Uber Eats Works with Amazon to Bring Alexa Order Tracking to U.S. Consumers

Today, Uber Technologies, Inc. announced that consumers can now use their Amazon Echo devices to track the status of Uber Eats orders in the United States. This new integration unlocks real-time, hands-free order tracking for Echo users across the country.

The Uber Eats integration with Alexa gives consumers timely updates on critical points in the delivery process—starting when an order is being prepared through to when the driver is arriving, and when the order is delivered. Consumers can set how to receive updates. Alexa... 

Alexa, Where’s My Uber Eats Order? Uber Teams with Amazon for Order Tracking

Uber announced that consumers can now use their Amazon Echo devices to track the status of their Uber Eats orders across the U.S.

Uber said the new partnership provides consumers with key updates on critical points in their delivery process. The updates begin when the order is being prepared and run through when the delivery driver is near and when they leave the food on the doorstep.

“Consumers can set how to receive updates. Alexa can announce...

New Consumer Survey Signals Mobile Ordering and Payment in Bars and Restaurants is Here to Stay

As the hospitality industry returns to pre-pandemic norms, Union—a data-driven hospitality engagement platform—has released a new third-party survey detailing how consumers are adapting to new technology within bars and restaurants, such as QR codes and mobile payment apps. Some of the key findings from the survey include:

Consumers have come around to QR codes, but wish they could order and pay through their mobile devices. When asked how they feel about...

Online Grocery Growth Expected to Continue but Consumers Now Weighing Cost vs. Convenience

Market intelligence provider Packaged Facts believes that the online grocery market will continue to see gains despite the struggles of some start-ups in the space.

During the pandemic, online grocery shopping witnessed a significant boom. New companies entered the landscape and all of the largest food retailers invested heavily in the space.

Convenience was a big factor in the growth of the sector and consumers were willing to shell out the extra cash to have their groceries delivered or ready for them as soon as...

Biggie Deal Alert: Wendy's and Doordash Team Up for 'Biggie' Power Hour Plays

WHAT:

Wendy's® and DoorDash are ending March the only way we know how – with a BIGGIE deal. That's right, it's time for the biggie-st deal in basketball ahead of the last weekend of biggie games, biggie buckets and biggie wins. It's time for DoorDash and Wendy's Biggie Power Hours.

'Biggie' Power Hours: To properly tip-off the biggie-st weekend in basketball, Wendy's and DoorDash are calling 'Biggie' Power Hours from 6:00 – 7:00 PM EDT (3:00 – 4:00 PM...

“Alexa, Order Panera” – Panera Bread Launches New Amazon Alexa Ordering Experience

Today, Panera Bread announced that MyPanera members can now order via Alexa on Echo Show devices. Ordering with Alexa provides convenience for MyPanera members and allows them to order their Panera favorites via voice or touch—without having to open the Panera app. With this new feature, MyPanera members can simply ask Alexa to order their favorite Panera items for pick-up or delivery, and the order will be completed.

To start ordering via Alexa, MyPanera members will need...

Uber Eats Launches U.S. Certified Virtual Restaurant Program

Today Uber Eats (NYSE: UBER) announced a new Certified Virtual Restaurant Program. This initiative, launched in partnership with leading brand builders Virtual Dining Concepts, Nextbite and Acelerate, aims to make virtual restaurant operations more streamlined and effective for merchants, and to create a more consistent, reliable virtual restaurants experience for consumers who use Uber Eats.

The program is part of an ongoing effort at Uber to refocus its virtual restaurant operations—which has accelerated massively in the wake of the pandemic to over 40,000 virtual storefronts...

Incisiv Research: 74% of Grocers Believe Digital Shopping Has Made Shoppers Less Loyal

Recent research by Incisiv, conducted in collaboration with The Food Industry Association (FMI) and in partnership with Loyal Guru, shows that maintaining shopper loyalty in the digital grocery industry is a growing challenge. The report, “Shopper Loyalty in the Digital Age,” highlights the importance of offering a seamless omnichannel experience for shoppers to foster loyalty, including providing a well-designed digital platform, integrating with digital channels, and offering personalized experiences that meet the needs and expectations of individual shoppers.

