This is not a drill: select users can now order food directly from Facebook's site or the mobile app.
Facebook is now making it easier for its users — a select few at first — to grab food from their favorite restaurants and have it delivered right on their doorstep. The process is pretty simple, and everything is handled through Facebook so users wouldn't need to rely on a separate delivery service app.
Order Food Using Facebook
The new feature, called "Order Food," is stacked within Facebook's main navigation menu on the web or on the mobile app — the one with the hamburger icon. Food deliveries are handled through Delivery.com or Slice.
Ordering food using Facebook is not a surprise, as the company previously announced back in October that it's working with Delivery.com and Slice for food deliveries. At the time of posting, Facebook said that the feature would allow users to visit Facebook pages of their favorite restaurants and order directly from them by virtue of a "Start Order" button.
Ultimately, Facebook ended up aggregating all supported restaurants in one page for easier access. Tapping the Order Food option brings up this list, including featured photos and a price range for each establishment. Options for either pickup, delivery, or both, are also shown.
How To Order Food On Facebook
To begin ordering, click "Order Food" on the navigational menu. The option will let people browse different menus, add items to a cart, edit orders, add a suggested tip, and pay up directly with Facebook.
After paying, Facebook will bring up a confirmation screen stating the estimated delivery or pickup time, whichever is applicable. That's basically it. Apart from users also getting a separate email notification for confirming orders, the whole process takes place on Facebook.
Why Facebook Is Letting People Order Food Through Its Site
It's worth to keep in mind, however, that the feature is still pretty clunky, perhaps because it's still in the process of rolling out to a wider number of Facebook users. But what Facebook is attempting is clear: it wants to become the de facto app for some of the most crucial services done through the web or apps.
In fact, less important features, such as viewing weather reports, are already part of Facebook's list of in-app services — food delivery is simply an expansion of its goal to become an all-purpose platform, which includes beefing up Messenger with a number of innovative features.. As TechCrunch best puts it, ordering food is a feature further allowing Facebook to "keep users inside its walls."
It's not clear if the new service will launch outside of the United States, as Facebook made no mention of a release roadmap. Seeing as how food deliveries will require a database of restaurants specific to a country, a full global rollout might take some time. Keep in mind that this is still a test at the very least, so it's expected other users won't get to use the feature yet.
But for those who have already tried Facebook's Order Food option, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
