladworks joins the likes of Chick-fil-A, Wetzel's Pretzels, Halal Guys and others testing the Kitchen United model.

By Lauren Manning • Feb. 5, 2020

Yelp asks Grubhub to remove delivery from 'non-partner' restaurant pages

Grubhub told Restaurant Dive that Yelp was aware of the practice and that the companies recently came to the decision together. Yelp said that it asked Grubhub to make the change after recently learning of the practice.

By Alicia Kelso • Updated Jan. 31, 2020

Q1 delivery roundup: Chains expand third-party networks

Chuy's plans to rollout its exclusive partnership with DoorDash by the end of the first quarter while El Pollo Loco expanded its third-party partnerships to include Grubhub, Uber Eats and Postmates.

By Julie Littman , Emma Liem Beckett • Updated March 6, 2020

How restaurants are taking control of delivery in 2020

With doubts swirling over delivery's long-term profitability, this year will be marked by more restaurants renegotiating commission rates, developing branded online ordering and adding virtual kitchen options.

By Julie Littman • Jan. 31, 2020

Uber Eats, DoorDash reportedly considered merger in 2019

The two largest delivery providers in the U.S. discussed combining operations around six months ago, following pressure from mutual investor SoftBank, but talks fell apart, according to the Financial Times. 

By Julie Littman • Jan. 31, 2020

McDonald's UK taps Just Eat for delivery, ends Uber Eats exclusivity

The new agreement, which is expected later this year, puts pressure on Uber Eats in a region where half of its 30 million orders come from McDonald's.

By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 30, 2020

Deliveroo to adopt dynamic pricing structure

The company plans to start charging fees based on delivery distance in February, including to its monthly subscribers, but members are threatening to boycott the new charges.

By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 28, 2020

British regulators investigate Just Eat, Takeaway.com merger

The British Competition and Markets Authority is determining whether the $8 billion deal could stifle competition in the U.K. market.

By Lauren Manning • Jan. 27, 2020

How 6 full-service brands make off-premise work

While Chuy’s and Macaroni Grill have honed their third-party delivery partnerships, Olive Garden is doubling down on its independent off-premise strategy.

By Julie Littman • Jan. 23, 2020