Waitr didn't go through an initial public offering because of the nature of its acquisition that was announced earlier this year, but Waitr shares are now up for grabs and it'll report quarterly earnings alongside the one other publicly traded food delivery service in the space, Grubhub.
Growth of delivery can be measured in leaps and bounds across the industry as companies expand their national footprints, restaurant partners, and technology to cover increased demand at a time when the limits feel boundless.
It's interesting that a pizza delivery company doesn't view the likes of Grubhub or OpenTable as its main competitors. But the company is banking on TripAdvisor to bring even more traffic and sales to its list of 10,000 or so clients.
This specific product launch is targeted more toward businesses than employees, but it does highlight a solid opportunity for restaurants and delivery providers alike: workday orders.
Unlike some of its competitors, Bloomin' Brands is bullish on the potential of delivery, take-out, and catering to eventually make up 30 percent of the company's overall sales. They are willing to invest in everything from an in-house delivery team to store remodels with specific delivery-friendly components to make it happen.
Wingstop's digital sales and tech-forward initiatives are poised to launch it into pizza delivery territory, but it still needs to contend with a nationwide awareness and recognition issue.
Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol outlined his turnaround plan in June, but still cautions it's "early days" for just about everything, from menu changes to price changes to a new customer loyalty program.