In 2020, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi spearheaded the purchase of Postmates, one of the largest food industry platforms in the United States.
Originally, the companies told the public that the two would still operate separately.
More recently, it appears that Postmates and Uber will not be acting as two separate companies.
Instead, a full-out merging of both services is taking place.
If you are a delivery driver for Postmates or Uber Eats, you are probably wondering what this means for you and your job.
You may also have questions if you are a customer that frequently uses one of these delivery order platforms.
In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the merger.
Whether you are a Postmates driver, Uber Eats driver, or frequent Postmates user, read on!
Table Of Contents
Is Postmates Uber Eats Now?
This question is complicated and depends on who you are.
Technically, Postmates is not Uber Eats despite the similarities between both platforms.
The Postmates delivery app is still available for consumers to download on app stores, and If you are ordering food delivery on Postmates, the transaction is still separate.
To the customer, it appears that they have the option to choose between using the Postmates or Uber Eats delivery app.
Since Uber Technologies purchased Postmates, the Postmates app resembles the Uber Eats app, and customers have the option to link their Uber account, profile, and credit card to the Postmates app.
Additionally, Postmates and Uber Eats offer delivery for the same restaurants since Uber Technologies automatically onboarded Postmates restaurants to Uber Eats.
Postmates Uber Eats Merger
The Postmates Uber Eats Merger attracted much attention from the public since Uber Eats and Postmates are some of the most widely-used delivery platforms in the food delivery market.
Uber Technologies Inc bought Postmates inc in a transaction that stifled the food delivery service industry.
The deal ended in a 2.65 billion dollar business transaction.
Why Did They Merge?
According to Uber, the company bought Postmates to increase profitability.
After the Covid-19 pandemic impacted food delivery service for the better, it is clear that Uber Technologies profited from the acquisition of Postmates.
After the merger, Uber Technologies saw an 8 percent rise in shares as investors assumed that Uber’s profit margin would increase from the smaller competition.
When Did it Happen?
The Postmates and Uber Eats merger happened in July of 2020.
Postmates officially merged with Uber Eats and started to accept delivery and customer requests from the Uber app in June of 2021.
What the Postmates Uber Eats Merger Means for Customers
In truth, the Postmates Uber Eats merger does not have much of an impact on Postmates and Uber Eats customers.
To make food delivery app transactions more streamlined, Postmates Customers may benefit from only using the Uber Eats delivery app rather than the Postmates app.
The Uber Eats customer service line for deliveries is still up and running as well.
Now, the customer service department also takes care of any complaints customers may have with Postmates delieveries.
Do Postmates Customers Automatically Get an Uber Eats Account?
Customers are able to link their Uber Eats account to their former Postmates delivery account.
Everything that was on the Postmates delivery account will migrate onto the Uber profile app.
How Will Customer Service Change?
As of right now, we have yet to see how the Uber Eats and Postmates merger will really impact customer service.
Some sources argue that the customer suffers from the merger.
In fact, NBC reports a lawsuit filed that claimed customers are paying artificially inflated prices for food.
However, not much attention has been drawn to any divergence in customer service now compared to customer service before the merger.
Those that use the delivery apps report satisfactory levels of customer service and adequate food quality.
Will Prices Change?
As of right now, customers will not see any changes in service fees or free delivery initiatives.
Uber Eats pass is still in effect, as well as Postmates unlimited.
What the Postmates Uber Eats Merger Means for Drivers
Drivers are certainly more impacted than customers by the Postmates and Uber Eats merger.
As a rule of thumb, larger market shares make for better services.
If anything, the merger will impact delivery drivers positively.
Can Postmates Drivers Drive for Uber Eats?
Yes, Postmates drivers may drive for Uber Eats.
In fact, drivers who sign up for Postmates must sign up for Uber Eat deliveries and go through the Uber Eats approval process.
Postmates drivers must also merge their accounts into the Uber Eats platform.
How Can Drivers Take Advantage of the Merger?
Drivers can take advantage of the merger by ensuring that their Postmates account successfully links with Uber Eats.
If anything, the Uber Eats and Postmates Merger will provide delivery drivers with more customers and more opportunities to make money.
Final Thoughts
Postmates completely merged with Uber Eats in the summer of 2020.
The business move drew the attention of investors, drivers, and customers alike.
Since the merge, not much has changed for customers or delivery drivers.
The biggest changes involve the Postmates app and Uber Eats app.
Now, Postmates offers the same restaurant services like Uber Eats, and customers have the opportunity to merge both delivery platform accounts into one.
Delivery drivers also merge their profiles and accounts into one.
Instead of only pulling orders from one platform, they may now accept orders from either, creating a larger block for work.
Since the Postmates and Uber Eats merger is still a relatively new event, we have yet to see the full extent of how the merger will impact drivers and customers.
