The Delivery-Optimized Future of Food

The spike in online ordering and food delivery—a trend that's particularly relevant now—is evidence of how tech is fundamentally changing how and what we eat. Is this the end of the traditional restaurant experience as we know it?

In this conversation between Virtual Kitchen Co. CEO Ken Chong, Snackpass CEO Kevin Tan, a16z general parter Andrew Chen, and host Lauren Murrow, we discuss what's driving this transformation, the infusion of data into the restaurant industry, how take-out and delivery is becoming surprisingly social, and the specter of the "kitchenless home."

Virtual Kitchen Co. is a network of delivery-only kitchens that partners with restaurants to expand their reach without opening additional brick-and-mortar locations. Snackpass is a food-ordering app currently on college campuses in which customers can order ahead at restaurants and skip the line. In this discussion, both CEOs explain what their business models could mean for the future of dining and cooking.

This episode was recorded on-site at the a16z Summit in November 2019.