St. Petersburg, FL - September 1, 2021
Local Restaurant-Owned Food Delivery App Launches in St. Pete
Saint Petersburg, FL (September 1, 2021) – LoCo Tampa Bay "LTB", a local independent-restaurant-owned food delivery APP has officially launched in the St. Petersburg area with 50+ restaurants on board and growing. As of today, Buya Ramen, Crafty Squirrel, Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill, Mary Margaret's Olde Irish Tavern, Mio's Grill & Café, Orange Belt Café, The Oyster Bar, Portofino Italian Ristorante, Sam's Chicken & Seafood, Swingers Patio Bar & Grill, The Big Catch, The Burg Bar & Grill, The Galley, The Lure, The Lure Ono and The Studio Public House are using LoCo as their exclusive delivery partner. These and other local restaurants on the platform are leading the way for independents and making Saint Petersburg restaurant history!
The mission is simple - give locally-owned independent restaurants a sustainable business model and a trusted delivery partner that helps them succeed instead of taking advantage of them, their customers and community. The food delivery market is currently controlled by corporate monopolies (Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats). These companies charge huge commissions (30%+) to independent restaurants, which makes it hard for them to make money and ultimately affects everyone in the community. They also engage in deceptive business practices and take millions of dollars out of local economies every month. In addition, they control all the customer data, so restaurants don't even know who's ordering their food. This information has been used to create ghost kitchens in other markets, which directly competes with the restaurants.
LoCo Tampa Bay is a fresh alternative - a local only app (Get LoCo) that rewards everyone for supporting local. The app benefits restaurants with delivery commission savings, profit sharing and dividends while drivers receive competitive pay, local perks and annual bonuses. Customers get cash back rewards, a chance to win local perks, and better customer service (since everything is local) as well as the benefit of knowing they're helping their favorite local independent restaurants.
"Most don't realize the national 3rd-party delivery monopolies have crushed small independent restaurants like ours with outrageous fees," expressed Jon LaBudde, owner of The Big Catch & Buya Ramen. "We've been struggling to keep our doors open, and meanwhile they're having record profits. With LoCo Tampa Bay, we can thrive with lower commissions and better customer service, and all the money stays in town"
"We're really excited to get LoCo off the ground in downtown St. Pete," said Mike Magee, franchise owner of LoCo Tampa Bay. "Consumers want their local neighborhood favorites delivered now and in the future. The LoCo app is the true way to support local."
Now's the time for independent restaurants to invest in their future and join the movement. The movement started more than four years ago in Iowa City and has spread to Fort Collins, Boulder, Richmond, Knoxville, Omaha, and Las Vegas.
About LoCo Tampa Bay (www.locotampabay.com)
LoCo Tampa Bay is a cooperative "co-op" style business model that is 75% owned by the local independent restaurants with the other 25% owned by a franchise, headed by Mike Magee, a pioneer of over 15 years in the restaurant food delivery marketplace industry.
Media Contact:
Mike Magee
813.803.2455
Mikem@locotampabay.com
