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How the food industry became popular through New Media

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The Food and Beverage and Hospitality Industry is similar to other industries in the sense that it is able to take advantage of new media to change and expand. This is made possible through the help of current social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, and more. In this technological era, people are constantly on their phones usually scrolling through something online. By integrating the food, beverage, and hospitality industries with the Internet, businesses have a greater potential to increase the awareness of their food and services to consumers which can help increase profits and sales as well.

It is incredible that we can simply open an app and search for local food by applying various filters such as food type, delivery service, price range, ratings/reviews, and be able to make a decision based on that. It is becoming increasingly popular to hear about new restaurants or cafes through social media platforms. Instagram, for example, has an incredible amount of dedicated popular food accounts, especially in New York City. When I see something that looks unbelievably good, I definitely add it to my bucket list to try one day.

Food blogs, food forums, and food groups in online social networks are numerous. Some mostly function as means to share recipes while others are for reviewing restaurants or dining experiences. While blogs dedicated to exercise view food as fuel and vitamin packages, people following recipe blogs tend to emphasize the pleasure and indulgence associated with eating. The particular food community that one associates themselves with can speak to that person's identity. The use of social media has allowed the food and beverage industry to change its methods of advertising and promotions. The industry can reach out to consumers with the help of the Internet and other social networking websites to offer their products to consumers, provide immediate information, and be able to interact with their consumers. With the popularity of phone applications, many industries are able to market themselves to their consumers more easily. Consumers can now also develop a closer connection to the producers through direct interaction with the help of new media sources. This can be beneficial for consumers because they can have their opinions about a food industry or food products heard—whether through reviews, blogs, and social media posts, or online petitions for concerns about food products. Food blogs and Instagram pages are some of the most followed accounts. [1]

Review Sites

Yelp

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Yelp, Inc.[2] is a American business review site. Yelp was founded in 2004 in San Francisco by Jermey Stopelman and Russel Simmons. A yelp is a form of new media that influences the food and service industry. Yelp offers people the ability to rate and review restaurants, salon services, medical clinics, and several other establishments to share their experiences with other users interested in going to that business. It gives reviews all over the United States of restaurants, shopping, nightlife, entertainment, services, events, and more. Yelp is most commonly used to find restaurants that have positive reviews. Yelp also operates through a mobile app for easy-to-go reviews in case you need to quickly find a restaurant in your area. The comments are usually reliable because the companies do not have control of consumers' or customers' opinions. Also, businesses cannot pay to alter their reviews or ratings to get 5-stars. Occasionally, Yelp gives us recommendations based on our search history to direct us to the best place possible. Businesses also entice users to check-in to their stores to qualify for certain coupons or promotions.

Another feature for avid Yelp users is the Elite Squad. When invited to become an Elite member of the Yelp community, this is how other Yelpers and online passerby's know whether someone is extremely active or not. As an Elite Yelper, you are separated from the general crowd by receiving an honorary and colorful Elite badge on your account profile. After being Elite for 5 years, you then become a Gold Elite. 10 years after Gold Elite, you receive the coveted Black Elite badge. Like many other reward systems, the Yelp Elite Squad is an annual program. Towards the end of the year, members will receive a note from their Community Managers on whether or not they want to re-nominate themselves for a new Elite badge. Yelp Elites are invited to exclusive food or service events as a way for both the business and Yelp to help promote each other. [3]

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[4]

In Q1 2016, Yelp has had a monthly average of 21,000,000 unique visitors via the Yelp app and 69,000,000 unique visitors via the Yelp mobile website. There have been more than 102 million reviews by the end of Q1 2016. [5]

Yelp Studies

A study conducted by Michael Luca, a professor at Harvard University, found that there are correlations between the revenue of the restaurants to the highly ranked restaurants of Yelp. This correlation has shown that every star that the restaurants manage to acquire will generate more revenue in the process; a notable 5-9% increase. [6] There may also be franchisees from McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's that may have received bad ratings from the customers. However, statistical analysis from Luca has also shown that Yelp's review impact on chain restaurants is "statistically insignificant and close to zero". This is because reviewing a restaurant in California is a bad example when it will most likely be similar to the ones located in other states. If a reviewer does trash the business through Yelp, the business owners are not prone to attacks alone. They can go on Yelp themselves as the representatives and dispute reviews. Business owners that may take a more serious approach against malicious and false reviewers can take the action to lawyers. Yelp, however, warns of cautions as this may backfire on the owners. Yelp counsels:

"Far from being cowed, recipients will sometimes go public with them as a warning to others not to patronize your business. Second, beware of lawyers who are quick to file lawsuits without telling their clients that it can cost them dearly. Last, take a step back: if you find yourself insisting that a review is obviously untrue, there's every reason to think that your customers will draw the same conclusion as you. Even if they don't, Yelp's review filter is always on the prowl, and it may be able to put enough pieces of the puzzle together over the long-term to filter out the bogus review."[7]

My Yelp Experiences

Whenever I have to decide where to go eat, my go-to website is Yelp. Yelp has found itself to be unique from any other food review website. Yelp has shown to be convenient and easy to use. Yelp has a website and an app. I usually use their website. Some of the features I like are the "food near you", the pictures, and reviews. The "food near you feature makes finding food places very convenient because you can type in a specific address and see what food places are near you and how far. The pictures are a lifesaver for me because I am a visual person. I get to see the specific restaurant's food, interior, and sometimes the menu. Lastly, the feature that sets Yelp apart from other food review websites is the hundreds of reviews people leave. The reliability of multiple people reviewing one restaurant compared to only one person is very helpful to me. Yelp actually affects where I go to eat a lot. For example, if an Italian restaurant that is close to me got a rating of 2.0 compared to another Italian restaurant that is farther away from me got a rating of 4.0, I would go to the farther restaurant.

Zagat

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In 1979, Tim and Nina Zagat established the Zagat Survey as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. Their first guide covered New York City dining and was accomplished on the bias of a survey of their friends. By 2005, the Zagat Survey included 70 cities, with reviews based on the input of 250,000 individuals. The Guides, over the years, have reported on and rated restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, zoos, music, movies, theaters, golf courses, and airlines. Zagat Guide ratings are on a 30-point scale, 30 being the highest and 1 is the lowest, with component ratings for defined areas, e.g., for restaurants, including food, decor, and service (with cost also being estimated). In addition to numeric scores, the survey also includes a short descriptive paragraph that incorporates selected quotations (typically a few words) from several reviewers' comments about each restaurant or service, as well as the pricing and rating information. With the acquisition by Google, there has been an emerging re-emphasis away from the distinctive, traditional 30-point rankings, replacing it with a 5-point scale for products, not at the Zagat website.[8]

Google is reported to have planned to use the Zagat acquisition to provide more content and reviews for its locally oriented services. On May 30, 2012, Zagat was officially integrated into Google's services, with its reviews now appearing on Google Maps and Google+ Local pages for relevant restaurants. Additionally, the Zagat online service became free to use, and once required a Google+ account to register though that is no longer the case. By July 2013, the Zagat online presence had (alongside its printed Guides, see below) narrowed from thirty cities to nine 8 in the U.S., as well as London through the earlier content on other cities remains discoverable by outside search.

OpenTable

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OpenTable is an online table reservation service that allows people to reserve a table in one of the many upscale restaurants around the country and the world that use the service. It offers users reviews based on people's feedback, photos, and rating. The database of OpenTable contains US restaurants as well as many International restaurants. OpenTable provides a search engine where users can specify a location, how many people are going to dinner, time, and date, desired price range, type of food, and availability. OpenTable users can earn points from their purchases and redeem them for OpenTable Dining Checks which are acceptable at any participating OpenTable restaurant. OpenTable offers blog style reviews, dining advice, and news. OpenTable holds periodic contests for the restaurants and a ranking of the best ones. OpenTable is a US-based company with headquarters in San Francisco CA, with offices also in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. It was founded by Chuck Templeton in 1998. Matthew Roberts is the current President and the CEO of the company. [9] [10]

Foursquare

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Foursquare is a location searching service that was created in 2008 and launched in 2009 by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai. As its slogan says, "Foursquare helps you find places you’ll love, anywhere in the world". As of December 2013, there were 45 million registered Foursquare users.[11] This service allows its users to check into different places, depending on their location. Also, a lot of people like to use it to compete with their friends to have more points or more check-ins. It's a good way to keep track of the places you've been to. It is also a good tool for food recommendations because it shows reviews of places people went to and shows what places and restaurants are trending around the area. It also gives people "specials" if they check-in, so they will have discounts and it's an incentive for people to use Foursquare and go to the places to eat. It's similar to Yelp, and a lot of people are comparing it to Yelp because it allows people to check-in and writes reviews now. Businesses can use Foursquare to advertise their businesses by posting their ads there. [12]

Foursquare is your ultimate city guide, in your pocket. Find the best places to eat, drink, shop, or visit — in any city in the world. Access over 60 million short reviews from local experts. Traveling or looking to discover new places nearby? Get the free Android app today. • Tell Foursquare your favorite things and the app gets to know you. • Search for the best restaurants, coffee, nightlife, shops, and more. • Read short reviews and never miss out on the best thing to order or experience. • Save places you want to go, so you never forget.

“The new Foursquare, like Netflix, takes a lot of the work out of finding the right thing for the right moment.” — The Verge

It works by you telling Foursquare what you like — be specific, like “craft beer” or “fried chicken,” or more general, like “outdoor seating” or “romantic places.” Every search is tailored to your tastes, your past ratings, and picks from friends and experts you trust. [13]

Weaknesses

One of the weaknesses of these reviews, which for the most part can be extremely helpful, is if you get an angry customer who posts multiple reviews just because they weren't a fan, had a bad experience, or just because they did not like someone or something about the place. The reliability comes to question sometimes because we do not know if someone is going out of their way to trash the image of the place for a personal reason. That is one of the things you have to be careful about when you're looking at online reviews. As a server in this city, I have experienced first hand what it is like to get a bad review from someone for something that was beyond the server's control. It is important to remember, for those that write reviews, that a bad review could ultimately cost a server his or her job. If that person did everything they could to give you the best service but had an inconvenience due to the kitchen, it is unfair to take the anger out on them.

