Foodler.com is expanding across the U.S. and will be in Hawaii by the beginning of May.
This website allows customers to order delivery from participating restaurants, online.
Foodler features restaurants that already have a delivery service, as well as others that don’t; the latter can contract it out to a third party via the site.
The site launched in Boston in 2005 and now operates in 39 states. Arizona was the most recent addition, but the website will include restaurants in every state within the next six months.
“Customers are more and more looking to order online,” says Christian Dumontet, one of the site’s co-founders. “They get frustrated with the phone and may not have an accurate menu at home.”
His partner, co-founder John Jannotti, points out that it can also be a waste of time and effort for the restaurant to be on the phone. Online delivery orders are also a lot more accurate, he points out.
Foodler is helping both restaurants and customers. Restaurants that don’t already offer delivery can use the site as a strategic move to get more customers, Dumontet points out.
And restaurants can boost business on slower days by offering exclusive delivery specials. The site also encourages diners to experiment with restaurants by offering substantial discounts to first-time customers.
How Foodler works is a diner puts in their ZIP code or address and they’ll get a list of all the restaurants that deliver to them.
Restaurants are rated by diners—and only by diners—points out Jannotti, so competitors can’t leave bad reviews.
Once a customer clicks on the restaurant, they can see information including the menu; a list of the Most Ordered dishes; the Top Rated meals; the Most Popular meals
Another selling point with Foodler is it’s eco friendly. There are no paper menus, and food is delivered using scooters and bikes as much as possible. “But this also makes it easier to get around in the big cities,” Jannotti adds.
Foodler users can rack up points for using the site. These points can be used for gift cards, free food, or even cash. Some merchants have even started offering T-shirts for points. Points can be accrued by rating a restaurant, through Foodler’s friend referral program, and by earning double or triple points either from through using a restaurant listed under “Best Bets,” or group orders.
