There’s been a shift in how restaurants satisfy their patrons’ taste buds. The consequences are both sweet and sour.
Eat24, GrubHub, Seamless, Delivery.com and a growing list of smaller online ordering services have changed the way people order takeout and delivery. Instead of dialing a restaurant, hungry souls go online, or open a smartphone app, to order their next meal. Competition to sign up restaurants and customers is fierce. The companies constantly update their social media accounts, hand out coupons and even advertise on porn sites to stand out.
As with many other industries, e-commerce and social media are changing how restaurants – which are often among the smallest of businesses – make money. The ordering companies offer great exposure. They sign up thousands of customers, pick up the tab for coupon-code promotions and have built websites and apps that make ordering simple. But not everything is so sweet.