So that you’re wrapping up work for the day and it’s time for that age-old query: “What’s for dinner?” Today the query is extra advanced than what’s for dinner, however reasonably HOW are we going to get dinner?
Quite than prepare dinner a meal or order supply by most of the supply providers out there (UberEats, Doordash, and many others.), more and more extra People have a brand new choice: drone supply.
Flytrex touts itself as the primary drone supply service centered within the U.S. suburbs (learn extra concerning the state of yard drone supply firm Flytrex right here). It additionally claims to supply free drone supply on most menu gadgets — a promise it makes good on as deliveries from most eating places are the truth is $0 when ordered by the app.
Positive, having a drone ship a banana to your yard is a enjoyable social gathering trick, and a handy perk when working at house. However I used to be curious about one other query: Is it value it — even with the supposed $0 Flytrex supply price?
What areas does Flytrex ship to?
Flytrex at present delivers to 4 cities: Granbury, Texas in addition to three cities in North Carolina: Durham, Holly Springs, and Raeford.
And even inside these cities, the supply zones are fairly small (overlaying about an 8-mile radius in Durham). All of the addresses inside that radius additionally should be pre-vetted by Flytrex to make sure there’s a secure touchdown area.
They do have a number of public factors inside these cities similar to accommodations and brewing corporations. Though at that time, I’m unsure why you wouldn’t simply go decide up the meals or groceries.
How Flytrex drone supply costs evaluate to ordering that meals elsewhere
What are the prices in comparison with different supply apps? When The Drone Woman met that man who had ordered meals through Flytrex’s free drone supply service, my curiosity was piqued. He stated he anticipated the meals costs to be inflated versus ordering straight from the restaurant. I wished to know for certain. I additionally wished to know the way it compares to different main drone supply providers. Time to do some detective work.
Flytrex vs. Uber Eats: which is cheaper?
My sleuthing began by evaluating Flytrex vs. Uber Eats. I chosen certainly one of Flytrex’s public factors in Granbury, Texas (in what appears to be an empty car parking zone) and in contrast the meals prices of 4 frequent meals from main chain eating places to the price of ordering these meals from Uber Eats in the very same location.
In each single occasion, Flytrex was by far the superior choice.
For instance, a Jimmy John’s #4 Turkey Tom Meal (with chips and medium soda) prices $12.99 by the Flytrex app and $19.35 by Uber Eats– an virtually 50% markup!
On the Flytex app, the one choice of these I analyzed that had any supply price was Elevating Cane’s, which was $4.00. Perhaps that’s as a result of, as my brother all the time says, Elevating Cane’s is meant to be loved recent, scorching, and instantly.
For each different retailer I examined, the Flytrex supply price was $0.
What are the Flytrex drone supply prices in comparison with pick-up?
Whereas Flytrex is cheaper than Uber Eats primarily based on my evaluation, choosing up your meals or groceries on the bodily location continues to be the very best monetary choice (assuming you’re not counting the fee to get it your self, similar to your individual driving prices).
For some eating places like Jimmy John’s and Chick-fil-a, the Flytrex value is the very same worth as choosing up the meals from the bodily location.
However for Starbucks, Chipotle, and others, I discovered important worth markups.
Once I went to order my traditional Starbucks order, a Grande scorching Chai latte with oat milk, the price of the drink was $7.25, however then I used to be hit with a small order price and taxes making my complete Starbucks order $8.66. And the in-store pickup for a similar drink? $5.57
The small order price is as a result of there’s an $8 minimal, so your complete is rounded as much as attain the minimal, and tax is added afterward.
Under are common meals gadgets and their value if ordered by Flytrex, Uber Eats, or straight by the restaurant’s web site. All costs embrace taxes, and supply charges (if any), however no tip was added, and are primarily based on pickup areas in Granbury, Texas:
| Restaurant & Meal | Flytrex | Uber Eats | Choose Up |
| Chick-fil-A Sandwich Meal With fries and medium soda | $9.26 | $16.99 | $9.26 |
| Jimmy John’s #4 Turkey Tom Meal With chips and medium soda | $12.99 | $19.35 | $12.99 |
| Chipotle Rooster Burrito Bowl With Blackberry Izze | $16.18 | $24.62 | $13.83 |
| Starbucks Grande Chai Latte with Oat Milk | $8.66 | $9.99 | $5.57 |
It seems that half the time, Flytrex costs had been really the identical as in-store costs. The opposite half the time, they had been marked up anyplace from about 15 to 55%. Nonetheless, Flytrex costs had been far decrease than Uber Eats costs each time.
Will the $0 Flytrex supply price final?
Proper now, the Flytrex worth markups are comparatively small in comparison with these on Uber Eats. However as Flytrex grows, it may additionally develop that worth markup in an effort to generate extra income.
The Flytrex superfan we talked to stated that the value markup is actually well worth the financial savings to not should bodily decide up the meals from the restaurant. It’s even higher on events (such because the Chick-fil-A and Jimmy John’s orders) the place there’s no markup in any respect.
However in conditions the place the markup is 55%, that may not be so interesting. I can’t afford to be hooked on anything, so for now, I’ll skip the cool social gathering methods of drone supply and persist with the great old school method of the drive-thru.
What about you? What’s the utmost Flytrex supply price you’d be keen to pay? Go away your feedback on how a lot you’d be keen to pay for drone supply beneath!
