Ever since Dara Khosrowshahi took the helm at Uber, the company has dived headfirst into every plan and seen its way out of all issues one at a time.
And now, Uber’s food delivery service Uber Eats is taking a massive step. It is expanding to over 100 cities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The service will launch for the first time in Ireland, Egypt, Kenya, Ukraine, Romania, and the Czech Republic, along with previously announced markets around the globe. The service will launch in around 40 new cities in the UK and 35 new cities in France.
Launched in June 2016, Uber Eats allows customers to order takeaway food online from participating restaurants and chains such as fast food colossus McDonald’s. It claims to fulfil deliveries in 30 minutes or less.
Uber’s Head of Logistics Jason Droege said that this growth is happening after the food delivery service has been “more successful than we thought,” turning a profit in 45 of the 200 cities where it operated as of the end of 2017.
Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was quoted as saying that he’s “a big fan of the business” which he believes has “viable unit economics.” With the food delivery market continuing to ramp up, and Uber already working with drivers in over 600 cities, the company would certainly seem positioned for more success.
In a statement, a spokesman for Uber Eats said, “We’re really excited that soon we’ll be able to offer our Uber Eats app to consumers and restaurants in Ireland,” he said, noting that people in Dublin have “already been downloading the app in anticipation”. He added that the service will allow restaurateurs to “sell meals beyond their real estate” and grow their business using data analytics – albeit in exchange for a fee.
This expansion is also a huge step in enhancing Uber’s brand value and brand image, as it eyes for an IPO in 2019. When the world’s highest valued private company goes for an IPO, all of Wall Street will be watching closely.
