Meals on (Two) Wheels: the math on Hurrier, Toronto’s trendy new bike delivery service
Hurrier, a start-up launched earlier this summer, has latched onto an intriguing formula: trendy restaurants with no-reservation policies + one-hour delivery = customers willing to part with serious cash. The bike courier service has made exclusive deals with a roster of consistently swamped west-end restaurants, allowing customers across the city to get Burgers Priest burgers and Grand Electric tacos without braving endless lineups—or even leaving the couch. As always, though, convenience comes at a premium. On top of the $4.50 flat fee, Hurrier charges $1.50 per kilometer and a 5 per cent surcharge on all items, which means the average Annex-dweller can expect to pay an extra $10 for door-to-door delivery from Banh Mi Boys on Queen West—about the same price as one-way cab fare to the restaurant. Here’s how the math shakes out in a few different scenarios, plus our verdicts on whether delivery is worth the extra charge.
Scenario #1: Weekday Dinner for One
The Order: A roast pork sandwich with Parmesan from Italian lunch counter Porchetta and Co. on Dundas West The Destination: Leslieville The Regular Tab: $8 The Hurrier Tab: $23 The Verdict: Save $15 and get your solo pig fix at Rashers on Queen East
Scenario #2: Group Lunch at the Office
The Order: 10 Priest burgers from Burgers Priest at Queen and Spadina The Destination: Financial District The Regular Tab: $113 The Hurrier Tab: $126 The Verdict: The markup on bulk orders doesn’t seem so steep, especially if the whole group shares the delivery fee
Scenario #3: Friday Date Night
The Order: Chips and guac and six mini tacos from Grand Electric at Queen and Brock The Destination: Little Italy The Regular Tab: $33.50 The Hurrier Tab: $44 The Verdict: Costly, yes, but we’d probably pay even more to skip the hours-long queue
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