Goldbelly
Joe Ariel and Danny Meyer.
- Danny Meyer, founder of Shake Shack and CEO of Union Square Hospitality, is betting on delivery's continued domination in the restaurant industry.
- Union Square Hospitality led a $20 million round of funding for Goldbelly, a company that focuses on delivering unique dishes across the US.
- "People's lives are busier than ever. We've gotten used to having a remote control to life living in our pockets at all times, also known as our smartphones," Meyer told Business Insider.
Danny Meyer, founder of Shake Shack and CEO of Union Square Hospitality, is betting big on delivery continuing to transform the restaurant industry.
On Tuesday, Goldbelly announced it had raised $20 million in a Series B funding round led by Union Square Hospitality. Goldbelly is a delivery company with a unique premise, sending famous foods from beloved restaurants across the United States.
While the rise of delivery has been linked to customers' demand for convenience, Goldbelly proves the model can take on different forms. People will wait more than 24 hours to have Goldbelly deliver a special meal from across the US, a far cry from the speedy promises of companies like Seamless or DoorDash.
"When you just want something fast, that's not why Goldbelly exists," Meyer told Business Insider. "If you just want something fast at home, that's not when any of my restaurants exist."
As off-premise dining becomes an increasingly important part of business for restaurants, there is now an opportunity for delivery to evolve beyond local customers ordering from nearby options. Convenience doesn't simply mean getting dinner in 40 minutes without leaving your couch - it can also mean getting a New York-style slice of pizza without leaving San Francisco.
"The quality of restaurant and specialty food in this country is so high now and people recognize it," said Joe Ariel, the CEO of Goldbelly.
"Historically in this country people haven't appreciated good food, but that's changed," Ariel continued. "Now people are willing to spend more of their entertainment dollar towards food experiences at not just at restaurants, but at home."
Meyer believes that this new wave of delivery options is only going to continue to expand and evolve.
"When you have companies like Amazon and Uber in the game, not to mention companies like DoorDash and Postmates - each one of which has just had an enormous infusion of additional investment - it's hard to imagine that this is going to turn back at any time soon," Meyer said.
"Is it going to turn into drones? I have no idea," Meyer continued. "I don't have any idea where it's going, but I do know people's lives are busier than ever. We've gotten used to having a remote control to life living in our pockets at all times, also known as our smartphones."