Key take-aways from the report include...

Kroger Delivery Arrives in Denver Metro Area

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America's grocer, today announced its Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC) in Aurora, CO is open. This facility expands access to fresh, affordable food and provides more than 200 new associates with opportunities to grow their careers. Customers across the region can order Kroger's fresh produce and trend-setting Our Brands products to be delivered directly to their doors by a friendly associate.

"Kroger Delivery, proudly serving King Soopers and City Market, will connect more Coloradans to a convenient shopping experience," said Rebekah Manis, Senior Director, Kroger Delivery Fulfillment Centers...

Winn-Dixie Helps Customers Save Time and Money with Discounted Prices and Online Ordering

Winn-Dixie is helping customers stretch their grocery budget by lowering prices on more than 150 everyday items. Through the grocer’s “Down Down” program, customers can save more than 15% on average at their neighborhood store. Discounted products for the spring season include fresh produce and dairy items, pantry staples, frozen appetizers and meals, family favorite snacks, health and beauty products and essential household cleaning supplies. Items included in the “Down Down” program are updated each season, giving shoppers more saving opportunities on their favorite products...

Blue Apron Introduces Its First-Ever Brunch Box to Elevate Weekend Meals

Blue Apron (NYSE: APRN) introduces its first-ever Brunch Box designed to help customers elevate weekend meals this Spring. Available to order now, the limited-time, seasonal offering features sweet and savory recipes that are perfect for a Sunday brunch or to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The Brunch Box boasts an easy-to-prepare, chef-designed menu with a variety of elevated classics that satisfies cravings. Designed to serve up to six, the offering includes Blue Apron’s most-loved breakfast recipes with brand-new ingredients, like a silky-smooth...

Chicory Survey Indicates Greater Reliance on Online Grocery Shopping

Chicory, the leading contextual commerce advertising platform, today released findings from its 2023 Online Grocery Shopping Report. The annual report, which features results from a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, analyzes the key characteristics and behaviors of online grocery shoppers. Insights include online order frequency, average basket value, retailer preferences, cart composition, shopping challenges and more.

"While online grocery adoption has slowed in recent years, activity is rising. Consumers are more comfortable than ever browsing for deals online, meal planning using digital recipes, and purchasing their...

Online Grocery Sales Forecast for Further Growth Following Pandemic Boom

A forecast expects more consumers to shop for groceries online over the next five years, with the segment keeping momentum after it witnessed a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online grocery sales are forecast to grow at compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% over the next five years, per the 2023 Brick Meets Click/Mercatus 5-Year Grocery Sales Forecast.

Inflation, illness concerns including COVID, RSV and the flu along with a “maturing online segment” were noted as factors behind the growing popularity of online grocery shopping...

Kroger Delivery Expands to South Florida

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America's grocer, today announced the opening of a new spoke facility in South Florida. Joined by the local community, Kroger celebrated the expansion of the delivery service and welcomed 90 new associates. This facility opening means customers can access Kroger's incredible selection of fresh items, unique Our Brands products and favorite national brands, as well as individualized offers for the groceries most important to their families – all delivered directly to their door by a friendly, professional Kroger associate.

"We are thrilled to connect more Floridians to the Kroger Delivery...

Introducing The New Premium Steak Subscription Service Herd & Grace

Herd & Grace – the new premium delivery service for high-quality steaks sourced from pristine Australian and Tasmanian pastures – is looking to provide the best possible eating experience with world-class quality Australian beef directly to the doors of American consumers — for the first time. Herd & Grace is introducing the gift of world-class luxury and has created the perfect gift for all occasions ranging from curated boxes, custom boxes, individual cuts, gift cards and yearly subscriptions.

"For so many reasons, we think this is the very best beef available...

Amazon Raises Fees For Free Delivery Of Groceries Online

Amazon Prime members who order groceries online through Amazon Fresh will soon pay a lot more to get free delivery.

Starting Feb. 28, online Amazon Fresh grocery orders of less than $150 will incur delivery fees, Amazon.com Inc. said in an email to Prime members.

Delivery charges will be $9.95 for orders under $50, $6.95 for orders between $50 and $100, and $3.95 for orders between $100 and $150, Amazon said.

Currently, Prime members outside of New York City who spend...

Addie's Debuts as the East Coast's First Drive-up Grocer, with Rapid Expansion to Follow

Addie's, the drive-up grocer redefining the grocery shopping experience, officially launched today its first concept store with $10.1 million in seed funding led by the Disruptive Innovation Fund, the venture capital arm of Clay Christensen's Rose Park Advisors. Instead of patchworking together in-store grocery, online grocery, and direct-to-consumer delivery models, Addie's has built an entirely new one: a pick-up-only store designed solely for stocking, storing, and bagging groceries without the need for a shopper ever to step...

Uber Eats and Visa Partner for Greener Restaurant Packaging

Uber (NYSE:UBER) and Visa (NYSE:V) today announced a new program designed to support small-and medium-sized businesses in their transition to green and sustainable packaging solutions, as part of a broader year-long effort to support SMBs who use Uber Eats to grow their businesses.

Together, the two companies will make $1 million accessible to qualifying Uber Eats restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Madrid to be used towards funding sustainable packaging solutions to help transition to a greener future, which hospitality industry research indicates...

Mercatus Unveils Next Generation Mobile Grocery Shopping App Providing Greater Customer Convenience

Mercatus, a leading provider of grocery eCommerce solutions, today announced the evolution of Mercatus Mobile -- an entirely new mobile commerce experience for grocery retailers and their customers. Built from the ground up with the latest mobile innovations in mind and using a completely new architecture, Mercatus Mobile delivers a seamless shopping experience to help grocers increase mobile conversions, improve order frequency and retain online customers.

The new mobile app offers grocery retailers more control over their online experience providing direct access...

Grocers' Websites Were Well-Prepared for Holiday Shopping Spike, but Struggled on Fulfillment

Incisiv, a next-generation industry insights firm that helps retailers and brands navigate digital disruption, and Wynshop, the leading provider of digital commerce and fulfillment solutions for local-store based retailers, today revealed the findings from their State of Digital Grocery 2022 Performance Scorecard on Grocery Doppio. The scorecard provides a quantitative look back on the growth and changes in the digital grocery market in 2022, including new data for the month of December and grocers' outlook for 2023...

Year-End Grocery Doppio Survey Predicts: 87% of Shoppers will Purchase Groceries Online and Spend Up

Incisiv, a next-generation industry insights firm that helps retailers and brands navigate digital disruption, and Wynshop, the leading provider of digital commerce and fulfillment solutions for local store-based retailers, today revealed the findings from their State of Digital Grocery Performance Scorecard for November, 2022, reflecting late November/early December shopping data, as well as polling responses from 2,010 grocery shoppers and 203 grocery industry executives.

Waiting until the end of the year for the most accurate predictions, Grocery Doppio asked grocers and...

Uber Partners with Meijer to Expand On-Demand Grocery Delivery Across Midwest

Today, Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) announced its new partnership with privately-owned Meijer to offer on-demand and scheduled grocery delivery to customers across the Midwest, and solidifying Uber Eats' national expansion of grocery selection for consumers across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Beginning this week and continuing through the winter, nearly 250 Meijer locations will be available to shop through Uber and Uber Eats. This upcoming holiday season, customers will be able to order their favorite Meijer must-haves, from fresh and frozen turkeys...

