EatStreet explained

EatStreet Inc.
Type:Private
Industry:Online food ordering
Num Employees:1
Foundation:Madison, Wisconsin
(2010)
Area Served:United States

EatStreet Inc. is an American online food ordering service that acts as a centralized marketplace, where diners can order delivery and takeout from restaurants in their area. Founded in 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin, the company has expanded to over 15,000 restaurants in over 150 markets nationwide.[1] In addition to the online ordering platform, EatStreet also offers restaurants custom websites, mobile apps, Facebook ordering, and digital marketing services. As of August of 2023, EatStreet no longer employs W2 drivers to deliver customer orders. They now contract with multiple third-party delivery services to complete deliveries nationwide.[2]

History

Initially launched by three University of Wisconsin–Madison students, co-founders Matt Howard, Eric Martell, and Alex Wyler on February 1, 2010, the company began as BadgerBites and operated solely in Madison, Wisconsin.[3] In August 2011, the company began expanding into additional markets, focusing on tier 2 and 3 cities, especially those with colleges and universities.

After launching fifteen sister sites to BadgerBites, the company launched a redesigned website to consolidate all of their restaurants and markets as well as begin national expansion under the new name "EatStreet” on January 21, 2013. In February 2013, the company raised $2.45 million in a Series A investment round.[4] Later that year, EatStreet was named the #2 "Food Delivery Startup to Watch" by StrategyEye [5] and CEO Matt Howard was named to Madison Magazines 2013 "M List" honoring entrepreneurial excellence.[6]

In early 2014, EatStreet partnered with the National Restaurant Association as part of the association's Extreme Digital Makeover promotion.[7] EatStreet partnered with Yelp in June 2014 to allow online users to order food directly from Yelp's restaurant pages.[8] A few months later, EatStreet's Series B funding reached a total of $8.4 million in February 2014.[9]

In spring of 2015, Howard, Martell and Wyler were named finalists for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Midwest.[10] In December of the same year, EatStreet secured a Series C investment round, totaling $26 million.

EatStreet was named one of Madison's top places to work by Madison Magazine in September 2016, drawing comparisons to Silicon Valley-based companies for their authentic tech startup culture.[11]

In fall of 2017, EatStreet's Howard and Wyler were named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in Consumer Technology.[12]

In February 2017, EatStreet implemented their own delivery services in ten cities following their acquisition of Philadelphia-based food delivery company, Zoomer.[13] As of May 2017, the company employs roughly 200 corporate employees and over 800 delivery drivers. The company is venture-backed.

Data breach

In 2019 EatStreet had a data breach and information including names, phone numbers, email addresses, and routing numbers for restaurants and delivery services, in addition to EatStreet customer information including names, last four credit card numbers, expiration dates, billing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers were accessed. The criminal claimed to have access to six million accounts.[14]

According to the disclosure EatStreet released in July 2019, the unauthorized party breached its computer network on May 3 and proceeded to access and download information from its database, until May 17, when the company discovered the intrusion.

Wage theft lawsuits

In 2020, three delivery drivers sued EatStreet for wage theft, accusing EatStreet of failing to reimburse mileage expenses and using tips to meet minimum wage requirements.[15] EatStreet agreed to a $1.2 million settlement, but later in December reported that it would not be able to honor its settlement offer due to financial circumstances.[16]

Virtual markets

In 2021, EatStreet opened a virtual convenience store and ghost kitchens as a part of a new EatStreet subsidiary, HungerHub LLC.[17] A year later, EatStreet abruptly shut down HungerHub.[18]

