BurgerFi and Gopuff are expanding a unique delivery partnership that will bring the 116-unit burger brand to more than 30 new locations across the U.S.
Gopuff, an “instant commerce” app that delivers thousands of consumer packaged goods from a network of fulfillment centers, has ventured into the restaurant business over the past year with its own kitchens, known as Fresh Food Halls. It will soon add freshly made BurgerFi burgers and fries to the menu in more than a dozen cities.
The partnership began in March with a BurgerFi food truck parked outside a Gopuff warehouse in Tallahassee, Fla. Going forward, Gopuff will license the chain’s menu and handle every part of the operation, including preparing the food in kitchens at some of its fulfillment centers.
“Having seen how much Gopuff customers in Tallahassee loved accessing BurgerFi for delivery, we look forward to expanding our partnership to bring their delicious, fresh and quality food to more customers in minutes,” said Amelia Riba, VP Kitchens at Gopuff, in a statement.
For BurgerFi, the deal allows it to add locations—including in new markets—without actually opening restaurants. About half of its 116 units are in its home state of Florida, with the rest scattered around the country. The Gopuff agreement includes Miami, Nashville, New York and Philadelphia.
“The continuation of this partnership is a natural next step in raising the bar for our guests who value convenience and delivery,” said Ophir Sternberg, executive chairman of BurgerFi, in a statement. “We can’t think of a better partner to grow this late-night option nationwide.”
BurgerFi will join Gopuff’s existing Fresh Food Hall menu, which includes pizza, sandwiches and items from Wow Bao. And the company hinted that it could pursue more restaurant partnerships in the future.
“With our nationwide infrastructure, trained teams, and control over inventory and cooking prep, we have the ability to truly partner with restaurants like BurgerFi to curate menu and help them reach more customers instantly—without putting added stress on their restaurants for delivery,” Riba said.
That has put the Philadelphia-based company in competition with restaurant delivery providers like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Those companies have themselves begun to impede on Gopuff’s turf with the delivery of groceries, alcohol and other non-restaurant products.