Uber Closes Up Shop On Popular Booze Delivery Service Drizly
Like so many successful startups, the Drizly app was born when several would-be entrepreneurs identified a problem that needed solving — the absence of widely available delivery for beer, wine, and spirits. Launched in 2012, Drizly brought the stock of local alcoholic beverage purveyors to the fingertips of thirsty consumers, allowing them to easily order drinks for delivery. It quickly became a popular convenience, and in 2020, its sales soared amidst the pandemic. In 2021, Uber announced that it was buying Drizly for $1.1 billion, but now, three years later, the company is shutting the app down.
On January 15, Drizly announced its plans to close to its followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. The announcement explained that the shutdown would be gradual, with ordering on the app remaining an option until the latter part of March. Additionally, the announcement came with encouragement for users to migrate to ordering on the Uber Eats delivery app instead, promising promotions on the horizon.
Why is Drizly being shut down?
If you're concerned that the end of Drizly signifies the end of drink delivery, fear not. Uber's decision to shut down Drizly is merely an attempt to streamline its services and potentially improve the user experience by making the delivery of various goods seamless through one app. Through Uber Eats, users can order food and groceries, and in 35 states in the U.S., they can also order alcohol — it's a one-stop shop, rather than a singularly focused app like Drizly.
Furthermore, with continuous growth in profits, there's no reason to think that Uber is going away anytime soon. Specifically, Uber Eats has significantly increased its user base, the number of cities where it's available, and its revenue in the last several years. So, while the closure of Drizly may seem like the end of an era, it appears that drink delivery itself is a fixture that's here to stay in the ever-evolving food-delivery market. We'll raise a glass to that.