Driver layoffs

In August 2023, EatStreet announced that it would be laying off its W-2 drivers and switching to deliveries through contract providers.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Madison start-up EatStreet gobbles up more online restaurant orders. Rick Romell. jsonline.com. January 21, 2014. November 14, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131114214842/http://www.jsonline.com/business/madison-start-up-eatstreet-gobbles-up-more-online-restaurant-orders-b99137570z1-231838431.html. live.
  2. News: Nykiel . Teddy . EatStreet to lay off drivers as it switches to third-party delivery services . 3 October 2023 . Wisconsin Inno . American City Business Journals . 27 June 2023 . June 28, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230628112652/https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/inno/stories/news/2023/06/27/eatstreet-driver-layoffs-third-party-delivery.html . live .
  3. Web site: Online food ordering company EatStreet looks to be Madison's answer to GrubHub. Judy Newman - Wisconsin State Journal. madison.com. April 26, 2014. April 23, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140423020415/http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/online-food-ordering-company-eatstreet-looks-to-be-madison-s/article_1cbd28d9-8153-53dd-9e4b-b3c3b2015cfb.html. live.
  4. Web site: EatStreet raises $2 million in angel investment funds. Kathleen Gallagher. jsonline.com. June 3, 2013. February 28, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130228225725/http://www.jsonline.com/business/eatstreet-raises-2-million-in-angel-investment-funds-o78uc17-193305161.html. live.
  5. Web site: INSIGHT: Hot And Fresh Out The Kitchen - 8 Food Delivery Startups To Watch. StrategyEye - Digital Media. January 21, 2014. February 20, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140220062224/http://digitalmedia.strategyeye.com/article/mIP4J5LUjLc/2013/09/18/insight_hot_and_fresh_out_the_kitchen_8_food_delivery_startu/. dead.
  6. Web site: 28. Matt Howard. madisonmagazine.com. January 21, 2014. April 13, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140413131418/http://www.madisonmagazine.com/Madison-Magazine/November-2013/The-M-List/Matt-Howard/. dead.
  7. Web site: National Restaurant Association . March 7, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307024917/http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Marketing-Sales/Promotion/Extreme-Digital-Makeover . March 7, 2014 . dead .
  8. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eatstreet-partners-yelp-ordering-ease-142100858.html EatStreet partners with Yelp for ordering ease.
  9. Kathleen Gallagher. Venture funding hits $10 million for Madison's EatStreet. . jsonline.com
  10. Web site: EatStreet Co-Founders Named Finalists for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 Award in the Midwest. EatStreet. www.prnewswire.com. 2017-05-24. February 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215080040/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eatstreet-co-founders-named-finalists-for-ey-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2015-award-in-the-midwest-300074640.html. live.
  11. Web site: EatStreet named one of Madison's top places to work. EatStreet. www.prnewswire.com. 2017-05-24. February 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215051427/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eatstreet-named-one-of-madisons-top-places-to-work-300330294.html. live.
  12. Web site: 30 Under 30 Consumer Technology. EatStreet. forbes.com. 2017-11-17. February 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215051422/https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2018/consumer-technology/#2f98f48b20d9. live.
  13. Web site: EatStreet adds delivery service with purchase of certain Zoomer assets in 10 U.S. markets. EatStreet. www.prnewswire.com. 2017-05-24. February 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170201200441/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eatstreet-adds-delivery-service-with-purchase-of-certain-zoomer-assets-in-10-us-markets-300400565.html. live.
  14. Web site: EatStreet food ordering service discloses security breach. Cimpanu. Catalin. ZDNet. en. 2019-07-19. February 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215051435/https://www.zdnet.com/article/eatstreet-food-ordering-service-discloses-security-breach/. live.
  15. News: Derby . Samara . Class-action legal settlement against EatStreet reveals possible financial insolvency . 3 October 2023 . Wisconsin State Journal . 16 December 2022 . en . June 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230630021027/https://madison.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/class-action-legal-settlement-against-eatstreet-reveals-possible-financial-insolvency/article_57f13177-1eac-5fcf-948d-48efac7c8f6d.html . live .
  16. News: Yahr . Natalie . Madison food delivery giant EatStreet predicts insolvency, foreclosure . 3 October 2023 . The Cap Times . 15 December 2022 . en . March 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230316054324/https://captimes.com/news/business/madison-food-delivery-giant-eatstreet-predicts-insolvency-foreclosure/article_669788ac-d66b-529b-b6fa-e84c821e1cbd.html . live .
  17. News: Christians . Lindsay . EatStreet launches virtual market, ghost kitchens on State Street . 3 October 2023 . The Cap Times . 1 December 2021 . en . January 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230118043150/https://captimes.com/food-drink/eatstreet-launches-virtual-market-ghost-kitchens-on-state-street/article_aa854802-50f5-559b-9ee1-73dd8417a8b0.html . live .
  18. News: Derby . Samara Kalk . Ghost kitchen, grocery concepts under EatStreet ghosted employees, abruptly closing shop . 3 October 2023 . Wisconsin State Journal . 12 October 2022 . en . April 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230402014107/https://madison.com/entertainment/dining/restaurants/ghost-kitchen-grocery-concepts-under-eatstreet-ghosted-employees-abruptly-closing-shop/article_453cab3d-c315-5601-84ee-037c58e299b8.html . live .

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