Today in Food Commerce: NYC Mulls 15-Minute Grocery Crackdown; Krispy Kreme Uses Dark Store Model

Jokr, NYC

Today in food commerce, New York City considers banning 15-minute grocery delivery guarantees, and Krispy Kreme looks to grow its delivery business across international markets. Plus, a cryptocurrency-themed virtual restaurant comes to the United Arab Emirates.

NYC Council Moves to Ban Grocery Apps’ 15-Minute Delivery Guarantees

New York City Councilman Christopher Marte plans to introduce a bill that would ban on-demand grocery apps from advertising that they will deliver in 15 minutes, saying such a practice threatens worker and pedestrian safety.

Krispy Kreme Looks to Dark Store Model to Drive Delivery Growth

Krispy Kreme is going dark. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based doughnut chain with more than 10,000 locations in over 30 countries, is turning to dark stores (delivery-only locations) to expand its digital presence while limiting spending. On a call with analysts discussing the company’s fourth-quarter 2021 earnings, CEO and President Mike Tattersfield discussed the chain’s efforts to expand “access points” for its delivery business.

Crypto-Themed Eatery Doge Burger Opens in UAE

Digital currency, real hamburgers. That’s the premise behind Dubai’s Doge Burger, a virtual restaurant attached to a cloud kitchen where diners can pay for their food with Dogecoin or other cryptocurrency and have it delivered to their doorstep.

Restaurant Subscription Holders Are Twice as Likely to Use Loyalty Programs

Restaurant subscriptions drive loyalty in more ways than one. Not only do subscribers get more value out of their monthly payment the more often they come back, but they also tend to be the sorts of customers that are most likely to adopt existing rewards programs, according to data from PYMNTS’ new study “Digital Divide: Restaurant Subscribers And Loyalty Programs,” a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration.