The Food Runners

What The Food Runners does

The Food Runners (TFR), legally The Food Runners, LLC, is a privately held Newport Beach, California-based online food delivery marketplace founded in 2013. The company operates a web platform and native mobile applications on iOS and Android that connect consumers and businesses in Orange County, CA with hundreds of independent restaurant partners. Orders are fulfilled by self-employed, independent delivery drivers who are matched to deliveries through the platform's location-based services and third-party mapping integrations (Apple Maps, Google Maps). TFR explicitly positions itself as a restaurant marketing platform rather than a delivery operator or food preparer, disclaiming liability for restaurant compliance and driver performance in its terms of service.

The product portfolio centers on an address-based online ordering platform and extends to a Group Order module for corporate team lunches (with a $15 minimum and 12% driver gratuity), a TFR Rewards points-based loyalty program (capped at 40,000 monthly redemptions, payable as reloadable Visa gift cards), and a House Account B2B feature with net-30 check/ACH invoicing. Delivery operates seven days per week from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM. TFR monetizes through per-order transaction fees charged to consumers and commissions from restaurant partners, with no public disclosure of take rates or commission economics.

The company's stated geographic footprint is a single active market (Orange County), with San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco explicitly listed as "Coming Soon." No external funding rounds, M&A activity, patents, leadership bios, or revenue figures are disclosed, and the company appears to be self-funded at a modest 11–50 employee scale after 12 years of operation.

Name

The Food Runners

Legal name

The Food Runners, LLC

Website

https://thefoodrunners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Food Runners (TFR) is a privately held, Newport Beach-based online food delivery marketplace founded in 2013. It connects Orange County consumers and businesses with hundreds of independent restaurant partners via a web platform and mobile apps, using self-employed drivers for fulfillment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Food Delivery Marketplace

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant Meal Delivery Platforms & Aggregators (AFAIAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Restaurant Meal & Prepared Food Delivery (CRAFAFAB)

Keywords

• Food delivery
• Online ordering
• Restaurant marketing
• Delivery marketplace
• Group ordering

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Order Transaction Fees: The company generates revenue through transaction fees charged on food orders placed through the platform. Customers pay for food orders, delivery, and gratuity through the platform.
2. Restaurant Partner Commissions: TFR provides online marketing services for restaurants and earns commissions from restaurant partners. Restaurants are independent entities that pay for access to the customer platform and delivery network.
3. Group Order Service: Group ordering service for businesses with minimum order requirements ($15 food minimum) and 12% gratuity for drivers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Food Runners operates a proprietary web-based platform and mobile applications (iOS and Android) that connect customers with local restaurants and independent self-employed delivery drivers for online food ordering and delivery. Customers enter an address, browse restaurant menus, and place orders; the platform routes orders to drivers for fulfillment. The company also provides a group ordering module for corporate lunches, a points-based rewards program with Visa gift card redemption, and invoiced House Accounts for business customers.

Product overview

The Food Runners is a restaurant marketing company that operates a web-based platform and mobile applications connecting customers with local restaurant partners for food delivery. The core offering is an online ordering platform through which customers enter their address, browse menus, and place delivery orders. The product portfolio includes the main ordering platform, a Group Order module for team/corporate ordering with invitation and deadline management, a TFR Rewards loyalty program with points-based redemption for Visa gift cards, a mobile app for iOS and Android, and a House Account feature enabling invoiced B2B payments. Delivery is handled by independent self-employed drivers contracted through the platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Food Runners Online Ordering Platform A web-based online ordering and delivery platform that allows customers to enter an address, browse menus from hundreds of local restaurant partners, and place food orders for delivery via independent self-employed drivers. Targets individual consumers and businesses in Orange County, CA.
• The Food Runners Mobile App (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store that allow customers to search, browse restaurant menus, and place food orders on the go. Mirrors the web platform with a mobile-optimized interface.
• Group Order A group ordering service that enables businesses and teams to set up a shared lunch order, invite co-workers to participate, and manage a collective order with a closing deadline before delivery. Requires a $15 food minimum and includes a 12% gratuity for the delivery driver.
• TFR Rewards Program A points-based loyalty program where customers earn points on orders placed through the TFR platform and redeem them for discounts and reloadable Visa gift cards. Points expire after 60 days of account inactivity, with a maximum redemption of 40,000 points per month; a $5 replacement fee applies to lost gift cards.
• House Account (Business Account) A business account feature that allows corporate or organizational customers to place orders with invoiced payment via check or ACH, with payment terms of 30 days from invoice date. Designed for businesses seeking consolidated billing for employee food orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Order changes allowed up to 3 hours before delivery
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Restaurant PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent restaurants partnering with TFR for online marketing and delivery services. Restaurants are independent entities responsible for food preparation, handling, safety, and compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. TFR provides the technology platform while restaurants provide the food products.
• Independent Delivery DriverscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelf-employed delivery drivers contracted through TFR to fulfill delivery orders. Drivers are governed by applicable local, State, and Federal regulations including Vehicle Code and DMV regulations. Drivers receive delivery opportunities through the TFR platform and manage orders from pickup to delivery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Delivery.com: Online food and alcohol delivery marketplace operating in select US cities. Directly comparable to TFR in marketplace model, restaurant partnerships, and consumer ordering platform.
• Postmates: On-demand delivery platform (now owned by Uber) covering food and other goods. Comparable to TFR in independent-driver delivery model and broad restaurant partner network.
• Caviar: Premium food delivery service (owned by DoorDash) focusing on higher-end restaurants and quality curation. Comparable to TFR's emphasis on quality drivers and curated restaurant selection, although at a higher price positioning.
• Uber Eats: Global food delivery platform operated by Uber, connecting customers with restaurants via app and fleet of independent drivers. Directly comparable to TFR in delivery model, restaurant onboarding, and three-sided marketplace structure.
• DoorDash: The largest US food delivery platform connecting consumers with local restaurants via a marketplace and driver network. Directly comparable to TFR in core product, customer base, and three-sided marketplace model, but operating at massive national scale.
• Grubhub: Established US food delivery marketplace owned by Just Eat Takeaway, serving restaurants and consumers across major US metros. Directly comparable to TFR in takeout/delivery marketplace model and restaurant partner monetization.

Emerging players

• ChowNow: Restaurant-direct ordering platform that helps independent restaurants build their own branded online ordering and bypass third-party delivery commissions. Comparable to TFR's restaurant marketing positioning, though ChowNow focuses on direct, fee-free ordering rather than delivery logistics.
• Slice: Ordering platform focused on independent pizzerias and local restaurants, offering online ordering and marketing tools. Comparable to TFR in serving independent restaurants and providing marketing infrastructure, though Slice adds embedded fintech and supply chain services.

Regional players

• Waitr: Regional food delivery platform operating across multiple US states (originally focused on the South). Comparable to TFR in restaurant delivery model and three-sided marketplace, but operating at different regional scale.
• Bite Squad: Food delivery service operating in select US metro markets (acquired by Waitr). Comparable to TFR in regional delivery model, restaurant partnerships, and independent driver operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/foodrunnersOC
• Facebookfacebook.com/thefoodrunnersOC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thefoodrunners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Food Runners