UNIVERSITIES BITE BACK AT FOOD DELIVERY APPS
- TUCO and OrderPay unite to create a delivery network run by students, for students at 130 universities
- The network will support restaurants and university students seeking better opportunities, services and rates
- Local hospitality venues will be offered rates 80% lower than what’s currently available via competitors (Deliveroo, UberEats etc.)
- To register interest as a hospitality venue, or university, see here: https://orderpay.com/tuco/
In a move to take on the delivery giants UberEats and Deliveroo, The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) today announced a first of its kind partnership with OrderPay; hospitality’s one-stop-shop for B2C commerce.
The nine-year partnership will enable students at 130 participating universities to order from surrounding restaurants via QR stickers –placed strategically around campuses (including in almost every room). Scanning these codes will open up a site of local options to order from.
Kicking off at Loughborough University on 1st February, and then rolling out onto Nottingham University and beyond, this partnership will see universities across the UK empower local independents and local students by giving them direct access to each other in a way that has never been done before.
In September an extension of this partnership will also permit students to order universities' internal catering offerings, delivered on campus exclusively by a network of student riders.
Participating universities will enjoy a profit-sharing scheme, providing much-needed additional revenue as well as the opportunity to fulfil local business and community support charters, whilst offering better value to independents and students.
The creation of the scheme is driven by the increase in demand for convenience, support local businesses and safer gig economy work. This platform offers restaurants and students a solution to the potential hazards faced by working for the delivery giants, such as delivering to unsafe areas they are unfamiliar with.
The partnership will also offer business students at supporting universities the opportunity to take part in training that will allow them to present Dragon’s Den-style pitches of the partnership to other potential universities.
Mike Haslin, CEO of TUCO commented, "I have been part of a market scan and subsequent tender and have met over 15 businesses in the sector, OrderPay was a standout. OrderPay provides our members with the most comprehensive and flexible solution to support on campus ordering, payment and delivery. We are excited about the additional revenue streams that this partnership will deliver to our TUCO members, we look forward to working with them to revolutionise on campus hospitality commerce"
Richard Carter, CEO of OrderPay, added, "We are delighted to have been awarded this contract to support TUCO members and associates in delivering the next generation of order, payment, gifting and delivery services. We look forward to supporting both the University and wider government sector with our learnings from working with the UK's largest hospitality brands. We are grateful for the opportunity to immediately contribute to the bottom line of some of the country's most important institutions."
