It’s in a way symbolic that the proposed Uber acquisition of Grubhub has left its target to Just Eat Takeaway instead. If Uber stands for the conveniently mobile and spontaneous ways of an outgoing urban environment, the meal delivery businesses of both Grubhub and its new strategic partner stand for something more reluctant and withdrawn.
The segment’s other dominant competitor, DoorDash, is in the meanwhile securing a market vote of confidence of its own… which is also symbolic.
While much of the crystal ball viewership is homing in on remoteness as the new wave (including the symbolic market moves described)… remote learning, remote work, remote health, and so on…
… perhaps there is a bigger and more interesting theme in the making, something to do with security, conservation, and defense at a more general level. It’s in any case a theme worth watching.
Speculative Fiction 