Facebook is now making it easier for you to order food from your favorite restaurants directly within its app, without having to navigate away to a delivery service or restaurant app. The new option called “Order Food”, and it’s rolling out to select users.
Indicated by a colorful hamburger icon on desktop and a blue-and-white hamburger icon on mobile, the option lets Facebook users place food pickup and delivery orders from restaurants using Delivery.com or Slice.
The entire process, from ordering to checkout, takes place on Facebook when you use this menu option.
The feature is an expansion on a previously announced deal with online ordering businesses, Delivery.com and Slice, which Facebook detailed back in October. At that time, the company said it would allow Facebook users to place orders with supported restaurants from their own Facebook Pages through a “Start Order” button.
The “Order Food” feature in the main navigation works similarly, but makes it more convenient as it aggregates all the supported restaurants together on one page.
For users, the feature is one of convenience – they don’t have to leave Facebook to place orders, or visit individual Facebook Pages to see if online ordering is available. But for Facebook, it’s another example of how the network is aiming to duplicate the functionality of other apps installed on users’ devices, and rolling out other features that keep users inside its walls.
Over the past several months, Facebook has introduced a number of similar features, including weather, a networking section called “discover people,” a travel section called “city guides,” government info via “town hall,” an online jobs board, fundraisers, instant games, and more.
This is a another sign of the power behind Facebook, the largest social network in the world. With over 1.9 Billion people, the company is making it easier for humans to do all sorts of things. I’m excited to see this features, as I hate having to choose between delivery apps. I trust Facebook will provide me with the options I need to eat good.