Uber Launches Uber Explore in-App Feature for Entertainment Booking

Ride-hailing platform Uber announced Tuesday (March 1) the launch of Uber Explore, a new feature in the Uber app to allow users to browse and book dinner reservations, live events and other “fun activities.”

When Uber users open the Explore tab in the app, they will see places recommended to them based on categories, including food and drink, art and culture, nightlife, music and shows, and more, as well as reviews, photos and directions, according to the announcement.

Uber Explore customers will have access to one-click rides through the “ride there now” tool that lets customers tap a button and book a ride with a pre-populated destination, the announcement stated. They’ll also get suggestions for experiences based on their past use of the Uber and Uber Eats apps.

Through Uber Explore Offers, users will get 15% off their rides (up to $10) to restaurants and bars in the area, and the app makes it easy to buy tickets for experiences with payment through users’ Uber Wallet and Payment profile, according to the announcement.

Uber Explore is available in 14 U.S. cities — Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, New Jersey, upstate New York, Orlando, San Antonio, San Francisco and Seattle — and Mexico City, with plans to add more cities “in the coming weeks and months,” the announcement stated.

Uber will also continue to add more experiences and events to the Uber Explore tab.

Meanwhile, Uber is speeding up the sale of its stake in a taxi joint-venture with Russian internet search company Yandex because of the ongoing Russian war with Ukraine. The company will also remove Uber executives from the Yandex.Taxi board.

Read more: Uber Speeds Up Sale of Stake in Moscow’s Yandex Taxi

Uber has said a non-executive representative will oversee the rest of the divestiture. The company also paused operations in the nine cities where it operates in Ukraine.