Consumers Plan to Do More Holiday Shopping In Stores Than Online, Reports NPD

Consumers have relied more on e-commerce since the pandemic began, but that’s changing this year

The number of consumers planning to shop online for the holidays fell from 85% last year to 80% this year, which is the largest ever shift favoring stores, according to the annual holiday purchase intentions survey from The NPD Group. This is also the first year, since before the pandemic, that consumers expect to make more of their holiday purchases in stores (46%) than online (45%). Checkout receipt-based insights from...

SpotOn Finds Most Restaurant Operators Making Operational Changes to Capitalize 2022 Holiday Season

As restaurants gear up for the holidays, SpotOn, the top-rated software and payments partner for restaurants, is helping owners and operators maximize revenue and streamline operations for a memorable—and profitable—season. According to SpotOn’s State of Restaurant Tech Report, restaurant operators say that the holiday season accounts for up to 20% of their annual sales, with fine dining operators putting that figure at nearly half (49%). With a significant portion of annual revenue on the line, restaurants are turning to technology to drive operational efficiencies... 

Soak Up Last Night's Fun with Einstein Bros. Bagels New All-Nighter Breakfast Box

Einstein Bros. Bagels is launching the All-Nighter Breakfast Box just in time for the Halloween party circuit. Specially curated to help guests recover from over-imbibing, the All-Nighter Breakfast Box is available exclusively through online ordering.

Guests can feast on the exclusive bundle box featuring Einstein Bros. Bagels' tastiest sweet and savory breakfast items when they order online for a limited time. The All-Nighter Breakfast Box, for only $13.99, includes:

• The fan-favorite All-Nighter Egg Sandwich is loaded with two...

Jack in the Box’s New Online Ordering Makes Satisfying Cravings Even Easier

Jack in the Box, one of the nation’s largest hamburger chains with more than 2,200 locations across 21 states, has launched a brand-new ordering website and native mobile app. The updated app and site were developed in partnership with Bounteous, the digital innovation partner for the world’s most ambitious brands.

Jack in the Box's online ordering and integrated mobile app features a full array of capabilities including full menu ordering, customization options, location finder, product and restaurant information, flexible delivery or pickup options and an integrated loyalty...

Retailers Say New Fed Debit Card Regulations Mean Networks Will Have to Compete Online

The National Retail Federation today welcomed the Federal Reserve’s approval of regulations that clarify that banks and credit card networks are legally required to give retailers a choice between two unaffiliated networks over which to route debit card transactions regardless of whether purchases take place in-store or online.

“The Federal Reserve has declared once and for all that a debit transaction is a debit transaction no matter where it takes place and that merchants have the right to choose the network that offers the..."

Southeastern Grocers to Debut Innovative Delivery and Curbside Pickup Experience by DoorDash

Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, will soon offer a new, convenient means to shop for groceries online that will also allow customers to enjoy the same prices as shopping in store. Starting in October, customers can utilize SEG’s proprietary new offering to shop their local Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores online and have their groceries delivered right to them in as little as two hours with the...

DoorDash Unveils Top 100 Most Loved Restaurants

DoorDash shared its first annual awards list honoring the top 100 Most Loved All Star Restaurants in the United States for 2022.

The restaurants included in the list are top-rated by users of the DoorDash platform and are exceptional at operations, with the company saying less than 1% of restaurants qualifying.

DoorDash said winners included poke shops to Italian eateries. It wants to set its partners up for success and growth and the list is meant to recognize and reward the best relationships on its platform...

Grubhub and Cartken Partner to Bring Robot Delivery to College Campuses

Grubhub, the leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery platform on college campuses, and Cartken, a technology startup that specializes in self-driving, AI-powered robotics and delivery operations, announced a partnership today to bring robot delivery to college campuses. This delivery was piloted at Ohio State University this spring, and a full roll out is expected when students return to campus this fall.

Grubhub partners with more than 250 college campuses across the United States to give students the ability to integrate meal plans directly into their...