The Story Behind Facebook’s New Service, Facebook Food Delivery
Sure, it’s cheaper to cook your own dinners at home, but sometimes time doesn’t allow for it or you’re just plain feeling lazy. Thankfully, ordering in is easier than ever because of technology. Apps like GrubHub and Postmates take all the hassle of ordering delivery by allowing you to plug in your credit card and order straight from your computer or phone, no phone call necessary. And now, Facebook–yes, Facebook!–is rolling out food delivery options.
How It Works
Don’t get the wrong impression. Facebook isn’t starting up an entirely new service to take on the big food delivery services that already exist. That said, it is making it a lot easier to place an order without ever having to leave its website. Now, when you click on a restaurant’s page, you’ll see a new button that says “Start Order,” but only if the restaurant uses Delivery.com or Slice to outsource their delivery options.
Once you place an order, the third party places the order to the restaurant, who then gets the order ready for delivery. Right now, it seems that when you order through Facebook, the restaurant itself will deliver your order. While this is also the case with other food delivery apps, GrubHub sometimes hires its own drivers to make deliveries for restaurants.
Why Choose Facebook Over Other Services
Facebook’s addition of food delivery doesn’t seem like a very big deal at first. After all, not all restaurants outsource their food delivery services, much less use Delivery.com or Slice. However, local eateries now have more of an incentive to do so, because the Facebook food delivery feature makes it a lot easier for potential customers to indulge in their cravings.
As a user, you might find this addition to be pretty helpful. For example, let’s saying you’re browsing your feed, and up pops a friend’s recommendation of a local restaurant. Curious, you click on to the business’ page, and seeing what you like, you can easily order a dish. Before, you’d have to follow a link out to the restaurant’s website or search for it on GrubHub to place an order, but now, you can do so without having to leave Facebook.
Other Features Facebook Is Rolling Out
The new food delivery option is one part of a larger picture of new Facebook features designed to connect users with local businesses – and make the social network even more encompassing. Soon, you’ll be able to book appointments, receive price quotes, and get tickets to movies and events, all on Facebook itself. These features will tie into other Facebook features, like event pages and Messenger, to make the actions as seamless and familiar as possible.
These additions should make the life of a Facebook user a bit easier, though that’s not necessarily Facebook’s only motive. It all works out for the social network, too, who wants to keep you browsing on its site as long as possible. As if you didn’t need any more reasons to keep Facebook open during the day!
