Whoosh tucker: Local takes on Uber, Menulog to offer deliverance for country diners with Send Eats

Meet the Southern Highlands business whiz who saw the gap UberEats and Menulog couldn’t fill in his local market, and beat them at their own game in country back lanes.

A Southern Highlands business has taken on the might of delivery services like UberEats and Menulog … and won.

Send Eats is a food delivery service set up by Southern Highlands local entrepreneur Thomas Farquhar after the other more established ­services failed to gain traction in the region.

Farquhar, who had already established a transportation and logistics business, started Send Eats during Covid in a bid to help the hospitality ­businesses in the area.

“I had the idea for food ­delivery for little while ­because in the Southern ­Highlands there is none,” ­Farquhar said.

“And, I already had the transportation.”

Tom Farquhar, right, and two of the Send Eats drivers. Tom took on the might of UberEats and Deliveroo with his business Send Eats. Picture: Supplied.

While the metro model of delivery service relies on ­volume and a team of drivers under ­contract, Farquhar, 30, ­understood that such an operation wouldn’t work in the ­regional areas.

Instead he hires delivery drivers by the hour, regardless of deliveries, and customers pay an additional delivery fee on top of their order, meaning all the payment for the food goes to the restaurant or cafe.

Tom Farquhar started Send Eats with just three restaurants on board. Picture: Supplied.

Farquhar started with three restaurants and in the first week Send Eats did just nine orders.

Now more than 50 ­restaurants, including ­Bernie’s Diner and local producers are taking part.

Since the introduction of the app in February this year, Farquhar has taken 7700 food orders.

“It was daunting to set up the business after seeing the likes of Uber and Menulog model struggle in the regional areas, but I knew the service was needed because I wanted it,” he said.

“I was excited to try something new and just see how it goes.”

“The issue is now, I can’t use this service myself because all my drivers are busy with other ­orders!

“So we are desperately after more drivers.”