Another weakness, specifically about Yelp, is the concern over Yelp's control over the reviews and what they allow the users to see. Yelp has its own algorithm that chooses what users get to see first and what's hidden at the back-end of a business' page, and they claim that it is a machine-operated algorithm that the company cannot and does not change. However, there have been many claims that business owners are getting phone calls and emails about buying Yelp advertisements to boost positive reviews and pushing down or even deleting negative reviews. This taunts the credibility of Yelp and makes users suspicious about the reviews that they see. In either case, users should look at both the good and bad reviews before making decisions and take notice if a business has only good reviews visible. Overall, to combat this weakness, users should remember that "a picture is worth a thousand words" and take note of the images that are uploaded on a business' page. [14]

Zomato

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Zomato is a restaurant search and discovery service that provides information for over 1.4 million restaurants across 24 countries.[15] This platform was founded in 2008 by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah. This website features all the information one will need to know about a restaurant. The services include reviews, location, the cost for two people, menus, and a rating from 1 to 5. In addition to restaurant search and discovery, this service also offers online ordering similar to food delivery, take away services, table reservations, and subscription-based programs called Zomato Gold and Zomato Piggybank. Zomato Gold is a premium dining and social drinking premium membership that has multiple perks.[16]. Zomato Piggybank is a reward point program that allows customers to earn 10% of the order value as points every time they place an order from Zomato's food delivery platform. These credits can be accumulated and redeemed later at other partnered restaurants.[17] This cutting-edge technology connects restaurants to its customers more easily. With all these applications, customers can create their own personal networks of people who too love to discover new food and can share their recommendations. [18]

International Reviews

OpenRice

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OpenRice is a Hong Kong dining guide that directs users to local restaurants. It is a platform for users to write reviews, share their experiences, and post pictures. OpenRice was established in 1999 and now has a global presence in cities across Asia, including China, Japan, Macau, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. It is currently the most popular dining guide in Hong Kong. OpenRice accommodates its users by having both an English and Chinese website. There are currently 1,123,569 registered users who use it, also referred to as OpenRicers. The platform also has 1.6 million reviews and more than 200 new ones daily.

As an online community for food lovers, individuals are able to share their ideas and opinions to rank and score restaurants. Based on the scores and rankings, restaurants that receive the most votes will be honored with the annual OpenRice Best Restaurant Awards. With a database consisting of 79,988 Hong Kong restaurants, restaurant information is always updated to provide the most updated information to its users. Restaurants are categorized by their location, cuisine, and prices. Aside from this, users are able to share recipes and search for recipes from their fellow OpenRicers. Occasionally, OpenRice will organize events and activities for their OpenRicers to attend, such as pastry workshops, gourmet tasting events, and dinner gatherings. [19]

OpenRice also provides for restaurant reservations through a website service known as TableMap. TableMap is powered by OpenRice and allows users to search its database for restaurants in Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen to reserve tables. TableMap includes a dining points program so that registered members can earn reward points for reserving tables and showing up at the restaurant. Points can be redeemed for gifts or vouchers. On the other side, restaurants are encouraged to register for this service for a fee. With this additional feature, restaurants will see their businesses listed under the Featured Restaurant Tab as well, which generates more income for the business.[20]

OpenSnap

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OpenSnap is a product of OpenRice and is a dining guide based on photos rather than reviews. It has a database of over 1,000,000 restaurants in 10 regions. Just like OpenRice and Yelp, users can find information on restaurants nearby. Instead of written reviews, it functions like Instagram where users upload photos of food or restaurant décor on a restaurant’s page. Photos that are repeated on each page indicate its popularity. Each photo comes with a rating that creates the restaurant’s total ratings.[21]


Eatigo

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Eatigo is a service that was founded in Bangkok in 2013, that allows diners to find new restaurants with ease along with steep discounts. This platform was designed to help restaurants use their remaining inventory to prevent fresh produce from spoiling. At the same time, because many of these restaurants are empty during off-peak hours, people can make reservations and see discounts of up to 50% off. The discounts are what is attracting individuals to eat and make reservations at the restaurant.

Eatigo has also solved the language barrier because you do not have to pay in advance through the app. Instead, you can just pay at the restaurant, which avoids confusion. The app works like Groupon, but the main difference is that they send people to restaurants during their off-hours, which allows for more people to dine at a discount. One critic that people who have been using this service has, is the quality of service. Some restaurants are reducing their service quality because there is pressure on staff members to serve more individuals and generate more revenue for the restaurant owners. [22]

Blogs

With just the right photograph of mouth-watering food, Instagram food accounts have been on the rise. Each day people are out for dinner and the first thing they do when the food arrives takes a picture for all their followers to see. Some have Instagram accounts that are dedicated to reviewing different types of cuisines and restaurants. For some restaurants, this can be free advertisements because with just a click of a button they are able to see their friend's location and now they can make a reservation at the new place in town. These blogs are starting to influence the way people think about food. Restaurants are able to track likes and comments from the social media influencers page and see what people are really thinking instead of traditional news stories. Since this is a new rising channel for restaurants, there are also accounts that the restaurant owners create themselves to promote the current sales. [1]

New Fork City

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New York City is an Instagram account that displays food all over New York City. It posts everything from pizza, to Asian fusion, to the best desserts possible. It accumulated many followers not just from New York City, but elsewhere too so many tourists would browse this account when they come to visit New York City for food recommendations. This is how many restaurants get their publicity. Seeing the pictures of the food definitely, persuades me to go get it rather than just reading about it.



Serious Eats

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Serious Eats [23] is a food blog that shares new food and new restaurants through online conversations and blogs. By having blogging, and a Talk, their public forum, it allows people to interact and post questions. There are recipes and photographs of different types of food. There are reviews of food and drinks in different cities. This blog is a convenient way for people to discover new restaurants and trendy food, such as cronuts and Umami burgers. [24] Approximately twenty posts are posted each day and a staff of nine editors sort through hundreds of contributions. There is a separate site dedicated to foodies based in New York and Chicago that is different from the main Serious Eats website.



Muslim Foodies

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Muslim Foodies [25] is a food blog centered around finding halal food around New York City. Four girls, try out different foods around the five boroughs and they post reviews. They are also on Instagram and Facebook, these pages are filled with photos of different places they went to. In May 2019, they launched an online website. The site features a map with all the different halal locations, a page for their Instagram, and a blog page. The places can range from Turkish cuisine to Mexican restaurants. In addition, they partner with different restaurants, to create giveaways. The giveaways may offer one free entree or a gift card.



The Cake Blog

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The Cake Blog is a blog that shares recipes, DIY (Do It Yourself) decoration tips for parties, and reviews on cakes and other desserts. The blog was started by Carrie Sellman in 2008 when she was on the search for the perfect wedding cake for her wedding. [26] The blog features several posts each day on desserts baked by top bakers, free giveaways, tips for holiday parties and events, and many different cake recipes. The Cake Blog has been featured on cable network channels such as TLC, Cooking Channel, and DIY Network.




Online Food Ordering

Online food ordering is a process of ordering food from a local restaurant or food cooperative through a web page or app. Much like ordering consumer goods online, many of these allow customers to keep accounts with them in order to make frequent ordering convenient. A customer will search for a favorite restaurant, usually filtered via a type of cuisine and choose from available items, and choose delivery or pick-up. Payment can be amongst others either by credit card or cash, with the restaurant returning a percentage to the online food company.

Service types

There are four different types of services available for online ordering. The four types of services are restaurant controlled, independent, food cooperatives, and apps. The preexisting delivery infrastructure of these franchises was well suited for an online ordering system, so much so that in 2008 Papa John's International announced that its online sales were growing on average more than 50 percent each year and neared $400 million in 2007 alone.[27] Local companies have teamed up with e-commerce companies to make ordering quicker and more precise. Annie Maver, director of operations for The Original Pizza Pan, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio comments that "the system is good for customers who don't speak English." [28]Some restaurants have adopted online ordering despite their lack of delivery systems, using it to manage pick-up orders or to take reservations.

Independent online food ordering companies offer two solutions. One is a software service whereby restaurants purchase database and account management software from the company and manage the online ordering themselves. The other solution is a Net-based service whereby restaurants sign contracts with an online food ordering website that may handle orders from many restaurants in a regional or national area. One difference between the systems is how the online menu is created and later updated. Managed services do this via phone or email, while unmanaged services require the customer to do it. Some websites use wizards to find the best-suited menu for the customer.

Food cooperatives also allow consumers the ability to place an order of locally grown and/or produced food online. Consumers place an order online based on what is available for the ordering cycle (month, week) and then pick up and pay for their orders at a central location.

Many restaurants offer the technology to place an order with an app and may offer a discount or bonus item when the order is placed.

Online Menus

There are advantages for both the customer and for the restaurants that participate in online ordering. First, a customer can order at will when they have time to. Also, the customer is able to customize their order the way they like it without errors in communication between the customer and the person taking the order. In addition to customer advantages, the restaurant is able to take more orders with less staff. The restaurant does not need a waiter or hostess to be on the phone to take the order. The order can go straight to the kitchen. Customers are not able to ask about the quality of food or ask for any specialized diet foods. It is more difficult to ask for gluten-free or allergy-free foods with online ordering. Also, a customer can place an order, but never pick up the order, which can lead to a waste of food and possibly a loss of profits.

