Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Facebook adds ‘Order Food’ option because it wasn’t addictive enough

Published May 21st, 2017 11:50AM EDT
Facebook Features

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

As if we don’t spend enough time on Facebook as is, the social networking giant this week began rolling out a new feature which allows users to order food through the site itself, according to a report from TechCrunch. The feature is available to users on the Facebook app and via the desktop site as well. To access the new feature, simply go to the main navigation menu and scroll all the way down. Once there, you should see an “Order Food” option alongside a corresponding hamburger icon.

The entire ordering process is surprisingly efficient and streamlined, with the underlying heavy lifting being powered by Delivery.com and Slice. To get started, users can simply type in their specific location or general area, and from there, they can can scroll through a solid selection of restaurants. While the selection is not as expansive as what you might find on a site like Grubhub, it’s surprisingly inclusive for a fledgling service. Once a restaurant is selected, users can start building their order via a simple interface. If you’ve ever ordered food online before, you’ll be able to navigate around pretty easily.

The broader takeaway here is that Facebook is doing its best to create an all-encompassing ecosystem that provides users with more reasons to stick around and spend more time on the site. Indeed, Facebook’s new “Order Food” feature is just the latest example of the social networking giant broadening the type of activities users can engage in. For instance, Facebook users can look at and apply for jobs, keep up on sports scores, make payments to other users, and even browse a Craigslist inspired marketplace, all without ever having to leave Facebook or the company’s standalone Messenger app.

Interestingly, CNBC is reporting that shares of Grubhub dropped nearly 3.5% in the wake of Facebook rolling out its new food ordering functionality.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.