Uber Eats, the food delivery service operated and offered through the ride-hailing service, is planning to expand its operation by the end of this year. The company is currently valued at $20 billion, Eater reported.
The company currently offers the food service to more than 50% of the U.S. population, but plans to reach more than 70% of the country very soon, TechCrunch reported. Ana Mahony, Uber’s Head of US Cities for Uber Eats, told the outlet that when comparing the growth of Eats to the first three years of UberX, “Eats is growing just as fast if not faster.”
In order to reach its growth goal over the last few months of 2018, Uber will target less densely populated, suburban areas. The company also plans to partner with larger food chains like Red Lobster and TGI Friday’s. Uber Eats said it would be expanding to Eugene, Ore.; Burlington, Vt.; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; but did not release the full list of cities and towns it plans to reach this winter, according to the Verge.
Uber Eats might also take to the skies very soon, with food-delivery drones preparing for launch in 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported. The outlet reported the news based on a job ad for an operations executive, but a spokesperson for Uber clarified to WSJ the ad “does not fully reflect our program, which is still in very early days.”
For now, foodies can look forward to seeing Uber Eats in a town nearby, even if your burrito isn’t delivered by a flying robot just yet.