Online Food Ordering Services

Seamless

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Seamless is an online food ordering platform that allows users to order food from local restaurants for pick-up or delivery. The company, originally SeamlessWeb, was launched in 1999 by Jason Finger and Paul Appelbaum to provide companies with a system for ordering food from restaurants and caterers for corporate events. It wasn't until 2005 that customers--both individual and corporate--could access the service online or through the seamless.com web app. The company currently connects over 2 million users to over 12,000 restaurants across 40 cities including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, Houston, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Now they have an app that provides you with an easy way to order food delivery from your favorite local restaurants. seamless is a completely free app and allows you to order food from 12,000 restaurants with one click. you can also order a delivery or a pick up through the phone.

Seamless also has company options where individual workers and order from seamless and have it delivered to the company floor. This is very smart of seamless because this would save companies money and this option would create better employee satisfaction.

[29] On August 9, 2013, Seamless merged with another food giant, GrubHub. They now operate under the name GrubHub Seamless. The merger connected customers with approximately 25,000 restaurants all across the United States and the UK.[30]

Delivery.com

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Delivery.com is an online ordering website for users living in the United States. Companies that can be used through Delivery.com include restaurants, grocers, wine and spirits shops, laundry, dry cleaning, and tailoring providers. The company is headquartered in New York. To place an online order at delivery.com, users begin by entering an address. A list of restaurants and other local merchants that offer delivery and pickup to that address is generated. The customer selects a merchant, browses their online menu or inventory, selects the items they want to order, and places the order. [31] Delivery.com allows users to create profiles, where they can store addresses, credit card information, and favorite orders. The website also features a point system, where customers are awarded 25 Delivery Points for every $1 they spend on the website. The points can then be redeemed for prizes and gift cards. [32]

Yelp Eat24

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Yelp's Eat24 service, short for Eat24 Hours, is Yelp's attempt at entering the online food delivery market. Yelp acquired Eat24 in February 2015 for $134 million. [33] Similar to its competitors, Eat24 allows you to enter your address, view restaurants near you, and order your food online. Yelp likes to advertise the convenience of its app over its competitors, as they claim that "you can make food happen pretty much wherever you are, whenever you want". You are able to access Eat24 via a website, or via mobile apps. Payment options include PayPal and Android Pay, in addition to the usual credit card entry method. [34]

GrubHub.com

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GrubHub is an online food ordering company. Founded in 2004 by Mike Evans and Matt Maloney, the company won the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge in 2006. One year later, GrubHub received its first round of venture capital, allowing the Chicago-based company to expand its service to Boston and San Francisco. [35]

GrubHub is a website that may be accessed online or by phone application to make it convenient for caters to order food. When you enter your address onto Grubhub.com, the website will show you all the nearby restaurants that are available for you to either pick up or receive a delivery from. GrubHub lets the user able to filter accordingly to their heart's desire, e.g. pizza, hamburgers, or pasta. It can also be filtered by food accordingly to nationality, such as Chinese or Italian. Once you have chosen and clicked a restaurant that you want to check out, it will display all the menu items that are available to order. It also displays a star next to the items that have been popular and "hot" amongst the latest customers. It also much like Yelp, shows reviews from other GrubHub customers who have ordered from the restaurant and even an external link to Yelp itself. [36]

Comparison of GrubHub/Seamless

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One of the greatest ways the internet and technology have benefitted consumers would be ordering apps/sites online. Are you about to dine in a restaurant or fast food spot to get your grub on? Forget about it because apps/sites like Yelp and seamless are here. GrubHub which hosts Seamless was one of the first few apps that connect food consumers to their favorite dish/meal. Seamless was founded in 1999 and GrubHub was founded in the year 2004. They both merged after that and beat the competitions. According to Grubhub.com, their statistics are outrageous and as follows: in 2015 they featured more than 45000 online and mobile ordering restaurants in over 1100 United States cities and London, they sent about 2.4 billion in gross food sales to local restaurants, processes an average of 270000 daily orders, serves approximately 7.7 million active diners, and nearly sixty percent of GrubHub and Seamless orders are placed through mobile devices. Their main offices are in Chicago, New York, and London. Just by reading the statistics, you can tell that this is a very big company now. Both GrubHub and seamless function in the same way. The three steps that they follow are “The Where”, “The What”, and “The Delivery”. “The Where” is where you browse your local restaurants nearby. “The What” is the food that you are craving and would love to eat. “The Delivery” is when you get to your door and open the door because your food has been delivered to you. These delivering apps/sites have made ordering food online way easier and less work necessary. Humans are becoming lazy as the new generations get older and the demand for these delivery services will always keep rising. [37]

FlushingFood.com

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Flushingfood.com is a local online food ordering service that provides free delivery services to customers who order foods from their listed vendors for a $10 minimum order. Customers now can order different best Asian foods in Queens and drivers will deliver throughout Flushing, College Point, and some parts of Whitestone. Two years ago, James Chen started FlushingFood.com based on the fact that there were few Flushing restaurants that offered online ordering services. It is free for restaurants to sign up for the service and this website will handle all credit card fees. Chen said "The best part of it is the free advertising. People will find out there are new restaurants." This website helps to market a lot of Chinese restaurants because many of them do not have their own websites or an online platform to advertise on. The website has applications for both iPhone and Android smartphones. [38]

FreshDirect

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FreshDirect is an online grocery shopping service that allows people to order their fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats, and other produce and kitchen supplies online. Customers can avail of this service through the FreshDirect website or application for smartphones. Once on the application or website customers choose what goods they want and add them to their carts. After, they also choose a time slot that is most convenient for them for the food to be delivered. In certain states, the minimum order is $30 worth of goods, and in others $99. FreshDirect also charges a delivery fee that can range from $5.99 to $15.99 depending on your location. [39]

Foodler

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Foodler is an online ordering of take-out and delivery food service provided for the convenience to the local community from restaurants and delis. Foodler is growing its network of online restaurants in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington offering a wide selection of menus and cuisines. Foodler is easy and user-friendly. It provides you the complete listings of restaurants that offer delivery and take-out in the area. On top of that, it also provides online coupons and it displays customer-submitted ratings for restaurants and food items which helps customers to make decisions on which restaurant to choose for the deliveries or take-out.[40]

DoorDash

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Another food online ordering and delivery service is called DoorDash. They are competitors of Seamless, GrubHub, Caviar, Postmates, and much more. But unlike Seamless and GrubHub, DoorDash provides their own delivery people, instead of using the delivery staff of the restaurant. This makes it convenient for the restaurant management to use instead of having their delivery staff run back and forth, in and out of the restaurant. The delivery staff is called "Dashers". One of their marketing strategies to have more restaurants added to their database which is a low cost to them. Like its competitors, their website is very easy to use and navigate around. They have options that exclusive to them.


DoorDash also lets you track your delivery. They send you updates during every step of the process. DoorDash will notify you when the restaurant receives your order, when your Dasher picks up your food, when it's on the way and when your Dasher is outside. They provide excellent customer service and a wide variety of food options. [41]

DoorDash also has something called the DashPass which requires a $9.99/monthly fee that includes zero delivery fees and reduced service fees on orders over $!2 and saves users an average of $4-5 per order. This is a great feature for those to tend to order food delivery a lot because, in the long run, you save more than you would be ordering normally. If you have a small order, DoorDash tends to add small delivery fees along with service fees, and of course, taxes. It makes you think, for the amount of money you pay for delivery on DoorDash, you could've gotten another item if you picked it up. In the end, this is how food delivery apps make money. DoorDash may be partnering with restaurants that don't associate with Uber Eats which gives them an advantage and vice versa. It's great to have more than one food delivery app therefore your options are more.

Drizly

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Drizly is a revolutionary breakthrough in online services. This company is one of the first in the industry to deliver alcoholic beverages. Imagine you are in the middle of throwing a party and you run out of alcohol. Everyone has already consumed alcohol and no one is able to drive to the store. Drizly allows you to order alcohol through their app or website Drizly.com and is guaranteed delivery within the hour. This new service is a safe and convenient way for people to consume alcoholic beverages. "By building a platform that combines competitive prices and the widest selection online, Drizly brings the liquor store right to your smartphone. By partnering with local retailers, the beverages come to you when and where you want them Drizly's tools and technology are transforming the way retailers run their businesses and together we are committed to delivering a superior shopping experience for you, the customer" [42]

Instacart

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Instacart is a same-day grocery delivery and pick-up service that is available in the U.S. and Canada. Their customers can shop through the app or their website instacart.com from over 300 national, regional and local retailer partners such as Albertsons, ALDI, Costco, CVS, Kroger, Loblaw, Publix, Sam's Club, Sprouts, and Wegmans. Customers can pay with personal debit or credit cards, Android Pay, and Apple Pay. Today, Instacart is accessible to more than 80% of U.S. households, and in all 50 states, and 70% of Canadian households. [43]

UberEATS

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Uber Eats is another meal ordering and delivery platform and is Uber's attempt at entering the online meal delivery service. It was founded in August 2014 and is currently in 65 cities as of March 2017. Unlike Seamless and GrubHub, when you order on UberEATS, an Uber delivery man brings you your food. Depending on your location and time of day, the order will take between 30-50 minutes to arrive from the time the order is placed. [44]

UberEATS is partnered with restaurants all over the world to give its customers a variety of options. Sometimes, they will even partner with celebrity chefs, giving its customers the greatest food options around. [45]

A major benefit of using Uber Eats over other services is that you will be able to track your delivery person in real-time via the UberEATS app, so you will know right when your food will get to you. One downside of the app is the hefty taxes and fees that a diner must pay to have their food delivered. The delivery fee varies depending on the location of the restaurant and it generally increases the further away it is located. To help retain users, UberEats does offer promo codes on a regular basis which can be discounted between 20-50% off with a maximum discount of $10.

