The future is here and it’s never looked more yummy! From robots and drones to virtual assistants and eye-tracking software, we’ve looked at some of the coolest food delivery innovations available right now… and tomorrow.
General Food Delivery Innovations
It seems like new strides are made in the food industry every day. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Take a look at some of the latest innovations in food delivery services below.
1. Third-Party Food Delivery
Not all restaurants own a delivery fleet, which is why many of them have now partnered with third-party delivery services like Drover Rideshare. That means you now have access to all your favorite foods on-demand.
2. In-House Restaurant Food Delivery
Bigger restaurant chains like Chick-fil-A do have the resources to build their own delivery fleet. And while it may still be a while before you can have your chicken burger delivered, it’s coming.
3. Big Food Delivery Data
Food chains have found a new way to use all the data we produce online. For example, McDonald’s just bought a big data company last year to help them deliver food more efficiently.
4. Order Food Delivery on Google
Big tech giants have also joined in on the food delivery revolution. Amazon bought up Whole Foods in 2017 and Google will soon enable you to order food directly from the search engine.
5. Online Grocery Delivery
Speaking of whole foods, grocery delivery is also on the rise. More and more grocery stores are now saving their customers the hassle of driving all the way down to the store for their dinner.
6. Food Delivery Subscriptions
Why order online every time you need food when you can just set up a food delivery subscription? Food subscription boxes are becoming more popular and it’s easy to see why.
Food Ordering Innovations
How would you like to order food online? Gone are the days where you had to turn on your computer and head over to a website. Now you can use virtually any device and app.
1. Twitter
Back in 2015, Domino’s let you set up a “pizza profile” where you could list your favorite pizza. All you had to do is tweet a pizza emoji to Domino’s Twitter account and they’d deliver it to your door.
2. Virtual Assistant
These days, of course, Domino’s has moved on to virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. They also have a Facebook Messenger bot called Dom you can place orders with.
3. Smartwatch
Smartwatches took a while to really take off, but now they’re everywhere. It’s only natural that companies would eventually let you order food by talking to your wristwatch -- weird, much?
4. Smart TV
Don’t feel like leaving the couch? You don’t have to. Netflix and chill has reached another level with food delivery options on your smart TV. Samsung was among the first movers in this food delivery trend.
5. Car
What about ordering food while you’re on the road? Pizza Hut, Accenture, ad Visa have partnered up to enable in-car pizza orders. Order your food without letting go of the wheel!
6. Eye Tracking
Pizza Hut has experimented with much more futuristic ideas in the past. Their partnership with Tobi Technology meant that you could order food with (and hold on now) nothing but your eyes.
Food Delivery Innovations
Although we’re happy to drive your food out to you, we won’t rule out some more futuristic means of transportation. Check out how robots, drones, and green vehicles can deliver your dinner.
1. Robot Food Delivery
Robots are roaming the streets -- and they’re bringing food. Companies like Starship Technologies have created food delivery droids on wheels complete with GPS and cameras.
2. Drone Food Delivery
The first food delivery drone was the Tacocopter, swiftly followed by the Burrito Bomber and the Domicopter. Keep an eye on the sky, because your next meal might just be raining down from it.
3. Parachute Food Delivery
Jaffles are probably most well-known in Australia. But their food delivery idea of using parachutes could come to a neighborhood near you. Watch out for the US version of the Jafflechutes.
4. Green Food Delivery
Millennials and Generation Z are among the most environmentally-conscious consumers. We care about our local environment too, which is why we’ll soon offer eco-friendly food delivery services with Drover Rideshare.
Niche Food Delivery Innovations
The web has opened the flood gates for niches of all kinds. There’s now something for everyone, and we’ve rounded up some of the coolest food delivery niches right here.
1. Food Waste
With so much food, it was inevitable that some of it would go to waste. Since we care a lot about the environment here at Drover Rideshare, we were happy to discover Food for All -- the app that finds loving homes for unsold meals.
2. Pet Food
People aren’t the only ones going hungry. For pets, hanger is also a real thing. Fortunately, apps like Monster Pet Supplies have sorted that out -- so now your dog can get takeaway too.
3. Virtual Kitchen
What if there’s no room for your favorite restaurant in your neighborhood? Then it’s time to build a virtual kitchen. It allows restaurants to offer virtually any dish for delivery -- without even being there.
AR and VR Food Innovation
Remember Pokemon Go? Augmented Reality has not relented since the days of that trend. And now you can both see virtual food on your phone and learn how to cook it yourself in VR.
1. AR Food Advertising
Food photography rarely depicts reality. But what if you could see a proper representation of the food you’re about to order? Augmented reality companies like Kabaq allow you to do just that.
2. Virtual Reality Food Training
Have you ever considered donning the chef’s apron yourself? KFC created a virtual reality training room where you could learn to make deep-fried chicken with the best of them: Colonel Sanders.
How Will You Order Your Next Takeaway?
Hopefully, you’ve been inspired to try out some of these awesome food delivery innovations. If you care as much about the environment as we do, why not check out green rideshares and food delivery options with Drover Rideshare?
See you soon!
