The phrase, ‘let’s get an Uber’ may have a whole new meaning in the UK very soon. According to a report in The Guardian, the hugely successful taxi app is close to launching its UberEats food delivery service in the UK, in a bid to obtain a slice of the lucrative UK food delivery market.
Crowded Market
The UberEats service is already available in 10 US cities, as well as Edmonton and Toronto in Canada, Paris, Melbourne and Singapore. A launch in the UK will place it in direct competition with various companies offering third party restaurant delivery services, such as Deliveroo and Supper. The UK takeaways market was estimated at £10.5bn in 2015.
The service is accessed via a standalone app, with users paying a flat delivery fee per order, regardless of the number of meals requested. The meals are non-customisable currently.
£100 Bonus
UberEats will launch initially in London and the firm is currently offering a £100 signing on bonus for potential bike and scooter couriers in the city. San Francisco–based Uber has already managed to anger many taxi drivers in the UK capital, so it will be interesting to see how UberEats compares with established food delivery food services and the reaction from competitors and public alike.
An exact date for the launch has not yet been confirmed.