UberEats: The new food delivery service in Dubai

Dubai - This is the first time Uber has expanded its services beyond its car-booking app in the UAE.

The popular ride service Uber is all set to roll out its new business venture in Dubai on Thursday.
The new venture - UberEats - will revolutionise food delivery concept as the new app allows customers to browse more than 200 restaurants in Dubai, select their favourite food, pay with a card and get it delivered to their homes. 
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"UberEats is now available in 22 cities across seven countries. Dubai is first in the Middle East and Africa to experience this new service from Uber," Jambu Palaniappan, head of UberEats for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Khaleej Times.
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He said the service is also available in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Washington D.C. in the US. Customers can also download the app in Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton in Canada; Melbourne in Australia, Paris in France, London in the UK, and Singapore to experience a seamless food delivery experience.
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"UberEats is launching in Dubai on Thursday (tomorrow). One of the main selling points that set's it apart from its competitors is that the service will be available until 5am on weekends," Palaniappan said, adding that there is no condition for minimum order.
He said UberEats is separate from the Uber ride service app and this new concept opens up more economic opportunities for driver-partners, giving them an additional way to earn money.
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"This is the first time Uber has expanded its services beyond its car-booking app in the UAE. Powered by the same convenient and cashless technology that enables you to get around Dubai at the tap of an app, UberEats connects you to dishes from dozens of top restaurants in Dubai," he said, adding that the service will later expand to other emirates.
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To a question, he said UberEats helps customers discover new foods and enjoy more of what their cities have to offer - in as little as 10 to 30 minutes. "UberEats makes life simple and more satisfying for those who are short on time. No more waiting in long lines - which means more time for work, play, friends and family."
To a question how UberEats will help lift business in the UAE, he said this revolutionary concept will help local restaurants to reach new customers and satisfy loyal patrons at higher levels of profitability. He said this new business model will also help people in transport and even deliveries will be ensured through motorbikes and scooters.
"Popular restaurants featured on the platform have more than doubled their daily orders selling through UberEats, and some restaurants report their overall sales have increased by more than 20 per cent since partnering with UberEats in soft launch," he said.
"UberEats is revolutionising food delivery concept. In hundreds of cities across the globe, you can press a button and get a ride in minutes. Now, through UberEats, restaurants can leverage the same technology to deliver more meals to more customers in minutes, creating reliable and flexible earning opportunities for more people in more places," he added.
Uber made its UAE foray by launching its popular ride service three years back in September 2013. Last year, it announced plans to invest $250 million to expand its service in the Middle East and North Africa. The company said in June that it had raised $3.5 billion from an investment by Saudi state-owned Public Investment Fund.
How UberEats works
Ordering through UberEats is just as easy as requesting a ride.
> Download the UberEats app from the iTunes or Android app stores
> Log in with your Uber account credentials or create a new account
> Select a restaurant, and choose what you want to eat from their menu
> Tap 'place order' and hang tight while your food is prepared, or follow along in the app to track the status of your order
> An Uber delivery partner will deliver your order to your door, or curbside if you selected an item from the Instant Delivery menu
> Your receipt will be emailed to the email address associated with your Uber account.
muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai