Front of house Bridget Kaine at Waterside Pizza, Pasta and Grill, one of nine businesses to sign on to Uber Eats. Other says they wouldn’t consider it.
Once upon a time, coming home from work too tired to cook, or having nothing in the fridge, meant beans on toast or two-minute noodles.
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Not anymore - takeaway is no longer limited to pizza and Chinese, and delivery platforms are no longer the domain of big cities.
As part of an expansion into 67 regional areas, Uber Eats has launched in Yarrawonga Mulwala.
Waterside Pizza, Pasta and Grill owner Jordan Rosmulder said having a presence on Uber Eats made the restaurant more accessible for locals and tourists.
“Over summer, we see so many visitors from Melbourne where having Uber Eats available to them is the norm,” Jordan said.
“Being on the platform means we can meet those expectations and bring that same culture and convenience to Yarrawonga.
“We already do a lot of takeaway orders for customers; now they can order ahead and pick it up on arrival.”
Belle’s Café owner Isabelle Warren said the Uber Eats fee was too much to implement the service in her business.
However, Belle’s Café owner Isabelle Warren said the service fee charged by Uber Eats was far beyond what she was willing to pay.
“I’m not looking to use Uber Eats for my business because being pretty central to town, it wouldn’t be needed at this stage,” Isabelle said.
“It sometimes gets very hectic in here, we take orders over the phone, and the percentage fee per transaction is not worth it.”
Globally, the impact of Uber Eats on local restaurants is mixed.
On one hand it can offer increased reach and potential for more sales, but the cost of high commissions and contract terms can erode profit margins.
A spokesperson told the Yarrawonga Chronicle that Uber Eats fees could be up to 30 per cent, depending on what level of service a business chooses.
To date nine eateries across Yarrawonga and Mulwala have signed up.
Jeff Thomson said he won’t use Uber Eats as he prefers to cook at home.
Ron Socnik said he was surprised that Uber Eats came to town. “I probably wouldn’t use it seeing everything is within walking distance for me,” he said.“I wouldn’t use it, I'd rather just go for a walk.”
Debra Nunn: Probably not so much for me, but my daughter would use it.