If you find yourself eating out in the Financial District or SoMa more often than not, MealPass—a new service launching today from the founder of ClassPass—may save you a few bucks each month.
MealPass works much like its fitness-focused predecessor. For $119 each month, members receive one made-to-order meal each weekday from participating restaurants. Orders must be placed through the website or app between 7pm the previous day and 9:30am the day of.
Unlike popular meal delivery services like Caviar, UberEats and Postmates, MealPass users set a 15-minute pick-up window—between 11:30am and 2:30pm—and retrieve their own meals.
MealPass was designed for young professionals who eat our regularly and would rather not pay $12-20 per meal, said founder Mary Biggins. And given that the startup is "forcing" young professionals out of their offices at midday "to interact with the world," offering a high concentration of restaurants within walking distance is key.
To start, MealPass has more than 100 restaurants in the Financial District and SoMa (east of Fourth Street) on board—including The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, Mixt Greens, Boxed Foods Company, Doc Ricketts and Amawele’s South African Kitchen. Users in the Financial District will find at least 20-30 options within a five-minute walk of their offices, Biggins estimated. And they won't have to wait in line to pick up their lunches.
Restaurants profit from every meal purchased, Biggins noted, so there's no limit on the number of times members may order from one restaurant each month. (In contrast, ClassPass limits users to three classes at each participating fitness studio each month.) However, restaurants can cap the number of lunches they offer to MealPass members each day.
Those considering taking MealPass for a spin will need to request an invite. As a two-sided marketplace, Biggins said the invitation process ensures that restaurants are not overwhelmed with demand. Thanks to buzz from the NYC launch, there's already a sizable waiting list for MealPass in San Francisco, but new members will be added daily.
Those who sign up during launch week will receive $10 off their first month. At that price, if they use the service every weekday, they'll be paying less than $6 per meal, Biggins noted. This launch also marks the first time users will be offered two alternative packages: $19 for three meals a month or $79 for 12 meals a month, up front.
MealPass debuted in Boston, Miami and New York earlier this year; so far, the service has garnered mixed reviews from users and restaurant owners. Shortly after the New York City launch, Eater reported that participating restaurateurs were pleased with the added revenue and foot traffic they were receiving. However, a number of member reviews published in Business Insider, The Daily Meal and the New York Post underscored issues with the website's usability, a lack of meal variation and nutritious options, and the stress that comes with ordering every weekday to get your money's worth.
To learn more about the service—and enjoy free taste of a few of the participating restaurants—stop by the MealPass launch celebration at 6pm tonight at The Vault, 415 Jackson St.
