Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. News

Uber is on the verge of buying Postmates, report claims

By

Uber is close to acquiring on-demand delivery company Postmates, with a report suggesting a deal could be inked as soon as Monday night.

Recommended Videos

Three people claiming to have knowledge of the matter told The New York Times that Uber has made a takeover offer, though cautioned that discussions were still ongoing and could yet lead nowhere.

Related

News of Uber’s interest in Postmates follows the ridesharing company’s failed attempt to acquire Grubhub, which was recently snapped up by Europe-based Just Eat Takeaway in a $7.3 billion deal that made it the world’s largest online food delivery company outside of China.

Garen M/Creative Commons

Acquiring Postmates could help Uber to strengthen Uber Eats, its meal delivery business, as it seeks ways to boost its income after the coronavirus pandemic decimated its main ridesharing business. Whereas Postmates is a U.S.-only operation, Uber Eats operates globally but struggles to turn a profit.

The Times points out, such a deal could prove also useful for Postmates as the company has found it hard to take on larger outfits in the same game, among them DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats.

Interestingly, Postmates is reported to have been in talks with DoorDash and Grubhub, too, with both companies having also expressed an interest in acquiring the smaller business.

Digital Trends has reached out to Uber and Postmates for confirmation of the discussions, and we will update this article when we hear back.

Postmates launched in 2011 and is currently available in more than 4,200 cities in all 50 states and D.C. While meal delivery is a big part of its business, it also delivers just about anything else you might suddenly need. Indeed, one of its tag lines is “We deliver more than dinner.”

Want to find out more about the best meal delivery apps currently available? Digital Trends has you covered.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Uber investigators were forbidden from reporting criminal allegations to police
An Uber App on a smartphone.

A new report reveals that Uber's internal investigation team that handles customer complaints of crimes like sexual assault and rape is “forbidden” from reporting allegations against drivers to authorities. 

The Washington Post reports that Uber uses a three-strike system for its drivers and won’t remove them as a driver from the platform unless they get three strikes for “bad behavior.” Even still, when a driver is kicked off the platform, Uber doesn’t necessarily let local authorities, other rideshare companies, or background check firms know the driver’s behavior that provoked their removal. 

Read more
Hackers are pretending to be cybersecurity firm to lock your entire PC
A hacker typing on an Apple MacBook laptop while holding a phone. Both devices show code on their screens.

As hackers come up with new ways to attack, not even trustworthy names can be taken at face value. This time, a ransom-as-a-service (RaaS) attack is being used to impersonate a cybersecurity vendor called Sophos.

The RaaS, referred to as SophosEncrypt, can take hold of your files -- or even your whole PC -- and requires payment to have them decrypted.

Read more
‘World’s largest sundial’ to double as green energy provider
Houston's Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time).

Houston’s next piece of public art is being described as "the world's largest sundial" and will also produce solar power for the local community.

The striking Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time) is the creation of Berlin-based artist and architect Riccardo Mariano and will be installed in the Texan city’s East End district in 2024.

Read more