While Restaurant Delivery gets All the Buzz, Digital Orders Overall Grow by Double-Digits

The growing access to foodservice delivery has garnered lots of attention from the marketplace and media, but while delivery grabs the spotlight, digital restaurant orders overall steadily grow by double-digits, reports The NPD Group. Restaurant digital orders, which are defined by meals or snacks ordered via mobile app, internet, or text message, have grown by 23 percent over the past four years and now represent 3.1 billion visits and $26.8 billion dollars. NPD forecasts digital orders to continue to grow by double-digits through 2020 with growth across all service modes including delivery, on premises, and carryout, according to NPD’s Delivering Digital Convenience report.

Although convenience is understandably the top reason consumers choose digital ordering, other top reasons include: no waiting; the ability to order, pay, and have it ready; ordering at my “own” pace; and earning rewards/feeling valued. In addition to these reasons...

Chili's Partners Exclusively with DoorDash

Chili's® Grill & Bar, a leader in the casual dining industry, is also leading the category in off-premise innovation. To build on that momentum, starting today, Brinker International, Inc., the parent company of Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy®, has entered into an exclusive agreement with DoorDash, the nation's largest on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery, that brings delivery of Chili's favorites to Guests from more than 1,000 participating restaurants nationwide.

"We chose DoorDash as an exclusive partner because they have a leading market share in areas where Chili's restaurants are located and have a fast growing delivery platform," said Wyman Roberts, chief executive officer of Brinker and president of Chili's. "While we tested delivery with several partners, DoorDash integrated seamlessly into our operations, demonstrated the ability to drive incremental sales and provided...

RestaurantOwner.com: Restaurant Delivery Report 

RestaurantOwner.com's published results of their 2019 Restaurant Delivery Survey focuses on the growing trend of restaurant delivery and summarizes input gathered from nearly 1,000 independent restaurant owners and operators regarding their experiences with self-delivery and third-party service providers, and their insights regarding restaurant delivery.

Survey Results:

Restaurant delivery has become available in most independent restaurants, with 57% of operators offering some form of delivery. Moreover, 16% of the operators without delivery plan to add the service within a year. Of operators who offered delivery, 31% used only third-party services, 12% operated in-house delivery services, and 14% relied on...

Good Eggs Releases Results of Family Food Fix Survey 

Good Eggs, the online market that delivers absurdly fresh groceries, today announced the results of its Family Food Fix Survey, which takes a pulse on the perspectives and behaviors of today's consumers when it comes to the necessary task of grocery shopping. Additionally, the findings reveal insights into meal kit usage, the reality of preparing multiple dinners every night, and what families across America want most for dinner.

"From grocery shopping to getting dinner on the table, feeding a family has become a time-consuming struggle for today's busy parents," said Jaime Nessel, Vice President of Assortment of Good Eggs. "Online grocery delivery services can provide significant time savings to families. At Good Eggs, we provide a complete, yet curated assortment of local products, absurdly fresh local produce and meat...

Guests can Now Order P.F. Chang's with Uber Eats Across the U.S.

Enjoying P.F. Chang's menu of made-from-scratch favorites just got even easier. Now, guests across the U.S. can order P.F. Chang's using their Uber Eats app.

"Uber Eats is one of the fastest growing off-premise delivery companies in the U.S.," said Tana Davila, P.F. Chang's senior vice president. "We are excited to partner with them and make our food even more accessible to current and new customers."

Uber Eats is fully integrated throughout P.F. Chang's restaurant point-of-sale system, ensuring seamless order placement and timely delivery of orders from the entire made-from-scratch menu in restaurants across the country. P.F. Chang's will continue to offer...

Wegmans Joins Forces with DoorDash to Power Wegmans Meals 2GO Delivery

Wegmans today announced that it's teaming up with the largest and fastest growing, last-mile logistics platform, DoorDash, for delivery of the supermarket's popular restaurant-quality meals available in the new Wegmans Meals 2GO app. The venture is now live at the Dulles (Sterling) store in northern Virginia, and the Pittsford, East Ave., and Perinton stores in Rochester, NY. Two more Rochester-area stores, Penfield. and Holt Road, are set to go live on April 30. Wegmans Meals 2GO will roll out to more than 40 stores by year's end, with more to follow in 2020.

