HowAboutEat

HowAboutEat was a Sydney-based food delivery startup founded in 2015 by Giovanni Ravone and Serg Metelin. The company emerged from a challenge hosted by Westpac and BlueChilli, initially exploring a concept for bulk ordering of products and services before focusing on the lunch delivery market. HowAboutEat's business model was centered on simplicity, targeting office workers in the Sydney CBD and later expanding to suburbs like Mascot and North Ryde. It operated by sending customers a daily text message with three curated lunch options from local restaurants.

To place an order, users would simply reply 'Yes' to their chosen option. This straightforward process was designed to be quick and efficient for busy professionals. The company charged a flat $1 delivery fee for this service. Revenue was primarily generated from these delivery fees and likely a commission-based arrangement with partner restaurants. The startup successfully raised $250,000 in a seed funding round by leveraging data on user demand and preferences collected during its pilot phase.

Despite showing initial promise and expanding its service area, HowAboutEat faced significant challenges inherent in the on-demand logistics sector. The market became increasingly competitive with the entry of larger, well-funded players like Deliveroo into Australia. Managing the daily complexities of coordinating a growing fleet of delivery drivers, which numbered around 25, and onboarding new restaurants to meet rising demand proved to be capital-intensive. Ultimately, the operational costs and competitive pressures outpaced the startup's funding, and HowAboutEat ceased operations in September 2017.

Keywords: HowAboutEat, food delivery, lunch delivery, Sydney startup, on-demand logistics, Giovanni Ravone, Serg Metelin, Westpac, BlueChilli, restaurant delivery, corporate lunch, text message ordering, food tech, Australian startup, ceased operations