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.