Uber Now Delivering Lunch, Too (PCMag)

• BY ANGELA MOSCARITOLO
• AUGUST 26, 2014
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For its next act, the app-based car service will bring you lunch.

Uber has already experimented with delivering everything from ice cream to toilet paper. But for its next act, the app-based car service is going to bring you lunch.

"We've all been there — that moment when you go from hungry to hangry during the lunch rush," the folks at Uber wrote in a blog post Tuesday. "At Uber, we take these problems seriously and wanted to explore another way to get lunch without the line."

The company will begin testing a new lunch delivery service, dubbed UberFresh, starting today in Santa Monica, California. If you live in the area, you can order by selecting the new UberFresh option on the lower right side of the Uber app between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. From there, you just set your delivery location, make your request, and meet your driver outside once he or she arrives.

At this point, Uber is offering a prix fixe menu with a different selection each day, for $12 per meal. Best of all — Uber promised super speedy delivery.

"Typical food delivery takes 45 minutes to 1 hour," the team wrote. UberFresh delivers you healthy, fresh food in about 10 minutes."

There's no delivery fee and no need to tip your driver, you'll just need to pay for your lunch order, Uber said.

The company is running the experiment in the Santa Monica area until Sept. 5, and may extend it if things go well. Note that the service will not be available on weekends or Labor Day.

"Depending on the results we look forward to expanding UberFresh throughout the southland — so head to Santa Monica for lunch this week and give it a try, that might just be enough to bring it to your neighborhood!" the company wrote.

The move comes after Uber last week launched Corner Store, a delivery service for all kinds of common items like toilet paper, razors, and body wash.

Angela has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a reporter for SC Magazine, covering everything related to hackers and computer security.