Wegmans Meals 2GO orders for lunch, dinner or anytime-in-between can be delivered through DoorDash within a roughly five-mile radius of participating stores. Delivery is available on orders of $20 or more, with diners able to choose from sushi, pizza, wings, subs, salads, soups, hot wokery (Asian), ready-to-heat meals, desserts and...

Grubhub Reports First Quarter 2019 Results

Grubhub Inc. (NYSE: GRUB), the nation's leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. The Company posted revenues of $324 million, which is a 39% year-over-year increase from $233 million in the first quarter of 2018. Gross Food Sales grew 21% year-over-year to $1.5 billion, up from $1.2 billion in the same period last year.

"We are extremely proud of our entire team for another fantastic quarter of execution - record new diner growth, thousands of new quality restaurants added to our platform and a sixth consecutive quarter of organic order acceleration. Even with our recent ramp in growth investments, adjusted EBITDA per order improved during the quarter, underscoring our ability to grow in a long-term sustainable manner...

Worldwide Market Insights Study: Online Food Delivery Services Sees Rapid Growth 

The "Global Online Food Delivery Services Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2018 To 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Online food delivery services market was valued at US$ 81.56 Bn in 2017 and will be growing at a CAGR of 9.8% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2026.

In recent years, online food delivery has witnessed rapid growth. The rise of the digital technology has reshaped the food delivery services market and consumers expect ...

Retail Feedback Study: Grocery Shoppers Digital Interaction Strengthening

The Retail Feedback Group (RFG), a leader in providing actionable stakeholder feedback, today released the 2019 U.S. Supermarket Digital & Social Engagement Study.

Digital Interaction with Supermarkets Strengthening

More than six out of ten (63%) of supermarket shoppers interact with their supermarket digitally, up from the 56% found in 2017. More than half check a digital circular (55%), while smaller percentages are building...

Checkers & Rally’s Launches Deepest and Most Franchisee-Friendly Delivery Platform in QSR

Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc., today announced the launch of the brand’s new delivery platform, the most comprehensive and franchisee-friendly delivery system in all of QSR. The platform brings five national delivery services – Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, Grubhub and Amazon Restaurants – together under one single, seamless point-of-sale (POS) system. Integrations via Olo will give guests the ability to order the brand’s “Crazy Good Food” from their favorite delivery service, while giving franchisees and restaurant operators a profitable and operationally simple way to fulfill those orders.

“While some of the biggest brands in QSR have committed to a single delivery service, we wanted to give Checkers & Rally’s guests more ways to bring our amazing burgers, famous seasoned fries and exciting flavors to their front doors ...

Papa John's Announces National Partnership with DoorDash 

Today, Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) announced a national partnership with DoorDash, the fastest-growing on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery, offering delivery from more than 1,400 restaurants. To celebrate the launch, lucky pizza lovers can get $0 delivery during St. Patrick’s Day weekend from March 15-17 on all orders over $10 delivered through the platform at participating locations.

By working with partners like DoorDash, Papa John's continues to find ways to reach new customer segments and expand its off-premise offerings through delivery and takeout.

“This partnership extends our continued commitment to meet customers wherever they are and provide simple, easy ordering for guests in addition to our own ...

Tillster Serves the Stats on QSR and Fast-Casual Delivery

Delivery is on a meteoric rise in QSR and fast-casual dining. People are willing to pay a premium to get food without picking it up. In situations when restaurants don't provide delivery on their own, firms like DoorDash, UberEATS, and Postmates have built themselves on connecting consumers and restaurants across the last mile.

 

A recent study by digital ordering solutions firm Tillster aimed to summarize consumer preferences on food delivery. They found that in the past year more than half of all QSR and fast casual customers placed a delivery online, and a majority of customers would order more if delivery was available.

 

One of the biggest takeaways from Tillster's study was consumer preference for first-party ordering solutions. Consumers don't want to look for a restaurant on ...

Introducing Knick Knacks: Blue Apron’s Newest and Most Flexible Culinary Offering

Blue Apron, known for creating incredible meal experiences, today introduced its most flexible culinary innovation to date: Blue Apron Knick Knacks™, a new line of recipe solutions that give consumers the flexibility to combine the protein and produce of their choice with specialty, pre-portioned, refrigerated ingredients and step-by-step recipes to enjoy a delicious meal for two.

