Food and grocery delivery has spiked during the pandemic. Apps like SkipTheDishes, Uber Eats, and Instacart have gained new users who turned to delivery out of necessity. For marketers, these apps present a new opportunity to reach consumers with ad products rich in intent and location data.

Super apps in Asia, such as WeChat, Alipay, and mobile messaging app Line, have dominated ecommerce and online services in the region for years. Now, some Western apps are trying to build their own super apps by creating marketplaces next to their core financial, social, or delivery services. Most of these apps use a combination of monetization methods, including commissions and ad serving.

Delivery apps race to sign up retailers to their platforms: DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Gopuff each inked new deals to grow their retailer network and bring fast delivery to more customers.

Rapid grocery apps face regulatory scrutiny as local governments push back: A proposed bill would prevent ultrafast services from advertising 15-minute delivery in New York City.

More than 1 in 5 respondents said they will do more grocery delivery after the pandemic than before. Remote work is a key driver of food and grocery app adoption. The pandemic pushed more people to work from home, and the trend persists for many white-collar industries.

Working with the restaurant delivery software provider lets Block build out its Square for Restaurants suite.

On today's episode, we discuss some of the best-in-class features of a retail site, what to avoid, and how to get your retail app onto customers' phones. We then talk about whether 30-minute delivery can move the needle, what the first iteration of robot delivery might look like, and if palm-scanning technology will catch on. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Suzy Davidkhanian.

It offers a customizable white-label website and app so restaurants can set up and manage online ordering and delivery for their customers. GoParrot’s platform lets restaurants create marketing campaigns and track customer and sales analytics. It also integrates with point-of-sale (POS) systems like Clover and delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.

How we got here: As in the United States, grocery delivery apps really began to thrive during the pandemic as consumers in China adjusted to the realities of lockdown life. That led to a wave of venture capital and a number of new players vying for market share.