In 2019 Uber Eats is already among the planet’s largest food-delivery services and ranks second in the U.S. behind rival GrubHub (likely $1 billion in 2018 revenue) and ahead of competition like Caviar, Postmates, and DoorDash. According to projections from its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber Eats is on track to deliver some $10 billion worth of food worldwide. Uber Eats grows quickly each year and gets millions of customers with the help of fast-changing technologies as media and apps. [46]

By mid-2019, Uber Eats introduced their new plan known as the Eats Pass. The Eats Pass provides users unlimited free delivery, 5% off orders of 15+, and it only costs $9.99 a month. [47] This feature was introduced in hopes of gaining the attention of new potential customers as they are offered a free month of this service at no cost. The user has the option to cancel the subscription before the trial period is over if they are not satisfied with the platform, or they can continue to pay the monthly cost of $9.99 to keep the perks provided.

Maple

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Maple, a New York City online food service, does not work with partner restaurants and instead sources, cooks, and delivers their own food. Available only in certain areas of New York City, Maple's slogan is "Real Food for Hungry Humans". They market the health aspect of their foods, and they are sure to tell their customers that they only source the best foods. None of the food that Maple prepares includes artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.

Maple's menu changes daily for lunch and dinner and includes options like seafood, salads, rice bowls, chicken, pasta, etc. They also have various side dishes, referred to as "small plates", which can be items like seasonable vegetables or macaroni and cheese. Desserts, drinks, and alcoholic beverages can also be ordered through this service.

As of now, Maple is only available below 59th Street in Manhattan. [48]

Postmates

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Postmates is a delivery service gaining popularity since its inception in 2011 as a $400 million startup.[49] Postmates was created by Sam Street, Sean Plaice, and Bastian Lehmann, as a mobile application for the delivery of meals and groceries and extends to retail and corner store deliveries as well.[50] The app's services are available in major cities across the U.S. with headquarters in San Francisco.[51] On May 7th, 2017 Postmates offered residents of Philadelphia free cans of Coke in honor of the holiday, 'Have a Coke Day'.[52] This occurred after the app gave away 10,000 free burritos on Cinco de Mayo 2017, to new users in cities including Sacramento, Tampa and Philadelphia.[53]



MealPal

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Mealpal is one of the first online food ordering services to let users pay a monthly fee in order to access meals from nearby restaurants. Formerly known as MealPass, MealPal is Biggins' and co-founder Katie Ghelli's unofficial spinoff of ClassPass. From Monday to Friday, MealPal’s menu of local restaurants offers one particular dish that users can choose. The day before at 5 pm or the morning of, users can choose from one of the various restaurants’ meals of the day. When lunchtime comes, the user can simply walk into the restaurant, skip the line, and pick up their order. Mealpal sets itself apart by not offering delivery but the ease of saving time by not waiting in line to place an order. [54]

HungryPanda

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HungryPanda, a food delivery service for Chinese communities in cities around the world, announced today it has raised $20 million in funding. The round was led by investors 83North and Felix Capital and will be used on hiring, product development, and global expansion, particularly in the United States. The startup, which did not disclose its current valuation, said its goal is to reach an annual run rate of $200 million by May. Founded in the United Kingdom, where its service first launched in Nottingham, HungryPanda is now available in 31 cities in the U.K., Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. After you enter the address, the system will show up the restaurants near you, then you can choose the restaurant to place your order. There are many choices in the app, such as hot pot, bubble tea, dessert, etc. After you place your order, the restaurant will receive your order and start making it. After that, the delivery person will pick up your order and deliver it to your address. [55]

Online Ingredients Ordering

Online Ingredients Ordering is also known as meal subscription services or meal kit delivery. These services allow users to order the exact amount of food needed to make a dish. Most of these services range from $9.00 a meal per person to about $12.00 a meal per person. The goal of these web-based services is to make healthy eating and cooking accessible and easy to all.

Blue Apron

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Blue Apron [56] is an American ingredient and recipe meal subscription which sends customers the perfect amount of ingredients to cook a recipe weekly. This is a new idea and has been in talks for a while. They offer two plans, with no commitment and no fees, so people can prepare delicious, inventive meals at home. Blue Apron does the menu planning and shopping and delivers recipes right to their door with all the fresh, perfectly portioned ingredients they need to cook them. All customers have to do is cook and enjoy! Blue Apron has no membership fee and no minimum commitment. They have recently advertised a lot and this online ingredients order has been successful in the busy New York City. As of September 2016, the company had shipped over 8 million meals. [57] Following their success, in June 2017, the company went public and issued their initial public offering.[58]

Blue Apron has plans that allow users to order 2-4 recipes a week. Blue Apron has a couple of different meal plans labeled as Signature, Weight Watchers Freestyle, Vegetarian, and a family option with serves 4. These meals all have different price ranges.

Pricing: [59]

Signature plan - 3 recipes a week (serves 2 people) = $59.94

Weight Watchers Freestyle plan - 3 recipes a week (serves 2 people) = $59.94

Vegetarian plan - 3 recipes a week (serves 2 people) = $59.94

Family plan - 3 recipes a week (serves 4 people) = $95.88

Family plan - 4 recipes a week (serves 4 people) = $119.94

HelloFresh

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HelloFresh [60] is another meal-kit service similar to Blue Apron, in which subscribers can have prepared ingredients needed for the meal delivered to them. Compared to Blue Apron, HelloFresh allows its members to choose exactly which meals and dishes they wish to have during the week and can be quickly cooked anywhere from thirty to forty minutes. Usually, a box provided about three two-person meals for a week costing around sixty to seventy dollars. [61]HelloFresh meals range from $9.08 per person per meal for vegetarian subscriptions and $10.75 per person per meal for regular subscriptions. Delivery is done for free regardless of order minimum. With its growth to success, they have been met by criticism for the excessive packaging of their delivered meals which increases plastic waste.[62]


Plated

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Plated [63] also allows members to choose the dishes they want the ingredients for, unlike Blue Apron. One of Plated's main goals is to focus on the quality of the ingredients delivered to their customers. Plated offers the most choice of any meal-kit delivery service on the market and is positioning itself to be the premium player in the market. Plated offers customers regular recipe plates for $12 a plate and $18-$24 per plate for Chef's Table recipes. [64] Plated has also not focused on investing in sustainability, but also technology. They have been testing their app out in the market, in which their founder, Nick Taranto believes that a native mobile experience is crucial to any e-commerce experience.


Peapod

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Peapod is an online service where consumers can order groceries and delivered to their home. At home, work, or on phone 24/7, browse the aisles and fill the cart with all the brands each loves, the freshest produce and meats, local specialties, all the basics, and a whole lot more. Consumers can choose a time that best fits your schedule, the next day or 2 weeks out. The friendly drivers bring the groceries right to your door, and also quick pick-up service is available in some areas too. There are 1000s of weekly specials, savings in every category, just like a regular grocery store and store brands with great value and highly rated by our customers. Peapod offers 60 days of free delivery for all new customers so people can experience the convenience of Peapod with little to no risk, and for all existing customers, Peapod also offers special discounts on delivery fees during the week and PodPass which one low annual fee, unlimited free deliveries. Peapod markets are currently at Chicagoland, Milwaukee, S.E. Wisconsin, Indianapolis, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Southern New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, S.E. Pennsylvania, and Central Pennsylvania. [65]


Home Chef

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Home Chef is another online service that delivers ingredients and recipes to create a meal on a weekly basis. Home Chef stands differently from the others since they focus more on recipes that require advanced culinary skills. At the same time, they stick to a thirty-minute preparation and cook time. Every week you pick from ten chef-selected recipes and the ingredients are delivered in an insulated box to ensure the ingredients are fresh. It is $9.99 for each meal and you are able to choose different plans. However, there is also the option to skip some weeks if necessary. This says a lot about how new media is evolving. Food delivery services were created for people who have a busy schedule and don't necessarily have the time to go grocery shopping but still enjoy a home-cooked meal. Home Chef also shortens the time used to think of what to cook and search for recipes. Home Chef also has the option for fresh fruit and smoothies, simply for a small additional fee per week.

Online Healthy Meal Delivery Services


For over a decade, people started being more conscious about healthy lifestyles, good habits, and healthy food. Now on the market, you can find many services that can help you with it. One of the game-changer would be healthy food delivery services. These are the subscription services where you can buy pre-made meals for the whole week by merely choosing it from the menu.

Freshly

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Freshly is a meal delivery service that offers healthy ready to eat meals [66]. It is New-York based company founded in 2012 by Michael Wystrach and Carter Comstock, but in 2020 company was acquired for 1.5 billion by Nestle [67]. Since one meal can serve only one person, Freshly is mostly used by single people. To get the service individual need to have a subscription where you can choose how often you want your meals to be delivered, what kind of meals you want can choose from the menu. Prices do vary depending on the plan you choose. The price range is between $8.49 - $11.49 per meal.[68]

Nutrisystem

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Nutrisystem was found back in 1972 by entrepreneur Harold J. Katz. It is one of the earliest meal delivery providers on the market. Nutrisystem meals are not only healthy, but they also help people who struggle with excessive weight. Nutrisystem offers many different meal plans. The company claims that you can lose up to 13 pounds within a month. Meals are mainly low-calorie. Meal plans include a variety of delicious and healthy food for the entire day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as snacks. Nutrisystem ensures that no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no transfat are used for the meals. The company provides options for everyone, from young to old, nursing mothers, people with diabetes, vegetarians.[69] Nutrisystem meal plans are pretty affordable, and the cost is about $350 per month.

[70] [71]

Sun Basket

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Sun Basket is a meal and ingredients that can be selected according to users' own needs and preferences. Users can choose a variety of healthy and fresh foods according to their preferences, such as high-protein and low-carbohydrate foods, gluten-free foods, and many options suitable for vegetarians, as well as many convenient and quick Meals and more. In the Sun Basket, you can choose good foods. They have breakfast, lunch, dinner, pasta, protein, and snack options. You can choose according to your needs. If you don't want to match it yourself, you can choose the package that he has already matched, which not only saves time but is also very convenient.[72]Sun Basket is $11.49 per serving for the 2 person plan and $9.99 per serving for the family plan. There's also a $5.99 delivery fee each week. On the 2 person plan for 3 two serving dinners per week (or 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts), this comes out to $74.93 per week, so about $15 more per week. [73] In Sun Basket, you can enjoy organic fresh produce and clean ingredients. Their ingredients are certified organic in the United States. Their meal kits are also very delicious, Elevate dinner with the #1 Meal Kit in America. At the same time, they use quick recipes, breakfasts, snacks, and other foods to win during meals, making meal planning easy.