“Our promise, through every product we create, is to inspire and support home cooks by bringing quality, discovery, and convenience to their meal experiences. We are proud to introduce Knick Knacks as our latest culinary innovation, which gives consumers the ‘secret sauce’––from our test kitchen to their home––to create a delicious meal, while allowing for the flexibility to ...

Taco Bell Announces Nationwide Delivery 

Taco Bell fans have been wishing for delivery for years and now it's coming true. Today, Taco Bell is announcing nationwide delivery available via Grubhub, uniquely designed for an even faster experience. And for a limited time, all Taco Bell orders over $12.00 come with free delivery excluding tax.

To ensure faster delivery, Taco Bell has integrated its point-of-sale system directly into the Grubhub app, which means pickup is timed to the moment an order is ready, helping precious cargo like Bean Burritos and Crunchwrap Supremes® make it to the doorstep hot, fresh and Fire Sauce-ready. Grubhub is also bringing more drivers to areas with Taco Bell restaurants so more fans can satisfy their cravings from home ...

Kroger and Home Chef Expand Nationwide Retail Rollout and Launch Meal Kit Feature for Online Orders

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Home Chef announced today the introduction of retail meal kits to new cities, bringing the weekly rotating meal solution to 500 additional Kroger Family of Stores across the country. Additionally, homechef.com has launched a customizable meal kit feature for online orders, allowing customers to have more flexibility in deciding what's for dinner by providing the choice to change and upgrade recipe ingredients. The feature—the first among leading meal kit brands—offers unprecedented variety for customers.

"Kroger continues to redefine the customer experience and provide new ways to shop for, prep and cook meals through exciting brick-and-mortar and digital experiences," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of merchandising. "Last October, Kroger introduced Home Chef retail meal kits, and ...

How U.S. Millennials Are Shaping Online FMCG Shopping Trends

There’s no denying the impact and influence that digital technologies have on our lives, particularly among younger generations. But even in a world that is steadily heading online, it’s important for manufacturers, brands and retailers to understand that brick-and-mortar environments are not fading in importance—even among Millennials.

According to the latest Nielsen Category Shopping Fundamentals study, as detailed in our recent Millennials on Millennials report, 60% of U.S. consumers’ FMCG decisions are still made at the shelf. This is a key insight for retailers, but so is understanding the influence that digital has on influencing consumers on their way to the shelf. Not surprisingly, Millennials are more active on social media than older generations, and this affects the way they look for information as they shop. For example...

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen Outlines Five Exciting Predictions for the Future of Retail

The Kroger Co. Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen provided his outlook on the future of retail at the NRF 2019: Retail's Big Show in New York City during a dynamic keynote presentation themed Restocking the future: Kroger's insatiable appetite to play and win the long game. CNBC "Squawk on the Street" and "Closing Bell" Anchor Sara Eisen moderated the 30-minute conversation on Sunday.

Here are Mr. McMullen's five predictions for the future of retail. 

Retail Won't Go Away

The industry experiences disruption and transformation every few years, but it's happening at a more rapid speed than ever before...

Chipotle Launches Lifestyle Bowls so Customers can Achieve New Year's Wellness Resolutions

Paleo, Keto, Whole30® and Double Protein-approved options are now available for delivery exclusively through Chipotle's mobile app and website

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced the launch of a new collection of Lifestyle Bowls, just in time for New Year's Resolutions. The new line includes a Paleo Salad Bowl, Keto Salad Bowl, Whole30® Salad Bowl and Double Protein Bowl, all exclusively available through the mobile app and on the Chipotle website for in-restaurant pickup or delivery. These first-to-category, diet-driven menu offerings are helping those who have committed to living a healthier lifestyle by making it easy to order delicious bowls that only contain the real ingredients permitted by certain diet regimens.

One notable expert showing support for the launch is Whole30® co-founder Melissa Hartwig Urban. "We are always looking for ways to make the Whole30 easier and more accessible, and travel has always been a pain point. It's not always easy to find ...

