13cabs Delivers: New move to shake up food delivery wars

Hundreds of restaurants have signed up for a new food delivery service in a bid to keep profits with local businesses.

The gloves are off in the race for the food delivery dollar.

The nation’s biggest taxi company is taking on delivery platforms UberEats and Deliveroo with its service 13cabs Delivers, offering to put more money back into restaurateurs’ pockets.

It claims to offer commission-free deliveries, which is in stark contrast to its two foreign-owned competitors.

UberEats slugs hospitality venues a 30 per cent commission fee, while Deliveroo’s charges up to 35 per cent.

13cabs Delivers has partnered with food delivery apps Qiki Cuisines, Woolworths, Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses in Melbourne, and many family-owned restaurants across Australia to bring the service to life.

It’s also working with WOWAPPS, which operates in all capital cities. Consumers can order from a large range of independently-owned restaurants via the app.

Partnerships have also been formed with MondoMenu and Kneaded. On these food delivery apps, which are both in pilot phases, restaurants will also not be charged commission. Instead, they will pay a flat monthly fee to be featured on the platform.

13cabs is taking on UberEats by doing food delivery services. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Hundreds of restaurants have signed up for the 13cabs Delivers service since it launched roughly a year ago via these apps.

“It’s time to stop big global platforms from gouging money from local Aussie businesses, which need our support more than ever now because of the pandemic,” 13cabs chief operating officer, Stuart Overell, said.

“Global delivery services, such as UberEats which are promoted by highly paid celebrities, charge massive commissions of up to 35 per cent to restaurants and cafes on every meal they deliver.

“However, most restaurants and cafes are not your big brand names, but small family businesses in suburban areas who cannot afford to pay huge commission fees.”

Titus Jones, a popular cocktail and taco bar in Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west, switched from UberEats to 13cabs Delivers through WOWAPPS a few weeks into the city’s lockdown.

UberEats is promoted by highly paid celebrities including Kim Kardashian, pictured with Magda Szubanski. Picture: YouTube

“The commission from UberEats was just crippling and being an international company, it was very hard to contact people to sort out any issues,” Titus Jones’ director, Merrick Webb, said.

“Now we work with a local team, and most importantly, the Titus Jones brand is the hero, not UberEats.”

The Australian Good Food Guide (AGFG) has also been brought into the fold.

When Googling AGFG-affiliated restaurants, the “order delivery button” is linked to the 13cabs booking system. The customer pays the delivery fee, and is the only fee they will have to pay as it is billed through the restaurant.

“We have seen over 30 per cent of restaurants and cafes shut down since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic,” AGFG director, Mr Jeremy deBray, said.

“Restaurants we never thought would offer delivery have been obliged to do whatever they

could to survive. It’s with great pride we have come together with WOWAPPS and 13cabs

Delivers to offer a 100 per cent Australian, commission-free solution to help Australian hospitality.”