New Bloomington food delivery service, Driver on Deck, works solely with local restaurants

Nate Harris and Tori Larocca created Driver on Deck, a local online food delivery service, with the aim of helping local restaurants get their food to customers without raising prices.

The two met while working at BJs Brewhouse in Bloomington, although neither work there now. Their knowledge of Bloomington and the food industry led them to open Driver on Deck. Larocca had worked for DoorDash while in the San Francisco Bay area. Harris is a Bloomington native who returned to the area about eight years ago.

3 levels of service offered by Driver on Deck

Unlike other online food ordering and delivery platforms, Driver on Deck doesn't add a commission, Harris said. Some platforms add 20%-30% on top of the restaurant prices, he said, making the order much more expensive. Instead, Driver on Deck partners with local restaurants offering three levels of service, each with specific costs.

The first level available is using Driver on Deck as a delivery or a backup delivery service. That's for restaurants that already have an established online presence and ordering platform. The company's delivery drivers pick up orders at the restaurant and take them to customers. The restaurant is charged a flat fee for the service and no fee is added to what the customer pays.

The second level is to add an ordering platform with an online marketplace for the restaurant along with the delivery service. This allows restaurants that don't have established online ordering greater reach. Customer online ordering has exploded since the pandemic and it doesn't seem to be slowing down, Harris said. The second tier service has front-loaded delivery fees that customers pay.

The third tier of service adds a custom online platform with automated options for patrons through the Driver on Deck marketplace. Each of these is tailored for the particular restaurant or food truck.

Drivers for the service are offered flex pay, where they can choose their own rate of pay and earn bonus points for things like gas cards or free food.

'Passion' is supporting the local food scene

Harris said Driver on Deck partners with local restaurants only. The company has been reaching out to restaurant owners who don't offer online ordering or have no website to see if they can help.

"Our passion lies in supporting the local food scene by connecting restaurants and customers seamlessly. We believe in the power of community, fostering collaboration and sustainability within the local ecosystem," Harris said. "We understand the competition is fierce, but we differentiate ourselves by focusing exclusively on local restaurants who may have limited tech experience and resources to otherwise implement online ordering and delivery solutions."

Driver on Deck has apps on both Android and Apple devices. In addition to restaurants, food trucks also use the service. These include Arepa Burger, Elli May's Smoked BBQ, Tacos Al Pastor and Pinoy Garden. Restaurants include Gable's Bagels, BuffaLouie's, Chop Shop, Roly Poly, Chef's Table and Lost Farm.

Driver on Deck's website is driverondeck.com.

A restauranteur's perspective on Driver on Deck

Clard Davidson, co-owner of Chef's Table Catering, is a Driver on Deck customer. Davidson's westside restaurant did not have much of an online presence before partnering with Driver on Deck, which has helped the restaurant get its name out to more people.

"We didn't have the ability to get food to people fast," Davidson said. "They were disappointed we couldn't do deliveries."

Now Driver on Deck does that, extending the customers Chef's Table Catering can serve. Adding delivery and online order pickup to the business has added about 10% to costs, Davidson said. It's also allowed Chef's Table to attract more orders for its weekly specials posted on Facebook.

Davidson also is happy to be using a local service, which provides quick support from someone who lives close by.

Roly Poly's owner Tom Seybert also uses Driver on Deck for both of his restaurant locations. Harris said it was Seybert who "gave us our break" into the delivery service. Seybert's knowledge added to theirs helped tremendously, Harris said.

"We want to help smaller businesses with tools to compete in this new age for restaurants," he said. "The food and beverage industry is ancient. It's one of the last to be updated with technology."

Reach Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington duo opens Driver on Deck delivery, online ordering service