Online Snack Delivery

In addition to ingredient delivery services used to create recipes at home, there are also snack subscription companies for home delivery.

Love With Food

Love With Food box [74]

Aihui Ong, a software engineer, with a love for food, founded the company in 2011. Love With Food's snack box contains a variety of organic goods with no artificial additives or trans fats. The different snack options are selected by the company's in-house chefs. There are different tiers of pricing for each size box when ordering: the Tasting box(starting at $10) contains 8 snacks and the Deluxe box(starting at $17) has 16-20 snacks. Members earn points with every purchase and these points can be used as a discount on future orders, once 100 points are reached.

With every box ordered, Love for Food will donate one meal to a U.S. food bank as a charitable act.[75]



NatureBox

Naturebox sample box[76]

Naturebox was created in 2012 and allows subscribers to choose their own snack items from 120 options. Food items on their website are categorized by different flavors(spicy, sweet, savory) and dietary needs(Vegan, Non-GMO, low-fat) to make the selection process easier for members. All of Naturebox products are free from artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, and trans fats.

Pricing for Natureboxes: Deluxe package: 5 snacks for $19.95/month, Happy Snacker package: 10 packages for $29.95/month, and Smart Snacker: 20 packages for $49.95/month.[77]




Mouth

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The mouth is an N.Y.C. based company that delivers artisanal, home-made "indie" food and liquor. This company is focused on providing members with high-quality food that isn't necessarily health-beneficial, but locally sourced to support N.Y.C. small businesses. Subscriptions are pricier than other snack delivery services, with 3-month subscriptions for $180 and one year for $720.[78]






Graze

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Graze was founded by 7 friends in London that were "sick of chips and candy" and shared the desire to start a food delivery service that was health-conscious. U.S. distribution started in 2013 and has grown in popularity since.[79]

Each box contains 4 sampler-sized, high protein snacks(some containing fruits, oats, and nuts), with nutritional information available on their website and health benefit descriptions on every box. Each box costs $6, including delivery fees and subscribers can choose weekly, 2 weeks, or 4 weeks delivery schedules.[80]

Nuts Online

Nuts Online logo

Nuts Online is an online snack delivery service that caters to many needs. They sell candy, dried fruit, nuts, baking needs, and even customized trail mix. They also sell party boxes where you can pick and choose what the best snack combination will be. Nuts Online began as a mom and pop shop and has now taken off and delivers across the United States.

SnackFever

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SnackFever is the delivery of specialized Korean snacks, food, ramen, and other fun snacks that are "curated around a surprise theme every month." [81] This company was founded by Jo Jang who is a second-generation Korean from Spain. Their special curated boxes include their 'Original' and their 'Deluxe', pricing at $28 and $45 respectively. With the click of a button, aided by the progress of technology and new media in e-commerce, one box ships out for delivery every month in three phases: the 13th, 23rd, and 3rd of every consecutive month. SnackFever subscriptions auto-renew every month, so to cancel, skip, or delay the renewal you must do so manually on your account dashboard. Many people who are fans of K-Pop know of SnackFever as well, in part due to idols promoting it and their addition of K-pop swag and goodies with each snack delivery box.

Negative Effects of Online Services

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GrubHub and Seamless charge an average commission of 13.5% for restaurant orders placed through their websites and apps. And restaurants pay more to appear higher in search results, which isn’t apparent to diners. The commission hasn’t previously been disclosed, but it can be deduced from data in the company’s IPO prospectus. The American restaurant delivery startup, formally known as GrubHub Inc., takes a cut of each meal it processes. Last year, just over $1 billion in delivery and pick-up orders were made through GrubHub.

GrubHub generated $137 million in revenue from those transactions in 2013, implying an average commission of 13.5%. GrubHub is free to use for diners; it doesn’t publicize the rate restaurants are charged, but previous reports have said the commission ranges from 5% to 15%. The size of GrubHub’s cut varies depending on how much the restaurant is promoted. The prospectus explains, “Restaurants can choose their level of commission rate, at or above the company’s base rates, to affect their relative priority in its sorting algorithms, with restaurants paying higher commission rates generally appearing higher in the search order than restaurants paying lower commission rates.” [82]That isn’t clear to GrubHub and Seamless users. (The two services merged last year but still operate as separate brands.) Search results that have appeared higher because the restaurant is paying more aren’t labeled as such. The algorithm that ranks restaurants on the websites and mobile apps can seem mysterious.

A Brooklyn restaurant owner ditched online food delivery network Seamlessly and says it's helped his business. Pedro Munoz, the owner of Luz in Brooklyn, New York, told Bloomberg Businessweek that he became frustrated by Seamless taking 14% commission and taking a month to give him his share. So Munoz encouraged customers to order directly from his website instead of from the popular delivery service.

On its first night without Seamless (Aug. 16, a Saturday), Muñoz says Luz took $669 worth of delivery orders. That’s down about 16 percent from the $800 in orders the restaurant typically received on Saturday nights when using Seamless and GrubHub, another online delivery service that recently merged with Seamless. Instead of losing 14 percent of the total to commissions, though, Luz paid only $16 for credit card processing and other ordering-related fees, meaning the restaurant netted $653—just 4 percent off the $680 it would have made with the help of Seamless and GrubHub. Munoz said he doesn't plan to go back to using the service. Seamless is appealing to businesses because it gives them an automatic presence online, according to the company's website. It also gives customers a quick and easy way to order from the restaurant's menu. But high commissions and long wait times for payment have restaurants thinking twice. [83]

Mobile Apps

There are food and beverage companies now creating an app and setting up loyalty rewards. You're able to add your credit or debit card information and pay through the app while at the same time you are earning points.

Starbucks

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My Starbucks Rewards is where you make purchases through the app and you receive stars for each purchase. The benefits available from the app are based on the number of stars you have. There are 3 levels Welcome level, Green level, and Gold level. If you earn at least 5 stars in the first 12 months you will be promoted to the Green level if you earn 30 stars in the first 12 months you will be promoted to the Gold level. You must get 5 new stars to maintain a Green level and 30 to maintain a Gold level or your Starbucks rewards will be set to 0. [84]

In April 2016, Starbucks updated their rewards policy to account for each $1 spent rather than each item purchased, i.e. customers will be rewarded with 2 stars for each $1 spent. As a result, a customer needs to accumulate 300 stars, or spend $150 in order to reach the Gold Level, and 125 stars to receive a Star Reward. In order to reach the Green Level, a customer needs to accumulate 125 stars or spend roughly $62 on either food, drinks, mugs, etc. Because of the added level of difficulty to reach each level, Gold Level members have Monthly Double-Star Days where they are able to earn 4 stars per $1 spent. Previously accumulated rewards and stars were transferred to the new program. This program was updated after Starbucks launched its Mobile Order and Pay service in September 2015, which operates on iOS and Android phones. This service is an added convenience to customers because they are able to order drinks at a specific branch beforehand, and pick up at the store without having to wait in line.

Gregory's Coffee

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Gregory's Coffee launched their Regular App available to download on Apple or Android with the use of the barcode scanner system LevelUp. [85] With the Gregory's Coffee app, users are able to register and link their card. Some features of the app include access to the menu and their rewards program. Their rewards program is $5 off every $50 spent using the app with a $2 credit just for downloading it. Sharing the app with friends also allows users to earn credit. This app also lets the customer easily pay and leave a digital tip for the barista. There are also birthday rewards perks and other app-only promotions. Purchases have become more efficient through the use of this app. [86]




Dunkin'

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Dunkin', formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts, is an American multinational coffee and doughnut company. It was founded by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1950. Dunkin' first launched the Dunkin' Donuts Mobile App in 2012, introducing their DD Perks Rewards Program in 2014 and then adding On-the-GoMobile ordering in 2016. They have been constantly innovating their app to keep up with the customers demands and making the app user friendly with the consumers in mind. Now, guests can order their favorites or pay for their order right when they open the app with just a touch of a button and no scrolling required. They've made it easier for their customers to customize their mobile orders, just like they would in-store.

Their DD Perks Rewards page makes it easy for their DD Perks Members to check how many points they have earned towards a free beverage and redeem their rewards. With DD Perks, guests earn five points for every dollar they spend at Dunkin' when they pay using the enrolled app. Once a member accrues 200 points, the member receives a coupon for a free beverage of their choice right on the Dunkin' Mobile app. The Mobile app also allows members to find Dunkin' locations, send Gift Cards, find nutritional information and more. [87]

Schnipper's

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Initially, Schnipper's used a stamping system on the card, and when you received 10 stamps, you got a free meal up to $8 or $8 off any meal of your choice. Now, Schnipper's is using a mobile app, instead of this old card system. The mobile app allows you to put your credit or debit card information, and you can purchase your meals through the app. In addition, the app will record all purchases placed.

