Uber Eats is quietly testing a 'dine-in' option for customers who want to eat in restaurants

Uber Eats is testing a dine-in option.

Uber

• Uber Eats is quietly testing a dine-in option.
• "A Dine-in order is when you place an order through the Eats app and you go to the restaurant to collect it. You can then choose to sit in the restaurant to eat your food," according to Uber.
• Dine-in options can save time by allowing customers to order and pay ahead of time, something that is an increasingly expected feature on apps from chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Starbucks.
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Uber Eats is quietly testing a dine-in option.

Customers in Austin, Texas, can now choose to "dine-in" in addition to ordering delivery or pick-up.

"A Dine-in order is when you place an order through the Eats app and you go to the restaurant to collect it," Uber states on its list of frequently asked questions. "You can then choose to sit in the restaurant to eat your food."

Screenshots of Uber Eats' app in Austin, Texas.

Kate Taylor/Business Insider

Uber declined to provide further information about where it is testing the dine-in option or when it rolled out the test.

"We're always thinking about new ways to enhance the Eats experience," an Uber representative said in an email to Business Insider.

The test reveals the constantly evolving nature of food delivery. As delivery and ordering ahead via mobile apps is increasingly expected, restaurants and delivery services are battling for dominance in the convenience category.

Stas Matviyenko, the CEO of dine-in-centric startup Allset, told Business Insider that the dine-in space is one that seems likely to attract greater attention from delivery, takeout, and reservation players moving forward. While both services allow you to pre-order and pre-pay, Allset's service also seats customers, with food served on a plate instead of as a takeout order.

Dine-in options can save time by allowing customers to order and pay ahead of time, something that is an increasingly expected feature on apps from chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Starbucks.

"Delivery does not work for a quick bite. It actually takes a lot of time," Matviyenko said.

"With takeout, you need to bring your food to the office or find a place on the street and eat from a box," Matviyenko continued. "But with dine-in, you can have a full dining experience inside the restaurant without waiting, which is convenient and fast."