Technology

Snackpass introduces Digital Menus

Snackpass was founded at Yale University by then-students Jamie Marshall, Kevin Tan and Jonathan Cameron. Provided

July 24, 2020

Snackpass, a contactless pickup app, has launched Digital Menus, which allows customers to view and order from menus without downloading an app. The service is executed by applying QR codes outside the restaurant and at tables inside for contactless transactions, with easy sign-up for restaurant owners eager to get back to serving customers, according to a company press release.

"As cities and states navigate the reopening process after closures due to COVID-19, we understand the importance of providing a contactless solution like Digital Menus for operators to reopen restaurants safely while also driving revenue after a very trying few months for the industry," Jamie Marshall, co-founder and COO of Snackpass, said in the release.

Since launching in late spring, Snackpass has signed up hundreds of restaurants to its Digital Menus service in college markets and in many new cities around the country.

"Particularly in college towns where student living and dining is going to be very different this fall than in previous years, Digital Menus creates a contactless experience to keep both customers and restaurants safe," said Jonathan Cameron, co-founder and head of Partnerships at Snackpass.

After launching the consumer app at Yale University in 2017, Snackpass has a presence at 14+ universities, including UC Berkeley, Brown University, Dartmouth College, University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania while also expanding its offering outside of college towns with a restaurant and consumer base in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. In the second half of 2020, the company is focusing on increasing its presence in college towns with a goal of reaching 100 college campuses, particularly on the east coast with added schools, such as Rutgers University, Penn State University, and the University of Delaware.

"What we've seen is that restaurants who are able to adapt quickly are able to survive in the long run," Marshall said. "Future generations are going to wonder why we ever waited in line for our food and the challenges created by COVID-19 have caused that transformation of the restaurant experience to accelerate with a decade's worth of evolution happening in mere months."

Mobile is the future and Gen Z has grown up with a mobile-first mentality, CEO and co-founder Kevin Tan said in the release.

"We want to be there as a true partner to restaurant owners who are battling to get back to where they were before the pandemic began and help support them in the new landscape ahead," he said.

Snackpass was founded at Yale University by then-students Tan, Marshall, who is a Thiel Fellow, and Cameron who saw an opportunity to combine pickup and social around college campuses which has helped the startup resonate with Gen Z.

In December, Snackpass announced a $21 million series A funding round led by Andrew Chen at Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from First Round Capital, Y Combinator, General Catalyst, and Inspired Capital. The company employs more than 30 people with a college ambassador program of hundreds.