[88] =

Panera

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Panera has launched its own app, where you can order on any device, with internet access. You are able to order anything that ranges from sandwiches to salads, and even dessert and beverages. You can set the location where you would like to pick up your food, along with the time frame you want the employees to prepare it by. Panera even does delivery, if that is what you prefer. A lot of the stores are also transitioning and incorporating more of the use of IT systems and fewer human workers. Stores have iPads where customers can order their meal through and their food will be ready and packaged with a copy of your receipt attached to a brown paper bag near the front counter. This makes it more convenient for customers who can customize their meal, see how many calories their combination is, and how much the meal costs. The customer does not have to worry about holding up lines and indecisive customers can customize to their preference without being worried that the cashier needs to call their manager to void transactions. This is especially convenient during rush hour or during times where people are busy in the office and do not have time to wait in line for their order. [89]


Chick-Fil-A

Chick-fil-A’s mobile app can be downloaded on the Google Play Store or the App Store on IOS devices. Customers can receive points by placing an order through the Chick-fil-A App, an online catering order, or by scanning their Chick-fil-A One QR code at the register or in the drive-thru. Earn points for every purchase ($1 equals 10 points) and use them to redeem available rewards of your choice. Each purchase gets you closer to the next membership tier with increasing benefits. Everyone can receive a birthday reward also. [90]

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McDonald's

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McDonald's has also launched its own app where customers can receive coupons through the app and be notified of any promotions based on locations. Since McDonald's is a franchise and has a number of locations that may not be promoting the same deals at the same time, downloading the app would prove to be really useful especially if you are a frequent customer of a particular McDonald's. You can also read about nutrition information on the app and stores are slowly transitioning to incorporate more technology in their restaurants. There are kiosks machines in a number of stores where you can order and perform self-checkout. You can choose anything on the menu through a touchscreen platform and a receipt prints out when you are done with your transaction. Normally in these McDonald's, there will also be a small flat screen t.v. near the cash register where you see numbers printed on the screen. This will notify customers if their order is currently being prepared. The kiosk machine also makes it really easy for people to cancel any orders and reduces lines during peak times. [91]

Dunkin Donuts

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Dunkin’ Donuts is now offering their signature coffee, donuts, and sandwiches available for purchase on-the-go using a mobile device nationwide. The brand announced that On-the-Go Ordering is now available exclusively for members of the Dunkin’ Donuts DD Perks® Rewards Program at Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the country. DD Perks members can order, pay in advance with a swipe of a finger on a smartphone, and then skip the line in the store to pick up their favorite menu items. With On-the-Go Ordering, DD Perks members can place a mobile order up to 24 hours in advance, select their desired location, and then simply confirm via the new Dunkin’ Donuts Mobile App when they are ready to pick up their order inside the restaurant, or at the drive-thru. The order is automatically paid for using their Dunkin’ Donuts Card within the App. In the restaurant, DD Perks Members have no need to wait, as they can skip the line in the store and go straight to pick up their items at a designated area. They also have the ability to save their recent orders as a favorite to speed up their next Dunkin’ run. To enjoy On-the-Go Ordering, DD Perks members nationwide must download the newest version of the popular Dunkin’ Donuts Mobile App, called “New Dunkin' Donuts" in the App Store or Google Play Store. It can be downloaded for free at the App Store or Google Play Store.[92]

Shake Shack

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Shake Shack is now offering their app called Shack App for iOS that allows you to save time and order ahead. The app allows you to order on the go from your smartphone. When you first sign up, they offer you a free burger to encourage people to use the app. You begin by choosing your location. Pretty much every Shake Shack participates in the app program. You can then set your pick up time. It can be anywhere from ASAP to 7 pm if you decide to order around 3 pm. Then you pick your food-- you can choose from anything on the menu except for beer and wine which you can buy at the location if they are selling. After that, you wait for the confirmation text to confirm that they received your order. Lastly, you pick it up and enjoy! Because this app is relatively new, they are still developing a loyalty program so customers are able to receive perks and discounts.

Domino's

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The Domino's app can be downloaded anywhere and ordering is made simple. The app provides coupons consumers can choose from. One builds their own pizza or choose from the existing specialty pizzas. Ordering from the app or site provides all the same menu items as in-store. These items are including and not limited to fried chicken, buffalo wings, pasta, sandwiches, bread, drinks, and desserts. The feature called Domino’s Tracker® allows the consumer to follow their order as it is being processed which is from the moment one places the order until it is out for delivery or ready for pickup.

FEATURES:

· Create a Pizza Profile to easily access your saved info and recent orders (not required)

· Order faster than ever by creating an Easy Order!

· Sign up for Domino’s Piece of the Pie Rewards™ and earn points toward free pizza!

· Pay with cash, credit card, debit card, or Domino’s gift card

· Use our voice ordering assistant, Dom, to add items to your cart and to select a coupon

· Connect with Ford Sync to track orders or place an Easy Order or a Recent Order while on the go

· Use Android Wear or Pebble watch to track orders or place an Easy Order or Recent Order right from your wrist

· Use Domino’s Tracker notifications to follow your order until it’s out for delivery or ready for pickup! [93]

Papa Johns

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Download Papa John's App and order your favorite pizza and sides in a flash! It's easy to locate Papa John's restaurants near you, find special online offers, and you can track your order to your door.

Papa John's iOS APP FEATURES: - The Entire Menu Order any of our delicious pizzas, sides, drinks, desserts, and extras!

- Push Notifications Special offers and notifications are delivered directly to your mobile device.

- Special Offers Get offers and coupons from your neighborhood restaurant. Use the convenient app inbox to receive and store super deal offers.

- Faves and Past Orders Save up to four of your favorite orders, and save past orders for 90 days (account login required), Find a PJ Near You, Improved mapping helps you find the closest Papa John’s location.

- No Account Required Order with or without a PapaJohns.com account.

- Anywhere Change your location and order from any Papa John's in the USA.

- Pay Your Way Cash, Credit Card, Visa Checkout, most stores even take checks or use PayShare, an easy way to split the bill with friends after your order is placed.

- Any Time With our Future Ordering feature, you can place your order online 24 hours a day! Order for lunch or this weekend's party, right now. Choose the specific time you'd like your order to be ready or delivered.

- Papa Rewards Earn FREE pizza and select sides (account login required).

- Papa Track Track your delivery order and be notified when your pizza is on the way.

- Save Time Select “Keep Me Logged In” at sign in to save time and earn Papa Rewards faster!

Auntie Anne's

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Auntie Anne's is an American chain store that was founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband in 1988. The stores sell a variety of pretzels, dips, and beverages. There is something for either savory or sweet lovers. Currently, the chain has more than 1,500 locations around the world. A majority of their shops are located within local shopping malls like Queens Community Mall.

With Auntie Anne's My Pretzel Perks mobile app, you can get exclusive offers and great rewards. With each purchase, you can earn points toward free pretzels. Oh, how sweet (or salty) it is! Free pretzel after your first purchase (minimum spend required). Free pretzel every 300 points, 10 points for every $1 spent, Exclusive new product news, special rewards, and offers. [94]

Pizza Hut

2018 Logo

Pizza Hut, one of the world's most recognizable brands, has definitely taken strides to incorporate New Media into its foundation for the newer generations to help make pizza ordering more simple. In a way to combat the competition, the company first made big strides when it announced earlier this year (2018) that they would be the official pizza sponsor for the NFL. [95] Secondly, the company focused on New Media by first coming out with their own app and making certain pizza deals available only to those who have created an account with them, and who have also downloaded the app. By doing this, they can set up a loyalty program without the nuts and bolts of using email, and instead, focus users on the app on their mobile phone. The company constantly comes out with new pizza creations, such as the 'stuffed crust' pizza or the 'three-cheese stuffed crust' pizza, which allows for a larger selection of food to choose from. Partnering with the NFL, coming out with a mobile app that has specific deals catered to your order history, and coming out with new types of pizza every quarter is how Pizza Hut has taken New Media to another level.

Kung Fu Tea

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Taking advantage of the rising new media era, Kung Fu Tea has launched its own mobile app which expedites customers' checkout processes upon ordering. After downloading the app, creating an account, and then linking either your debit or credit card to the mobile application, users are able to save the hassle of fishing out cash and spare change from their wallets and can instead scan the barcode presented from their phones at the register. Kung Fu Tea additionally allows users to take part in a monthly credit statement which stockpiles all purchases made via an app before charging for the total batch on one specific date.

Other than merely offering an alternative payment plan, the Kung Fu Tea app also engages its customers with a loyalty rewards program. Namely, for every $1 spent, the user's account would be loaded with 2 "bubbles" (or credits). For loyal and returning customers, and accumulated 168 bubbles will earn them a free drink before it resets back to zero.[96] In a similar vein, the app also allows users to "level up" to a new belt (drawing influence from achieving a new belt color in various martial arts subsets) after spending a certain amount with the app; effectively, this encourages customers to utilize this new media application as it will allow them to benefit from the various perks associated with the leveling up. For new customers, these individuals automatically receive their third drink purchase free of charge as a part of a new customer welcoming initiation.

Further expanding upon the new media playground, Kung Fu Tea also wisely decided to add special rewards for customers who linked their social media accounts with their account on the Kung Fu Tea app which garners a more mutually beneficial opportunity: additional exposure and coverage for the company, and an "easy" way to earn more perks for the customer.

Popeyes

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Believe it or not, Popeyes also has a mobile app that can be downloaded on both IOS and Android devices. This app is offered for no charge at all. After downloading, you are allowed to view current coupons offered, locate the nearest Popeyes, and also view their menu items. There are currently over 100,000 downloads of this app. Unfortunately, the app is only available in English. Another downside to the app is the frequent complaints about the app's coupons not being valid when they are put to use. Like with many fast-food restaurants, ordering in the app does not mean the order will necessarily be ready faster. Some have found that it is best to wait online than to order on the app or the site. Some menu items appear sold out in the app but available in store. A popular item is the spicy chicken sandwich and it does not always appear in the app. [97]

Burger King

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Burger King also has an app for its own. Users can download it on the Google Play Store or the App Store on IOS devices. It shows the users the nearest Burger King restaurant based on their location. Also, there are coupons on the app which can be used to get deals on menu items. Coupons from the app are more convenient than paper coupons. Although the app has the function of mobile ordering, only some Burger King chains accept mobile orders, making it less appealing compared to McDonald's sophisticated mobile ordering system. The App also gives the products' ingredients and calories so that customers will know what is in the food and how much calories they consuming.