Grubhub Releases Annual "Year In Food" Report Detailing Most Popular Dining Trends Of 2018

While vegan-friendly bean burritos top the chart, chicken rules the roost when it comes to food preferences

Grubhub, the nation's leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace, today released findings from its annual "Year in Food" report. To find out what food trends shaped the year (or didn't), Grubhub analyzed millions of orders placed by more than 16 million diners on its platform and surveyed consumers across the country on their ordering tastes and eating habits.

Key takeaways include

The Final Piece of the Online Grocery Puzzle

Robotics startup Myrmex recently announced plans to launch their fully automated grocery pickup system to the mass market. Boosted by the platform's innovative, patented design, the company has already received a great deal of attention from top EU industry players and is poised to make a significant disruption.

"Customers are increasingly looking digital in the quest for greater grocery shopping convenience," insisted Founder Ioannis Kanellos. "Myrmex goes a step further by leveraging the power of mobile robotic units and arm manipulators to deliver online orders faster than ever."

The past decade has been ripe with innovations that seek to create a better experience for the grocery shopper. What started with platforms like Shipt, Instacart and AmazonFresh has since evolved into ... 

Pizza Hut U.S. to Acquire Online Ordering Provider QuikOrder

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Acquisition of Long-Time Pizza Hut Technology Partner Expands Digital Ordering Capabilities

Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), today announced that its U.S. business has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire QuikOrder, a leading online ordering software and service provider for the restaurant industry. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it marks one of Pizza Hut's largest acquisitions to date.

By acquiring QuikOrder's online ordering capabilities, Pizza Hut U.S. will improve its ability to deliver an easy and personalized online ordering experience and accelerate digital innovation across its base of more than 6,000 restaurants in the U.S. In 2018, approximately half of Pizza Hut U.S. sales were ...

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café Launches New Innovative App

Customers to Receive Offers And Better Ordering Experience

Taziki's Mediterranean Café Launches New Innovative AppBirmingham, AL (Restaurant News Release) Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, recently named one of Inc. 5000’s fastest growing companies, has seen an impressive rise in online ordering and to-go sales in 2018.

During the past three years, the company has experienced an over 200% increase in the amount of online and to-go orders.

As a result, Taziki’s is focusing on efficiency and improving the customer experience with the ordering process. The restaurant is working to create more convenient ways to order ahead, both with a mobile app and online ordering options ...

Sysco’s Innovative E-Commerce Platform Partners with Frieda’s Specialty Produce

Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY), the leading global foodservice distribution company, announced today that its e-Commerce platform, Supplies on the Fly, has partnered with Frieda’s Specialty Produce to offer next-day delivery of specialty and exotic produce items to customers across the United States.

Exclusively for Sysco customers, Supplies on the Fly is an online ordering platform designed with convenience in mind, enabling foodservice operators to order the restaurant essentials they need, bill it to their Sysco invoice and get it delivered directly to their door. With over 170,000 products...

Nearly 50% of US Consumers Will Shop Online for Groceries This Thanksgiving

Twice as many people will purchase groceries online this holiday season vs last; popular items are canned goods and beverages – not turkey and pie

RichRelevance, the global leader in Experience Personalization, today announced key findings from its Digital Grocery Survey: 2018 Holiday Edition consumer survey. The study finds that more than 4 in 10 Americans (44%) plan to shop online for some or all of the groceries they need for their Thanksgiving or holiday meal this year. This is more than twice as many people who shopped online for Thanksgiving groceries in 2017.

Amazon dominates as the top online grocery destination for shoppers (57%), followed by big-box retailers such as Walmart and Target (48%). Traditional supermarkets like Safeway and Kroger will attract a significant – but quite smaller – number of online shoppers (30%) this holiday...

This Week in Retail: Thanksgiving Outlook 2018

Thanksgiving is next week, and some supermarket shelves are already being cleared of some key essentials. As grocers restock in an attempt to keep up with demand, we have the latest outlook on what Turkey Day 2018 will bring.

The Show-Stopper

First, let’s take a look at the bird. ‘Tis the feast of fowl after all.  Buying opportunities at retail have more than doubled since last week, currently claiming 16 percent of total protein features. Turkey has seemingly taken circular share away from chicken, falling to just 12 percent this week versus 19 percent a week ago.

Average regional ad prices for frozen turkeys range from...

