2020 has been a year of massive challenge for local commerce. A challenged restaurant business model, challenge to staffing, and a challenged relationship with customers who are increasingly staying home. At Uber, we’ve experienced our own challenges, requiring a massive shift of focus and resources towards Delivery to move what mattered when the world stood still.

And today, we continue our evolution, officially welcoming the Postmates team to Uber, and partnering to create an even stronger delivery marketplace to benefit consumers, delivery people, and—in particular—the hundreds of thousands of merchants who use our platforms to grow their businesses.

This time has also brought much-needed clarity. For our teams, 2020 has brought clarity to the opportunity we have to be strong partners to the restaurants and merchants we serve. We can do even more to help them reach new customers, grow their businesses, and feed their own families.

That’s why we’re closing the year—and coming together as one company—by making a commitment to the merchants of North America that starts with understanding, and over time resetting the way we do business together in the new normal.

As our conversations with merchants have made clear, we need to work harder to understand their needs. That’s why, as we bring together Uber Eats and Postmates, we’re kicking off a regional listening exercise (first virtually and later with in-person sessions when safe to do so) across North America.

To be among the first to register interest for this program, which will kick off in 2021, merchants can visit this website for more information. As conveners, we’ll be partnering with restaurant associations and chambers of commerce to make sure the right folks are in the room, and that our answers are accountable to you.

The goal is to bring our leadership closer to the incredibly diverse spectrum of merchants using the Uber Eats and Postmates platforms, so we can better listen, understand, and build for the challenges and opportunities our partners face. These forums will give restaurants—and increasingly other types of merchants—a bigger seat at the table to provide feedback on products in development, policy decisions, and more.

Both Uber Eats and Postmates have long been leaders in third-party delivery marketplaces, setting an example of respected business practices, a commitment which will be strengthened as one. Together, we’re committed to raising standards across the industry and doing right by partners. 

Going forward, this means helping merchants grow their businesses, and providing them with the tools and products they need to reach their customers on their own terms. We believe merchants deserve transparency in contracts and pricing structures and control over how they choose to partner with us—and we’re committed to giving them that control. Merchants are also right to expect our dedication to high levels of quality and safety; Uber has long stood for safety, and we’ll continue to do so in partnership with Postmates.  

As one company, this is a first for Uber and the industry, and reflects our intent to drive sustainable business opportunities to the merchant community.