E-commerce and point-of-sale provider Lightspeed has integrated Uber Direct and Uber Eats marketplace into its platform.

The move, initially being rolled out in North America, will enable the Canadian company’s restaurant customers to list their menu offerings and take orders from the Uber Eats marketplace.

Lightspeed's new ‘Order Anywhere’ feature will allow merchants to take orders through their own website , thanks to direct access to the Uber service Uber Direct.

Uber Direct allows merchants to integrate a range of applications and services with an order delivery system that uses the company’s API, automating the process of sending a courier for pick-up and delivery.

Lightspeed said the integration will allow restaurants and caterers to pay the associated delivery fare without the additional costs that would be involved in developing their own customised delivery fleet.

The company’s president, JD Saint-Martin, said the new partnership aims to unlock value for its hospitality customers, as the restaurant industry continues to face significant challenges with staffing and increasingly narrow revenue margins.

“This partnership is an opportunity to provide our customers some relief in the form of a world-class delivery network and cost savings plan,” he continued. “We believe this is only the first step in a long-term relationship with Uber.”

Lightspeed’s merchant customers include Alinea Group in Chicago, Big Mamma in Europe and Kei in Paris, with the platform offering services in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Australia.

According to Lightspeed, its partnership with Uber will enable it to further meet its customers’ delivery demands, tap new markets, and reduce overhead on direct-to-consumer orders.

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