Aramark’s announcement Monday of plans to add delivery at 25 colleges through the Tapingo smartphone app is the latest example of a college foodservice operator turning to third parties for off-premise connections to students. Indeed, the field of potential partners is getting crowded.
Last month, Chipotle announced it would offer delivery to 40 college campuses this fall and more than 100 by spring through Tapingo.
Postmates, a San Francisco-based startup that has garnered much buzz in the restaurant business, has yet to announce a deal with college operations. But its current customers include such potential student choices as Starbucks and the Pie Five fast-casual pizza chain.
Below is more on the app-based delivery services that are expanding operators’ options.
Tapingo
Details: The startup app targets colleges and restaurants near campuses and remembers customers’ orders. In addition
to its partnership with Chipotle, Tapingo in April announced
$22 million in venture-capital funding, according to Business Insider.
Availability: More than 85 college campuses, including New York University, the University of Miami, the University of Southern California and West Point
Delivery promise: Arrival within a specified window of time
Grubhub/Seamless
Details: The online-ordering giant brought delivery drivers in-house in February.
Availability: Hundreds of cities across the country; more markets were added with its purchase of DiningIn and Restaurants on the Run earlier this year
Delivery promise: Arrival within a specified window of time
UberEATS
Details: Through an added feature on its app, the rideshare service is getting into the food game with curbside weekday lunch delivery from “favorite local restaurants.” Users toggle to a separate “Eats” button in the app to begin ordering.
Availability: Los Angeles; Chicago, New York City and Austin, Texas
Delivery promise: Less than 10 minutes
Postmates
Details: The service hires independent couriers as delivery folk. When consumers place orders through its app, a nearby courier can accept the request and then call in the order to the restaurant, pick it up and deliver it,
all for a fee to the diner.
Availability: 80 markets, including Boston, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles and Philadelphia
Delivery promise: 50 to 70 minutes with option to preorder
Prime Now
Details: Amazon’s new delivery service—offered free to Amazon Prime users in select cities—expanded in September to include dozens of restaurants.
Availability: So far, the service is only available in Seattle, though a Reuters report in September speculated New York City soon could be added
Delivery promise: 60 minutes or less