FreshDirect Reveals Top Ten Food Trends for 2019

Company’s food experts forecast up-and-coming products, ingredients, and influences

FreshDirect, the Northeast’s leading online fresh food grocer, today announced its top ten food trends for 2019. The trends list was curated by FreshDirect and FoodKick’s in-house teams of food and wine* experts.

“Our FreshDirect and FoodKick food experts are constantly working with farmers, fishermen, artisans, and producers to source high-quality, great tasting products for our customers,” said Scott Crawford, Chief Merchandising Officer at FreshDirect. “These deep relationships paired with FoodKick’s ability to work with emerging brands place us at the cutting edge of what’s happening in food and we’re excited to announce what we see as the major trends and influences coming in 2019 and beyond.”

FreshDirect’s top 10 trends for 2019...

Instacart Unveils National Expansion of New "Instacart Pickup" Grocery Service

Instacart, the North American leader in online groceries, today announced the national expansion of Instacart Pickup, a new grocery click-and-collect service. Instacart Pickup gives customers the convenience of both delivery and/or pickup options, allowing them to order through Instacart and pick up their groceries from their favorite retailer. Instacart will be working with existing and new retail partners to add the Instacart Pickup service to participating partner stores nationwide over the coming months and throughout 2019.

The national rollout of Instacart Pickup follows a multi-month product pilot the Company offered customers to enlist their feedback on the new service. Based on their positive response, the Company has deepened its partnerships with...

Shipt Expands Same-Day Delivery With Lowes Foods in the Carolinas

Membership-Based Service to Expand Same-Day Delivery with Local Retailer to North and South Carolina Residents

Shipt, a leading same-day delivery marketplace, today announced it will expand same-day delivery of an assortment of groceries and household essentials with Lowes Foods across the following North and South Carolina markets starting Nov. 1:

• North Carolina: Charlotte, The Triad, The Triangle, Wilmington
• South Carolina: Charleston, Columbia, Greenville

Building on years of growth and momentum across North and South Carolina, this expansion gives nearly three million households across the region access to products delivered by Shipt in as little as one hour. To celebrate the announcement, new Shipt members will receive a 2 week free trial and $15 off their first order...

Meijer Expands Home Delivery to Include Store Pick-Up Option Across Midwest

Meijer announced the expansion of its Meijer Home Delivery program to include a pick-up option at stores across the Midwest, building on a chainwide initiative to offer customers multiple ways to conveniently shop its stores.

“Customers are always looking for ways to manage busy schedules and maximize their time, so we believe offering pick up enhances our Meijer Home Delivery program, especially around the holiday shopping season,” said Keith Rothstein, Group Vice President of Merchandise Services. “Being able to choose between store-to-door delivery and pick up is another personalized option that ultimately makes it easier than ever to shop at our stores.”

The popular service is now available at 227 Meijer supercenters in six states, offering nearly 11 million households the flexibility to shop anytime, from anywhere, and have a personalized shopper to hand-select and deliver your order store-to-door, or...

Just in Time for the Holidays, Walmart Announces Major Improvements to its Marketplace

When customers shop Walmart.com, they trust us for low prices and free two-day shipping* on the items they buy every day. And, regardless if the item is shipped by Walmart or a third-party, marketplace seller, we know they expect the same, seamless shopping experience.

With that in mind, we’re making two significant changes to our marketplace shopping experience. We’re working with our marketplace sellers to make millions of items available for free two-day shipping without a membership fee and simplifying the returns process for items purchased from marketplace sellers, including launching the ability to facilitate returns of these items at any one of our 4,700 stores. The improvements will begin to roll out this November, just in time for the holiday season...

Boston Market Launches Nationwide Delivery

With online delivery and curbside pickup available now, rotisserie favorites from Boston Market have never been more accessible - from guests' fingertips to the family table in minutes

Boston Market®, the rotisserie everything experts, today announced the launch of online delivery available to its guests across 330 restaurants nationwide.

Boston Market lovers who want to enjoy home style rotisserie meals at a convenient value from the comfort of their home can go to BostonMarket.com or download the Boston Market app to place their orders. Boston Market has also partnered with Grubhub and DoorDash, two of the leading online delivery services with nationwide reach, to ensure that its full menu of rotisserie meals is accessible to guests in any way they want to experience delivery across the United States...