Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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Uber’s new app delivers food to students’ doors

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Chelsea Purgahn

When leaving the dorms to go get food seems like too much of a struggle, UberEATS could offer a solution for many hungry students. On March 24, Uber launched a separate app and full delivery service in Austin, which delivers food right to the door.

Uber’s delivery service expands on their Instant Delivery option, a lunchtime delivery service, which used to be part of the original app. From 8 a.m. to 12 a.m, the new UberEATS app offers delivery options from the full menus of over a hundred local restaurants, including Chi’Lantro BBQ, Freedmen’s, Noble Sandwich Co. and Michi Ramen. The Instant Delivery service is still around and delivers prepared daily specials that range from $7 to $12 to students in less than 10 minutes. This service is also available Monday through Friday, but only from lunch hours 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.   

Although UberEATS can be convenient, not everyone is a fan of the new app. Radio-television-film freshman Rikki Bleiweiss said she probably would not use UberEATS and doesn’t like that it is now a separate app.


“I really preferred how UberEATS worked in the initial app when there was no delivery charge,” Bleiweiss said.

Uber drivers have the option to deliver for UberEATS, or they can stick to driving people around the city. Aashlie Hess, who currently drives for Uber, said she would not want to drive for UberEATS.

“I make enough driving people that I don’t need to deliver food too,” Hess said. “I wouldn’t really want to make my car smell or risk spilling food.”

UberEATS is not the only food delivery service in Austin. The company has to compete with other popular services such as Favor Delivery and Postmates.

According to Maegan Wilson, a theater and dance senior who used to drive for Uber, UberEATS may be at a disadvantage because it is a newer app.

“I think it’ll probably be used less for a bit just because Favor and Postmates [are] more well known,” Wilson said.

Peter Jeon, a driver for Uber and mobile designer for a tech company, said UberEATS needs to set itself apart from the other competitors.

“There are too many of those apps like Favor, UberEATS, Postmates and Grubhub,” Jeon said “If none of these companies can differentiate themselves, the company that offers the fastest and cheapest option will win.”

 

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Uber’s new app delivers food to students’ doors