Over one hundred restaurants partnered Uber Technologies Inc. in the launch of its food delivery network in the city-state of Singapore on Wednesday. Users of iOS and Android in the central area can request the service through a specialised application, initially from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time every day of the week.
Platform UberEats is marking its entry into Asia with the move, while Singapore was earlier also the giant transport scheme startup's first market for the basic ride-hailing service and budget solution UberX. Food orders can be placed with an existing user account and paid with the card on file, with the company advertising delivery to be complete within 35 minutes.
The company unveiled its separated food delivery app for Seattle in March, following the introduction of the service through basic Uber Rush app in October. Three other major cities in the United States were added to the system in the same month. Uber Rush, the overall delivery scheme, expanded operations in January by opening its API software to a set of large companies based in United States.
Uber is trying to tap on the demand in the delivery market at an irregular segment, where it can serve as an intermediary and facilitate when merchants or restaurants experience a glut. Uber Rush's partners pick up the goods and take it to the preferred location by cars and even bicycles, and look for other orders without the need for a round trip.
Image: EPA / Kiyoshi Ota