Chipotle

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Chipotle is known to many as specializing in tacos and burritos. They were able to launch an app for Apple users in 2009 and Android users in 2013. It is able to provide a digitalized menu as well as locations of the closest Chipotle based on zip code, city, or state. The app offers mobile ordering and gives the option of pick-up or delivery. Chipotle also offers a rewards system to keep its customers interested in continuous use of the app. Every dollar spent earns one 10 points. With a total of 1250 points, a free entrée reward is issued. Chipotle also offers rewards on user's birthday and Chipotle's Birthday [98]

Panda Express

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Panda Express is famous for its wide selection of American Chinese cuisine. Originally, it was founded in 1983 in Glendale, California. Today, Panda Express currently has over 2200 locations across the world.[99] The fast-food chain also has an app available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play which allows customers to choose their favorite entrées, sides, and appetizers for pick-up, delivery, or dine in.[100]

Movies

Super Size Me

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Morgan Spurlock created a very interesting documentary called Super Size Me. He ate McDonald's for 30 straight days to see the effect of this on his body. I believe his main motive was to bring out in the open the problem we face in America today, the quality of the food and the massive portions are simply not healthy. I would say that this is one of the first New Media food documentaries. I have watched some others such as Food Inc. that really show you what goes on behind the curtain to food that you ingest daily. [101]

Fast Food Nation

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Fast Food Nation is a 2006 American-British comedy-drama film directed by Richard Linklater that is loosely based on the book by the same name that promotes viewers to opt for a life of vegetarianism [102]through a story about a marketing director finding out the truth about the fast food company he works for. The film depicts the brutal slaughtering of animals that end up as Fast Food as well as the unhealthy conditions of the production process of the food that will ultimately serve as a deterrent for those who love fast food.

Loyalty Programs

Large Franchises

Many large franchises have their own loyalty programs. For example, Pinkberry, the frozen yogurt chain, has an app that promotes consumer loyalty that keeps track of how many items you purchase and rewards you for your 10th item purchased. Very easy to use, you simply scan your phone during checkout and it will update in the app. It also rewards you with a free Pinkberry on your birthday. Also, you can put money into your Pinkberry account, which makes for even faster and convenient checkouts. This kind of loyalty rewards program is followed by many large franchises, as it promotes consumer loyalty through rewards and convenience, and doesn't hinder the company's business either. [103]

Belly

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As many large franchises have their own loyalty program, it may be costly for smaller businesses to maintain one. The belly is an easy way for small businesses to let their customers participate in a loyalty program. The belly is a card that you can either attach to your keys or in your wallet, which this card you can scan at any business who supports it, and rack up points for rewards. The thing requires from the business is a device that can support the belly site. An example of a store that uses the Belly program would be 7-11, our local convenience stores that carry just about all the different snacks that a person would desire. At the register, there is usually an option to scan your Belly rewards card or to scan it from your phone. This inputs your rewards directly into your account. [104]

Social Media Websites

Reddit

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Reddit is one of the most popular social media news sites on the internet. Users of Reddit are able to submit text posts and direct links to any content they wish to contribute. Reddit allows content to be reached across millions based on an up-vote system. Content that users find funny, important, and worthy are up-voted. The more votes the content receives the better it is positioned on the web page. For example, if I post a video of a dog chasing a cat and it gets tons of upvotes then it will be most likely on the top of the page allowing millions of its users to see it first. However, if the content is bad and the video keeps getting down-voted then it moves down the list. What users find most interesting about Reddit is they can find almost any topic on it that they are interested in. These topics are put into "subreddits" which are organized categories. Say if a user wants to ask a question about what parts they need to build a PC. They simply can locate the "buildup" sub-reddit and ask their questions. [105]

YouTube

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Every day, YouTube is used by millions around the world. YouTube has become a gargantuan competitor in the social media scene over the past several years since its launch. Those who are in the food industry tend to rely on YouTube's services to spread their knowledge, such as recipes. An example of this is Gordon James Ramsey, one of the most well-rounded celebrity chefs today. His channel [106] has over 3,000,000 subscribers; in it, he uploads a new video each and every week. As of 2017, he has over 500 in total. He utilizes the videos for various purposes, including showing his viewers how to cook certain dishes and video-logging.

Instagram

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Instagram is a popular social media application, which allows users to post pictures and videos with a comment and tag a location or person to share with their friends online. They can add hashtags to their photos and videos to attract and gain followers. Restaurants and other services can use this app to promote their goods and services. For example, Whole Foods Market uses Instagram to advertise its new foods, promotions, and other news and changes in management. Social media websites such as Instagram can really help companies to effectively advertise to their customers and fans. Social media is a new and effective way for companies to reach their fans and customers especially if a company has a strong base of followers. Then whenever they want to make a new announcement they can do so by posting on Instagram. When companies constantly engage with the customers, they can retain more customers and increase their fan base and brand awareness.

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Similar to taking pictures, people, while traveling and posting pictures of food to Instagram, has become a trend as of late. Many people who like to experience new food and enjoy taking pictures of what they are about to eat are using Instagram to express themselves. There are many professional photographers or photography enthusiasts who love to post their photos and adding photos of food has just created a new way of expression. It also creates a source of advertisements, because good word of mouth spreads. There are some Instagram users who dedicate their Instagram account to pictures of the photo. Huffington Post has posted an article on top accounts to follow who takes pictures of food. Some of these people are chefs, food and photography lovers, restaurants, bakeries, and professional food photographers. [107]

There are Instagram pages that are dedicated to trending food places. One of the current trending restaurants is NYC's Black Tap, which revolutionized milkshakes and posted it on Instagram. Within weeks these milkshakes went viral and people had to have one, not only for the delicious taste but for the amazing Instagram picture they would get out of the experience as well. [108]

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A big craze on Instagram that reflects a worldwide craze is healthy eating. "Eating clean" has grown in popularity on an exponential scale. As more people showcase their healthy meals, others are catching on to the craze and joining in. Now it is not only popular to eat healthy, organic foods, but also popular to showcase them on social media. Instagram is the most popular networking application used to post pictures of meals. In fact, many owners of Instagram accounts are popular for just that. "Health addicts" are gaining popularity fast, and the new trend is to eat healthily, and not forget to showcase your green meals for everyone to see. One famous Instagram-er known for her healthy meals is Run_Wilde. This 16-year-old from Australia gets creative with her food posts and this attracts over 12 thousand users from all around the world. All of her posts utilize attractive photography, healthy photo subjects (the food itself, of course,) as well as the phenomenon of hash-tagging so that explorers on the app may come across her posts. On the right is an example of one of her picture posts that will make you crave a healthy meal. [109]

Twitter

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Twitter is a popular social media website and has become frequently used by Twitter users to tweet photos of their food or drinks. Sharing photos of food has become very normal in today’s culture. However, there is oftentimes a tough decision for consumers to decide whether to share or not to share a picture of a meal. People who see these food photos online have opinions that vary from “Literally one of the worst food shots I’ve ever seen” to “There’s nothing perverse or rude about taking a quick photo of someone’s delicious masterpiece.” [110] As a result of these food photos, new media is able to help restaurants and food industries to “benefit from the photographs being out there.” Although these food photos may seem harmless, some food snaps just aren’t captured properly to do the food justice—whether the photographer’s technique is bad, or a particular dish does not photograph well. Some restaurants, especially high-end restaurants, may also either discourage the use of flash photography or prohibit photos altogether. [111] Momofuku Ko, a restaurant in New York, is one such example of a restaurant that has a “No photos allowed” policy. This is shocking to many consumers who regularly share photos of their meals online.


Facebook

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Facebook is very useful among people all over the country. "With a billion (yes, billion) users, Facebook is still the mightiest social media platform for business promotion. Restaurants can use Facebook to connect with customers and increase sales through many different ways including video streaming, photos, and list building." [112] Facebook is a media platform which helps business and customers with photos and information. For example, you can go to the restaurant page before you go to that particular restaurant. You can check through the new media Facebook and see if you like the restaurant if you like the dishes (if the restaurant has your favorite food, etc). The restaurant owner can use Facebook pages to talk about their restaurant and talk about what dishes are available, who is the chef, and post photos. Customers can post pictures on their personal page or can post on the restaurant page. Also, customers can write a review about the restaurant so that the other customers will know what is the new restaurants like. New media made it very easy for everyone to access information about the restaurants.

Pinterest

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Pinterest is a social media site that allows users to "pin" things online. Essentially, Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool that helps people discover and save ideas digitally. For instance, users are able to share pictures on various topics such as food or arts and crafts. Pinterest differs from other picture sharing social media sites because of its layout. The pictures are in rows and columns, with many pictures being shown at the same time in the window. As people discover their own recipes for different foods, they share these ideas with others, allowing them to further share their ideas. Pinterest also customizes the images that are shown per user based on their likes or dislikes.[113]

Wine 'n Dine

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Wine 'n Dine is a relatively new app that was released in order to let consumers take pictures of their food to post to their friends. It's a great way to share the best dishes from restaurants. If one doesn't know what they want to try they could just look at the Wine 'n Dine app and review the best plate recommendations for that particular restaurant. Wine 'n Dine has features like "Discover" and "Wanna Try" which makes it easy to choose what to eat and where to eat. It is almost like having a digital and visual menu in your pocket. It is very similar to Instagram, but strictly for food and the discovery of restaurants. Wine 'n Dine works on a point system that offers incentives to the user. The more you post, the more points the user will earn. At the end of the week, the score tallies up on a leaderboard for each major city and the winner for each city is allowed to redeem a prize. The app as of now is only available to iPhone users.

