Third-Party Delivery Firms Form Necessary but Uneasy Alliances with Merchants

Home delivery of groceries and restaurant food is now a way of life for most U.S. households. During 2020, COVID-19 drove online ordering and doorstep delivery. Grocers in particular had more online volume than they could handle. For restaurants deprived of indoor dining, takeout and delivery became a lifeline. Third-party delivery companies provided the scale and capacity needed to manage the spike in delivery orders. Entering 2021, online ordering and fulfillment will remain a key sector of the retail e-commerce channel.