Arcade, one of the top food delivery startups of 2015, has been hailed for simplifying the delivery experience down to a single text message exchange. People can order lunch by simply texting “Yes”, taking all of 30 seconds of their day.
On Thursday, January 7, they are taking their ‘need for speed’ and aiming it at a new space: the QSR (quick serve retail), aka ‘fast casual’. “At lunch time we see people waiting on long, 15-25 minute lines, for places like Chipotle, sweetgreen, indikitch, etc, and realize the QSR concept has hit a natural bottleneck. We’re going to make fast casual much, much faster by cutting out the two biggest choke points: food prep and payment.”
On Thursday, January 7th, Arcade’s first pickup location launches in NYC’s Flatiron District (13 E. 27th Street).
On opening day, all orders will be just $3
Users may text MENU to 22105 for the daily menu and they will be able to place their order right there, through SMS. Lunch will be ready for pickup between 12-2pm
The Facts
Ordering from Arcade is all via text. No waiting in line or credit card swipes. Each work day, Arcade offers users a single meal option from over 150 of the most popular, carefully vetted New York restaurants. At 10AM, Arcade sends users a text with a description of the “dish of the day.” Users simply text “Yes” before 11AM if they want to place an order, and Arcade guarantees delivery by 1PM. Arcade delivers made-to-order meals south of 59th Street. To sign up for the service, users simply text ARCADE to 22105.
“Our research showed us that many people prefer to pick up their lunch so they can get outside, walk & just take in the city. But those people end up going to the same places over and over again. Our pickup service allows people to get out of the office, while still taking advantage of our daily changing menu.”
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