Editor’s Note: Support Local is CompareBear’s article series featuring Kiwi-owned businesses and local initiatives, as we all help to get our communities back on their feet.
Local restaurants have suffered greatly in this pandemic. During the nationwide full lockdown, they were forced to close their business, downsize, and lay off some of their employees. Now that restrictions have eased a bit, many local restaurants are hoping to bounce back with the help of food delivery service apps.
While most Kiwis’ go-to food delivery service app is UberEats, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has encouraged Kiwis to choose restaurants that don’t use the app because of their high commission rate of 30-35%. Besides UberEats, what are other great food delivery apps offering services for local restaurants in NZ? Here are some of them.
Deliveryeasy is one of the largest local food delivery service alternatives in New Zealand. They have services in over 15 major cities and their suburbs across the country, including Tauranga Palmerston North, Dunedin, and Invercargill. They list cuisines from around the world — from Chinese and Indian to the native Maori — giving you more options to choose from.
Compared to their biggest competitor, they only charge 20% for commission, so that profit can remain in local businesses. Best of all, they’re continuously partnering up with more restaurants in the suburbs to service more Kiwis with local food.
Menulog may not have the widest coverage, but they compensate it with low delivery fees and commission. Due to the pandemic, they’ve announced their arrangement to drop their commission from 14% to 7% to help local restaurants cope with the loss. The Restaurant Association NZ has applauded their gesture to help rebuild the industry.
Menulog has services in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, including all their suburbs. What’s great about their app is the freedom that they give restaurants to set their delivery fees and minimum order values.
Regulr is one of the best local food delivery service apps, as they don’t charge any commission fees! To gain profit, they charge a flat fee of $39 per month, which is still comparably lower than their competitors. Restaurants can also set their delivery fees and minimum order values, making it a hassle-free option for local businesses.
Best of all, their delivery services aren't limited to certain places only — they’re available throughout New Zealand! Plus, Regulr is the only major food delivery app to allow alcohol deliveries from local breweries.
Eat Local is a community-based food delivery service app, which aims to help local restaurants save money on delivery costs. Unlike other bigger food delivery services, they only charge 5% for commission and delivery. It’s one of the lowest in New Zealand, saving local businesses heaps on their daily logistics costs.
Eat Local plans to cover all parts of the country, so Kiwis can easily order food in their local restaurants and cafes. For now, they’re launching in the Eastern Bay of Plenty region to give small businesses a platform to list their menu.
The best way you can show support to your favourite local eatery is through ordering via their personal delivery service. It may be through an old-school process like calling or texting their hotline numbers, but you can be sure that all profit goes to them — no commission fees, flat fees, whatsoever!
Make sure that your mobile plan is always topped up, so you can order food from your local restaurant anytime. Even better, get an unlimited mobile plan so you won’t run out of credits for calling and texting! Before purchasing a mobile plan, go ahead and compare your best options here at CompareBear.