Users of Uber Eats will now be able to order through the app while dining in.
The delivery company last week launched contactless ordering for dine-in and pickup. The feature is designed to reduce contact between customers and staff as restaurant dining rooms reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.
To order, customers can scan a QR code at the restaurant or find the restaurant on Uber Eats’ app. They order and pay via the app, and food will be brought to them at a table or to go.
“We all have a role to play in keeping each other safe and healthy, and our Contactless Order Feature for both pickup and dine-in provides another tool for customers and restaurant staff to do just that,” said Daniel Danker, head of product for Uber Eats. “As people rely more on Uber Eats during the pandemic, we are constantly developing new ways to promote a safe experience using technology and feedback.”
The dine-in feature will launch in eight U.S. markets (Indianapolis, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Vermont, Atlanta and New York), while contactless pickup is now available nationwide. The company is waiving fees for restaurants using contactless ordering through the end of the year.
Contactless ordering and payment have taken off during the pandemic, with many restaurants providing QR codes that customers can scan to browse the menu and pay via their phones. While safety is a big factor driving adoption, the codes are also convenient, and they give restaurants a new way to engage with guests—and collect their data.
Uber Eats competitor DoorDash launched its own version of contactless ordering in July.
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