Uber Eats Introduces Short-Form Video Feed for Visual Food Exploration

Uber Eats is launching a new feature that will offer a feed of short-form food videos from nearby restaurants, similar to TikTok's format. The video feed will appear on the app's home screen and in carousels, allowing users to visually explore dishes and place orders directly from the video screen. Currently being tested in New York, San Francisco, and Toronto, the feature aims to help showcase dishes from top merchants and attract new consumers. This move by Uber Eats follows the success of short-form video content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Meta, and YouTube.

Key Takeaways

• Uber Eats is testing short-form videos, similar to TikTok, showcasing restaurants preparing their food in New York, San Francisco, and Toronto.
• The new feature will allow users to scroll through a feed of food videos and order directly from the video screen.
• The short-form video feed is designed to help showcase dishes from top merchants and is not intended as advertisements, so Uber Eats won't charge restaurants to display the videos in the app.
• Early data shows that users are more confident trying new dishes and exploring different options with this visual approach.
• Uber Eats is following the trend of short-form video content craze after the success of TikTok, with other platforms like Instagram, Meta, and YouTube launching their own versions.

News Content

Uber Eats is jumping on the short-form video bandwagon with a new feature that will let users scroll through a feed of food videos from nearby restaurants, similar to the format used by TikTok. The video snippets will appear on the app's home screen and in carousels throughout the app, aimimg to attract new consumers and tell a visual story of their meals. Currently being tested in New York, San Francisco, and Toronto, this feature could eventually be rolled out to more cities.

The aim is to provide hungry users with the opportunity to swipe through vertical video clips showcasing a variety of dishes being prepared at handpicked restaurants. The concept is to inspire confidence in trying new dishes and enhance the user experience by allowing them to see texture, portion size, and details of the dishes. Unlike advertisements, the videos won't cost the restaurants anything to display in the app.

This move by Uber Eats follows the trend of social media platforms incorporating short-form video content, with Instagram launching Reels in 2020, and YouTube introducing its own TikTok clone called YouTube Shorts, which surpassed 50 billion daily views in early 2023.

Analysis

Uber Eats' foray into short-form food videos mirrors the trend set by social media platforms and aims to captivate consumers with visually appealing content. By offering a window into restaurant kitchens, the feature fosters trust and entices users to try new dishes. In the short term, this move could boost user engagement and attract new customers. Long term, it may reshape the food delivery landscape, influencing consumer preferences and dining habits. As the feature's trial run progresses in key cities, its widespread implementation could revolutionize how consumers interact with food delivery apps and how restaurants market their offerings.

Do You Know?

• Short-form video bandwagon: Refers to the trend of social media platforms and apps integrating short videos, typically lasting only a few seconds, to engage users and provide quick, visually appealing content.

• Vertical video clips: Videos shot in a vertical orientation, often optimized for viewing on mobile devices, allowing for a more immersive and seamless viewing experience.

• YouTube Shorts: YouTube's version of short-form video content, similar to TikTok, aimed at capturing the audience's attention with quick, captivating videos.