Contactless ordering and payment using QR codes is on the rise, and Uber Eats wants a piece of the action. The third-party delivery operator has launched a new contactless payment and order feature for dine-in and pick up.
Reservation platform OpenTable is also expanding its restaurant management tools to better serve the industry during the pandemic. Additionally, the company extended its "Open Door" relief program for restaurants.
Here’s the lowdown:
Uber Eats adds contactless tool for dine-in
Restaurants on the Uber Eats platform can launch the company’s new contactless payment solution at no additional cost. When customers use the payment system, Uber Eats will not charge restaurants a fee through the end of the year.
The company, a division of Uber Technologies, did not disclose information about charging fees after the new year, or January 2021.
Contactless Order for dine-in was initially launched in five pilot markets: Chicago, Indianapolis, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Boston. Last week, Uber Eats expanded the service to Vermont, Atlanta and New York City. A full national rollout date was not disclosed. Thanx, as previously reported by Tech Tracker, also offers contacless payment for on-premise dining.
Uber Eats' pick-up solution, which tested in eight cities in August, is now available nationwide. The company already offers a pickup option on its app. That feature is designed for customers ordering their meals prior to coming to the restaurant. This new feature is designed for restaurant customers who are already physically at the location, the company said.
For both options, customers can order and pay by scanning a QR code at the restaurant or using the Uber Eats app.
Restaurants can add the dine-in or pickup options through their Uber Eats Manager dashboard. There are no startup fees.
“We all have a role to play in keeping each other safe and healthy, and our Contactless Order Feature for both pick-up and dine-in provides another tool for customers and restaurant staff to do just that,” Daniel Danker, head of product at Uber Eats, said in a statement.
OpenTable adds new data tools
OpenTable launched this week new tools for restaurants to track spending at their restaurant, or covers, compared to nearby restaurants. The new feature, called Benchmark Reporting, also compares diner activity and reviews. The company has also added Experiences and Safety Precautions sections for restaurants to highlight pre-paid dining events and COVID-19 safety protocols, respectively.
In announcing the new tools, OpenTable also said it would extend its “Open Door” pricing promotion through March 2021. The COVID-19 relief program waives subscription and cover fees in the United States and Canada.
“We are committed to doing our part to ease the burden, so we’re offering our restaurant technology for free through March 2021 and will continue to focus on building products that our partners need right now,” Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, said in a statement.
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