Food on Demand

Meredith Sandland and Carl Orsbourn, authors of "Delivering the Digital Restaurant," delve into the rapid evolution of food delivery. They explore how virtual restaurants and ghost kitchens are reshaping the dining landscape, driven by changing consumer preferences for convenience. The duo emphasizes the merging of grocery and restaurant services and discusses innovative partnerships that enhance delivery options. They also envision a future where suburban spaces adapt to new delivery infrastructures, creating more walkable communities for evolving lifestyles.

In the 19th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with Dirk Izzo, president and GM of NCR’s hospitality division. They also cover Toast’s IPO, Alphabet’s Wing hitting the 100,000 drone delivery milestone, the rise of local delivery co-ops and the ongoing Proposition 22 debate about delivery drivers.

In the 18th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with David Bloom, Chief Development and Operating Officer for Capriotti’s and Wing Zone. They also cover DoorDash’s new Full Service model that allows restaurants to outsource everything—even the cooking—at its ghost kitchens, WoodSpoon landing $14 million in funding, and the Food On Demand team’s delivery price inflation test comparing the cost of delivery to dining in. 

In the 17th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with Rishi Nigam, co-founder and CEO of Franklin Junction, which pioneered the host kitchen model bringing outside brands into under-utilized kitchens.   They also cover Just Eat Takeaway finalizing its purchase of Grubhub, the rise of instant grocery delivery, Snackpass landing a big-dollar investment and delivery volumes remaining stable as we move into the peak of summer.

In the 16th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with Bobby Healy, founder of Manna, a drone delivery as a service provider, and Brody Sweeney, director, Camile Thai Kitchen, about their ongoing work delivering meals to customers in Ireland. They also cover Olo’s IPO, DoorDash suing Olo, Fuku’s rough delivery-only debut in Houston and the staying power of virtual restaurants as the pandemic slowly recedes.

Nabeel Alamgir, Founder and CEO of Lunchbox, discusses the dynamic landscape of virtual restaurants and how technology is reshaping dining experiences. He shares insights on the rise of software platforms and the automation trends in the restaurant industry. Alamgir also delves into DoorDash's acquisition of Chowbotics and its implications for restaurant operations. The conversation highlights the lasting impact of the pandemic on consumer habits and explores the importance of balancing convenience with traditional dining experiences.

In the 14th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with Geoff Alexander, president and CEO of Wow Bao and a managing partner at Lettuce Entertain You. They also cover the National Restaurant Association's new guidelines for delivery providers, an Ohio city hiring its own delivery drivers, and the rise of celebrity-backed virtual restaurants.

In the 13th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with Chris Monk, founder and CEO of Your Fare, an order integration and logistics company that recently acquired Pronto and Beyond4. They also cover DoorDash’s imminent IPO, Chipotle’s first digital-only kitchen, Ordermark raising $120 million and California voters approval of Proposition 22 that allows delivery drivers to remain independent contractors.

In the 12th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick talk with Ilir Sela, the founder and CEO of Slice, an online marketplace exclusively for independent pizzerias that recently crossed $1 billion in transactions. They also cover drone deliveries of pad thai in the U.K., electric delivery vehicles on campuses and beyond, Inspire Brands investing in ItsaCheckmate and Amazon going deeper into grocery delivery.

In the 11th episode of the Food On Demand Podcast, hosts Tom and Nick speak with Meredith Sandland, the former COO of Kitchen United who’s writing a book called Delivering the Digital Restaurant, and Christine Barone, CEO of True Food Kitchen. They also dive into Waitr’s latest financial results, Uber buying Postmates, CloudKitchens’ new drive-thru facility in LA, and C3's upcoming mega food hall/ghost kitchen project on Manhattan’s west side.