Uber Eats hits SXSW with “Uber Eats Drops”

Published on March 5, 2019

Uber is primarily known as a ride-sharing company that’s changed the way we commute in just about every major city in the world. Since the launch of Uber Eats in 2014, Uber has offered its customer base the luxury of ordering their food online and having it delivered to them.

Uber Eats is expanding its influence this year by hosting activations, called Uber Eats Drops, where they deliver food to at panels and parties to concert goers, at South by South West music festival, March 14 – 16th in Austin, Texas. SXSW draws hundreds of thousands of people every year, and Uber Eats seeks to solve the problems that festival goers encounter, like waiting in long lines during registration periods or while they wait to get into food venues on site.

After much research, Nikki Neuburger of global head of marketing at Uber Eats, said: “We’ve really focused on identifying some food pain points that Uber Eats is uniquely positioned to solve.”

Uber Eats initiative is strategic in keeping their customers needs at the forefront of their brand.

“We want to make some of those pain points a little better and help elevate those things that are already a pretty magical part of the SXSW experience.” — Nikki Neuburger.

Concert goers are one of Uber Eats’ next markets.

Uber Eats will also have a walk-up window at 600 E. Sixth St. Some Austin restaurants where festival goers can pick up food from include, The Peached Tortilla, East Side King, Tamale House and Juice Austin. Neuburger quoted earlier said, “The window is like a modern twist on a drive-thru.”

From March 14-16, Uber Eats will have a pop-up house at 612 W. Fourth St. with “interactive culinary, music and entertainment” experiences, according to a statement shared with the press. These Uber Eats experiences will pair artists with restaurants, including Khalid with McDonald’s, Virgil Abloh with Milk Bar and Billie Eilish with by CHLOE.

The activation is another way Uber is working to change the way consumers view the brand. While Uber and Uber Eats are two different brands, Neuburger said, “we see ourselves as one platform.”

Neuburger shared: “We see ourselves as trying to redefine what delivery can mean and that is really positioning it as a life-hacking tool. So taking some responsibility off of your plate, saving you a little bit of energy by bringing the food that you want to you … I think we’re very much aligned with the Uber master brand overall and really focusing the efforts this year on winning the hearts and minds of consumers.”

For Grit Daily’s coverage of some of Uber Eats’ upstart competitors, check out Fresh n’ Lean.


 

Margo Gabriel is a staff writer at Grit Daily. She is a news reporter, photographer, event host, foodie, music lover, churro aficionado and all around life enthusiast that loves to capture simple moments in her travels. Margo sells her photography prints online and via her Instagram page. Margo lives in Boston, Massachusetts and graduated from UMass Boston in 2009 with a B.A. in English and Professional Writing. When Margo is not writing, she enjoys cooking, traveling, live music, and hosting exciting events that bring communities together.

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