Social Media Impacts

Pressuring the Food Industry

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting public health by regulating many traditionally-recognized product categories, such as food products. This means that the food industry is under regulations by the FDA for their food products to ensure that foods are safe and sanitary for the public. [114]

There have been cases where the public had attempted to testify issues to the FDA regarding their concerns about certain food products, but nothing had happened. For instance, in one case, Renee Shutters had testified to the FDA about the food dyes in candy-like blue M&M’s, but her plea was ignored until she went online to petition for the artificial food dyes to be removed from the foods. [115] As a result, Ms. Shutters was able to hear good news about a potential new food dye, which was a result of her dedication to turning to online social media and petitions. This is an indication of the large impact that social media can have on the food industry—and it can also help to bring forth changes to certain food products even quicker so that the food industry will not always say that it is working on a re-launch. Social Media outlets like Facebook and Youtube impact the way people perceive fast food. There are certain videos online on YouTube and Facebook that show how chicken nuggets are made. As of right now, McDonald's is taking the brunt of the negative publicity due to more people being aware of how the food is made. Social media is now a powerful tool that can “force the titans of the food industry to reconsider the ingredients in their foods and the labeling and processing of their products.”

New Media in the Hospitality Industry

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Airbnb

Airbnb [116] is a website that allows users to list or find apartments or houses to rent for a short amount of time. It is a 1.3 billion dollar company that began in 2008 by two roommates by the name of Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia who were having trouble paying their rent. With a popular conference coming to their town they saw an opportunity to make some extra cash by renting out space in their home. All the hotels in the area were booked so they rented out space in their living room for people who wanted to attend the conference but had nowhere to stay. After renting out their living room, and providing breakfast to three customers they realized that they did be an actual business opportunity. There are millions of people around the world with large homes or vacation homes that could be rented out at certain parts of the year. That was how the company was created. Now Airbnb allows users to create profiles to become hosts and rent out their homes, and the listings online will show pictures of the home, the rates, the neighborhood where the home is if it's pet-friendly, and so on. Users that want to Airbnb instead of booking a hotel room, end up saving money because the rates are generally cheaper and users get to have a kitchen to prepare meals instead of going out to eat like you would be living in a hotel. The idea might have started in San Francisco. But Airbnb now has options in most of the United States and even Europe and Asia. [117]

Airbnb Legal Issues

It is illegal in NY to rent out an unoccupied apartment for less than 30 days which is exactly what Airbnb accomplishes. As of 4/22/14, the NY Attorney General is trying to find out more information about the hosts of these houses. [118]

Hospitality Industry Growth

Hospitality Trends

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The hospitality industry consists of fields in the service industry. Regarding the food industry concerning restaurants and cafes, consumers now travel to different locations in search of high-quality services and high-quality experiences more than ever before. Likewise, many hospitality industries will also have to focus on developing a strong online presence to reach their consumers and stay competitive.

This may be a result of the emerging use of social media, which includes interactive platforms, as well as photos and video sharing platforms. As a result, consumers will be able to research restaurants and cafes they would like to go to before actually going. For instance, this is similar to the idea of how people read and compare hotel reviews before going on a trip. Consumers can also read about food and restaurant service reviews to get an idea of the popularity and service of the service industry. Service industry marketers are suggested to work on mobile applications and perhaps visual media because nowadays, social media and mobile applications are inseparable. [119]

Amazon Go

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Amazon is revolutionizing the shopping experience. Grocery shopping can be a tedious experience for the person who potentially ends up waiting in lines for a considerable amount of time. Amazon is attempting to change this by creating a high-tech Amazon Go store that guarantees an experience with no lines or checkouts. Instead consumers can simply grab their items and go!

To enter the store, the consumer will first have to download the Amazon app. After finalizing which location they will go to, the consumer will have the opportunity to get a personalized barcode that needs to be scanned in order to enter the Amazon Go store[120]. Inside the stores, there are sensors that are strategically placed around the store which will detect the items that the customer picks up from the shelves and will automatically add it to their virtual carts. If an item is placed back on the shelves, the sensors will detect that as well and make the appropriate deductions in the virtual cart. The items that are available inside the store range from dairy products, fresh meals and packaged snacks[121]. Customers can pick up meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well baked goods. Like a traditional supermarket, if a consumer needs help, associates will still be around restocking shelves and answering any inquiries and making product recommendations[122]. Once the customer is finished shopping, they can simply leave the store. As soon as they leave the location, the customer’s Amazon account is automatically charged and will be billed for their purchase.

According to Amazon, they will be using computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning[123]. With the combination of sensor and artificial intelligence, it will be able to tell how the customers react in the store. Amazon is creating a system that has never been seen before. According to retail specialists, Amazon is combining artificial intelligence, RFID, sensor and machine learning technology[124]. It sounds so unrealistic, but Amazon is just made it a reality. It is expected that Amazon will open 3,000 Amazon Go Stores in 2021 with generating approximately $4.5 billion sales per year.

Amazon Go Grocery

On February 25, 2020, Amazon opened the first Amazon Go Grocery store in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. The Go Grocery store is significantly larger than other Go stores, at 10,400 square feet (970 m^2), and has 5,000 items, including fresh produce and baked goods.[125] [126]

Ordering Food Online

Pros

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Comparing ordering food online and actually having to go to a food place has many pros. According to the article “ What are the advantages of online food ordering” on gloriafood.com “Today, more people than ever order online thanks to smartphones and tablets. Studies show that about 69% of customers order food online using a mobile device (Interactive Advertising Bureau and Viggle). Whether stuck in traffic, riding the bus or on a break, anyone can place an order quickly and easily, as opposed to waiting until getting home or starting to call”. As you can see how convenient ordering food online is. Ordering food online from your phone is way better than calling physically and ordering your phone. It creates many frustrations because it requires communication between you and the person taking your order. There may be obstacles/effects surrounding you which you cannot control which can really affect your phone conversation like noises in the background which would lead to some sort of miscommunication. With these noises affecting the background, it may be the cause of an incorrect or misplaced order. “Your restaurant might not be opened 24/7, but online there is no reason why you shouldn’t be available for every customer, thus make money even while you sleep. Give your clients the flexibility to place the orders whenever convenient for them, even outside your business hours. They will just schedule a preferred pickup or delivery time within your working time. When you open, you already have a to-do list to review and to start acting on” (gloriafood.com). As you can see another reason ordering food online is beneficial is because of the fact that you can order food 24 hours and 7 days a week. Menus online are much better and easier to navigate. One example of this would be like ordering food online that has many toppings features which you can choose from manually but the menu in the actual store has a fixed menu with fixed prices. You won’t be able to choose different toppings and the cashier would most likely have trouble making up a price for a pizza you just created. The price of these ordering food online services depends and varies on factors like distance and the place you are ordering from. Sometimes it's very cheap or even free delivery depending on the restaurant or food place. [127]

Cons

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The only cons of ordering food online would be cons affecting owners of restaurants. Based on the article “Why Restaurants hate GrubHub Seamless” from tribecacitizen.com restaurant owners dislike ordering apps like GrubHub and seamless. “It has made ordering delivery much easier for consumers, and restaurant owners acknowledge that business would be dramatically lower without it. But the cost is substantial, and restaurants—already feeling the pinch of high rent, increased wages, and so forth—no longer believe that the company is on their side” (tribecacitizen.com). The costs of these services exceed the budget of these restaurants and harm them a lot. There are four levels of commission that a company/restaurant can choose from which are 12.5%, 15%, 17.5%, or 20%. The more the restaurant pays, the more they are visible on the app. “This explains why Seamless floods the results with so many restaurants, including ones farther away than your typical delivery zone. The more results there are, the harder it is for a restaurant to stand out—which makes restaurants likelier to pay more to increase their exposure” (tribecacitizen.com). This isn't just the only problem with online ordering it's the confusing menu and layout which doesn't give you certain options to add things or remove things that are usually IT issues according to (https://orders2.me/the-4-most-common-problems-with-online-ordering/). This also makes the ordering app seem like a gas station and the restaurants are like cars who need to keep filling up gas to keep running. The more you pay the more gas you can fill up in your car just like the different levels of commission rates in percentage. Just by having the 20 percent commission does not declare that your restaurant would pop up in the first few pages of the apps search engine but there are extra hidden expenses that a restaurant would have to pay. The seamless ordering services also have hidden fees for each delivery delivered by the app. “Seamless and GrubHub were founded in 1999 and 2004, respectively, and yet they still haven’t found a way to integrate their current technology into restaurant point-of-sale systems—or even into a single tablet” (tribecacitizen.com). Restaurant owners also complained about how the technology of seamless sucks and they had problems like printing out orders and their tablets were freezing. Some restaurant owners prefer customers to call in and place their order rather than ordering online because it helps them save money without using the commission rates and they wouldn’t have technical difficulties. Seamless harms small businesses that use these online ordering services because they have to give up about 17.5 percent of their nonexistent profit. There is never a guarantee that the food ordered will come out the way that the consumer expects it. [128] [[2]]

Overall Conclusion

The usage of these online food ordering services will keep going up and increase rapidly. Based on the article “The Good News for GrubHub? People Want More Takeout” on Bloomberg.com “Following the past three recessions, the restaurant industry has grown at a real rate of more than 2 percent over a three-year span of economic recovery. This time around, however, the real rate of growth hasn’t yet topped 2 percent since the 2008 recession. Sales in the restaurant industry are expected to hit $683.4 billion in 2014, a 1.2 percent increase, adjusted for inflation”. GrubHub and Seamless have gone up really high in the market passing its competitors leaving them with no competition. They will stay really high and possibly the main source for consumers to order food online. It doesn’t only have to be GrubHub or seamless but ordering food services online is growing and being accepted as something regular and will continue to grow. Restaurants that can’t keep up with the commission rates from seamless and GrubHub are starting to create their own delivery services so they can save money and make more money. Regardless of what restaurants decide to do the consumers are the ones that are benefitting the most out of it. As anyone who works in the industry knows, "The customer is always right." [129]

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