You're probably familiar with ride sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. Now imagine a similar concept for food.
After living overseas for several years, Jennifer Richardson came back to the Kansas City area two years ago and started KCdeliver.com. The 'Uber for food' concept makes it possible to have more options for meal delivery.
Old Shawnee Pizza partnered with KCdeliver.com when it started two years ago. The obvious advantage for restaurants -- they don't have to pay drivers and customers, but instead pay a nominal fee for the convenience.
It’s just $2.99 for the company’s partner restaurants and starts at $7.99 for non-partner restaurants. The minimum order is $15 and it can't be for fast food.
“Customers call us and then once we have a driver that's available, we'll call the restaurant directly," Richardson said. "The restaurant gets it ready and then the driver is there while they're preparing it just to make sure the food stays hot."
The service is not limited to meal delivery. They’ll also go the grocery store for a $15 fee and deliver the same day.
"The driver is actually shopping for you. No one bags it up for us. We go down the aisles and pick everything from your avocados to your freezer food," Richardson said.
Old Shawnee chef preparing a Hawaiian-style pizza.
Drivers also have to go through a background check and interview.
"Drivers just clock in when they're ready," said Richardson. "They go pick up the food like a courier and deliver it straight to the customer, so we work mostly on the customer's behalf."
KCdeliver found out that most restaurants take about 20 minutes to prepare a meal.
"Saturday, it's going to take 30 minutes but the minimum time we say it's going to take 45 minutes, just to give the restaurant proper time to cook your food perfectly," Richardson added.
The KCdeliver app is available for both android and apple phones.
Because the company wants to make sure you receive your food as hot and fresh as possible, they say they do want to limit the pickup from any restaurant or grocery story to a 5-mile radius from your delivery location. Delivery is primarily available in Shawnee Mission, North Kansas City, Liberty and the Zona Rosa areas, as well as midtown Kansas City.
KCdeliver.com is also looking to add more drivers and restaurants.
Other food delivery services include Order Up, which is only available in Lawrence, and Grub Hub.
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Jane Monreal can be reached at JANE.MONREAL@KSHB.com.
