Seminar（Dept. of Trade Economics）

Title: The Role of On-Demand Delivery Platforms in Restaurants

Speaker: Zhuoxin (Allen) Li (Associate Professor at Wisconsin School of Business in the University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Time: 10:00-11:30am, November 22, 2022 (Tuesday)

Venue: Online Meeting

Language：English

Abstract：

Restaurants are increasingly relying on on-demand delivery platforms (e.g., DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats in the U.S.; Meituan and Ele.me in China) to reach customers and fulfill takeout orders. Although on-demand delivery is a valuable option for consumers, whether restaurants benefit from or are being hurt by partnering with these platforms remains unclear. In this talk, Dr. Li will discuss whether and to what extent the platform delivery channel substitutes restaurants’ own takeout/dine-in channels and the net impact on restaurant revenue. He will also discuss the intended and unintended consequences of the recent regulation to cap delivery platforms’ commission fees.

Short biography：

Dr. Zhuoxin (Allen) Li is the Michael and Mary Sue Shannon Professor and an Associate Professor at Wisconsin School of Business in the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He investigates digital platforms and value chains, with a focus on the coordination problem when participants’ interests are not fully aligned. He studies the design of information & coordination strategies for value creation and appropriation. Dr. Li has received several prestigious awards, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, the Gordon B. Davis Young Scholar Award, the Nunamaker-Chen Dissertation Award, and several best paper awards from premier conferences.