“There are slow days of the week where restaurants can handle an extra 10, 20, 30 orders a day if they have the demand,” says Alex Canter, CEO of Nextbite. Nextbite is one of many ventures that dabble in the restaurant tech trade, but it’s taken a different approach; instead of developing tech for one establishment, Nextbite partners with multiple restaurants. Nextbite creates and manages delivery-only food brands, meaning they don’t build their own space; instead, they pay other restaurants for their kitchens and their staff to cook their orders. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here