Uber Eats is taking a page from TikTok’s book with the launch of its new short-form video feed, aimed at enhancing restaurant discovery and giving eateries a platform to showcase their dishes. In an exclusive interview with TechCrunch, the company’s Global Head of Product, Awaneesh Verma, revealed that the feed is currently being tested in major cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Toronto, with plans to eventually roll it out globally.
Following in the footsteps of other popular apps, including Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Netflix, Uber Eats is tapping into the trend of short-form video content spurred by the success of TikTok. In fact, it was recently discovered that even LinkedIn has jumped on board with its own version of the TikTok feed.
The new short-form videos on Uber Eats will appear in carousels within the app, including the homescreen. Once a user clicks on a video preview, they will be taken to a vertical feed of bite-sized content that can be swiped through. The content featured will only be from restaurants located within close proximity for delivery.
According to Verma, the goal of the feed is to mimic the experience of being in a restaurant and witnessing the excitement of food preparation, which often leads to trying new dishes. As users scroll through the feed, they may stumble upon a mouth-watering video of a Nutella milkshake being whipped up at an ice cream shop, or a demonstration of an Indian restaurant’s smart packaging method to ensure the delivery arrives with fresh, non-soggy food.
“Early data has shown that people are more willing to venture out of their comfort zone and try new dishes they may not have considered before,” Verma shared. “Even small details like being able to see the texture and portion size of a dish can be incredibly inspiring for our users.”
It’s worth noting that these videos are not advertisements, as Uber Eats is not charging merchants for placement. However, this feature provides restaurants with a direct and visual way to reach potential customers while they are making decisions about their next meal. And for consumers, who often rely on social media for discovering new restaurants and dishes, Uber Eats is hoping to become a one-stop-shop for inspiration.
Not everyone may see Uber Eats’ foray into short-form video as a welcome addition, as the saturation of this type of content may seem overwhelming to some. While it may make sense for entertainment and social media apps, the introduction of a TikTok-like feed in a food-delivery app may not be a favorable choice for all users.
In addition to the new video feed, Uber Eats has also revamped its merchant software, Uber Eats Manager, to better support restaurants. The updated version offers personalized growth recommendations, such as promoting certain dishes or adding photos to menu listings, to help restaurants expand their reach and increase sales.
Furthermore, the company plans to launch a brand new app specifically for restaurant managers this summer, designed to make it easier for them to stay on top of their business while on the go. For example, the app may send alerts to managers about any issues at their restaurant or promote the use of ads to boost sales.
In an exciting milestone, Uber Eats announced that it now has over one million merchants on its platform, serving customers in 11,000 cities across six continents. With the addition of its new TikTok-inspired video feed, Uber Eats is hoping to further facilitate the connection between restaurants and users, making it even easier for people to discover their next favorite dish. So go ahead and swipe, watch, and indulge with Uber Eats’ latest feature.
