Tag: san Francisco

Mobile payments firm acquires gourmet food delivery service

| August 7, 2014

Square has announced its acquisition of Caviar for an estimated $90 million

Mobile payments firm Square has announced its acquisition of San Francisco-based Caviar for a speculated sum of $90 million. Caviar is a food deliver serviced focused on servicing high-end restaurants. Those using the service can have gourmet meals delivered to their homes or office, and Square believes that such a service is ideal for its mobile payments platform. As mobile commerce grows more prominent, consumers are becoming especially interested in purchasing services from their smartphones and tablets.

Square has managed to find success in the mobile commerce field where many others have failed

Square was launched in 2009 and has since become one of the largest payment firms in North America. Over the past year, the company has been launching new services to better accommodate a growing mobile consumer base and has begun entering into new markets in Japan and elsewhere. As Square continues to grow, it is seeking ways it can diversify the value of its services and products. The company has found success in the food service industry, where its Square Order app has seen a great deal of use among consumers.

Caviar finds the majority of its revenue comes from group orders

Mobile payments acquisitionCaviar may be a company that caters to a relatively small niche, but it has become somewhat popular in large cities. The service charges a $9.99 deliver fee, the entirety of which goes to its delivery staff. Caviar also charges an 18% gratuity on every order. These fees make Caviar an expensive service, but the majority of its revenue comes from group orders and the service allows multiple people to add to an order using a shared link.

Caviar may soon make use of mobile payments technology from Square

Square may soon equipped Caviar with the ability to accept mobile payments more effectively. The company may begin using Square’s payment technology in the near future and delivery staff may be able to accept payments from physical mobile devices for those that do not want to spend money online. Time will tell if Square will find success with its latest venture.

OpenTable launches mobile payments pilot project

| February 11, 2014

Pilot project seeks to make dining out more convenient for consumers

Mobile Payment Pilot Project - OpenTableOpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service, has launched a new pilot program focused on mobile payments. The pilot program is meant to test the viability of using mobile payments as a way to allow consumers to pay for their meals quickly while dining out. This would allow them to, essentially, “skip” the check, so to speak. OpenTable believes that leveraging mobile commerce could help make restaurants more convenient and attractive to consumers that have become very reliant on their smartphones and tablets.

Restaurants show strong interest in mobile payments

The pilot program is currently restricted to San Francisco, California, but OpenTable plans to expand the program in the coming weeks. In 2013, OpenTable successfully acquired Just Chalo, which had been working on a mobile commerce platform of its own before the acquisition. This move generated some hype concerning OpenTable’s potential interest in the mobile commerce space and how it might involve itself therein. The company intends to make mobile payments more accessible to consumers that enjoy dining out at their favorite restaurants.

Restaurants are beginning to grow more accommodating of mobile consumers

Mobile technology has been finding a great deal of acceptance in the restaurant business recently. Many restaurants are now making it a point to engage mobile consumers directly by using interactive technologies. QR codes are becoming a common feature on menus and some restaurants are leveraging the power of augmented reality in order to engage consumers more dynamically. As restaurants become more mobile-centric, mobile commerce is beginning to attract a great deal of attention.

OpenTable may be able to beat out the competition with its network of connections

OpenTable is not the only company that is working to introduce mobile commerce to the restaurant business. Cover and Dash are two startups that already have a significant head start in this endeavor as far as providing access to mobile commerce platforms is concerned. OpenTable does, however, have strong relationships with prominent restaurants that could provide it with an edge over whatever competition it may face in the field.