Uber is getting into the grocery game in New York City, The Post has learned.
The ride-hail giant announced Wednesday that its Uber and Uber Eats apps will roll out a grocery delivery service to most of Manhattan, and said it plans to expand citywide through the rest of the year.
New Yorkers who open the Uber or Uber Eats apps will now see a grocery shopping tab, which will use their delivery address to show them what participating shops are available to them. In addition to chains like Gristedes, D’Agostino’s and Westside Market, the app will also be able to send couriers to smaller shops like Sullivan Street Bakery and Dickson’s Farmstand Meats in Chelsea.
Uber spokesman Harry Hartfield told The Post that it has more than 50 supermarkets and specialty stores signed up on its platform, and is working to sign up more and expand its coverage area. Instead of expanding incrementally, Uber will increase its footprint in chunks when it has enlisted enough shops in a given area.
“We’re a one-stop shop for everything transportation in New York City — whether you want to go out and explore the Big Apple in a car or just have the apple delivered to your door,” he said.
What supermarkets a user sees on their app will depend on their location, and whether or not Uber’s algorithm determines that it would be able to fulfill an order within a promised time frame.
Customers will be able to request immediate delivery of their groceries, or schedule their shopping order for a time that is more convenient for them.
“[New Yorkers] already see the best selection of restaurants nearby, and today we’re bringing [them] that same robust selection in local grocery stores,” Uber’s global head of grocery Raj Beri said in a statement.
The expansion of its other businesses comes as Uber’s ride-hailing arm continues to struggle amid the pandemic, even as Uber Eats thrives. In its last earnings report, Uber said demand for its Uber Eats delivery service more than doubled while gross ride bookings remained down 75 percent year over year.
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