Convenience Versus Community as Consumers Debate Using Third-Party Delivery Apps: Business Casual

 

For years now, third-party food delivery apps like UberEats, Caviar, GrubHub, and Postmates, as well as the shop and delivery apps owned by eCommerce giants such as Amazon or AliBaba, have gained a foothold in communities around the world, transforming traditional shop-in and dine-in business models by offering an innovative approach to capturing additional revenues through services that bank on modern consumer convenience. However, in a post-pandemic world, many consumers are rethinking the convenience of these apps in favor of their community’s small businesses and workforce, many of which are straining to survive during shelter-in-place. Instead, these individuals are choosing to cut out the middleman and go out of their way to not only place orders with these local establishments themselves, but also, either driving to the location in their own vehicles or contracting a gig worker to do it for them rather than using fee-charging delivery apps that siphon profits from their struggling local favorites while helping to keep their workers on the payroll.

On this snippet of Business Casual, hosts Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern ask the tough questions:

While third-party delivery apps promote their capabilities in scaling the reach of a business, are the businesses themselves actually doing more work for less money?
As delivery apps create consumer dependence on their platforms, are they effectively hindering the sense of community a local business depends on to survive?
Are third-party delivery apps a predatory practice, holding restaurants and other businesses hostage by monopolizing search results?

Should these businesses eschew third-party platforms that can take up to three-quarters of their profits, and instead, provide delivery or takeout services themselves?
Will people continue to stay local-business-community-minded in a post-pandemic world, or will they revert back to creatures of convenience that enable the both popularity and profitability of third-party delivery apps?

Bringing thought leadership to your day, MarketScale’s Business Casual keeps you current with the hottest topics and newest trends shaping business today. And for the latest thought leadership, news and event coverage across B2B, be sure to check out our industry pages.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Food and Beverage Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

pcp
PCP Attribution Analysis
May 22, 2025

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar, RVP and Medical Director at Anthem National Accounts, joins Brent to unpack the power of primary care attribution analysis—a tool he helped pioneer to spotlight the clinical and financial impact of members not having an established PCP. Drawing from his background as a practicing pediatrician and claims analytics leader, Dr. Sam shares…

Read More
sydney health
Sydney Health Demo
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Christina Firouztash, Executive Advisor of Digital Solutions at Anthem, gives a dynamic walkthrough of the Sydney Health app—Anthem’s flagship digital member experience. Christina showcases how Sydney delivers personalized, simple, and equitable navigation across benefits, including virtual care, pharmacy, financial transparency, and social services access. From contextual chatbots and ID card access to…

Read More
pharmacy
Pharmacy Part 1
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Brent chats with Katie Brennan, National Sales Director at CarelonRx, about making pharmacy benefits more accessible, consistent, and member-friendly. Katie spotlights Carelon new advanced home delivery model, which brings the pharmacy counter—and the pharmacist—into the member’s home. With fewer retail pharmacies offering extended hours and many patients lacking reliable transportation, CarelonRx is…

Read More
inclusive care
Inclusive Care
May 22, 2025

Sammy Gonzalez, Regional Vice President at Elevance Health, joins Brent for a deeply personal and impactful conversation on health equity and inclusive care. Sammy shares a powerful story of medical misdiagnosis tied to cultural assumptions, underscoring how bias—even unintentional—can hinder care quality. He highlights Elevance’s work to improve diversity in provider networks, enhance cultural competency,…

Read More