Prague’s newest food-delivery service caters to the outskirts of the city

Food delivery services have been growing in popularity amid stay-at-home orders across the Czech Republic. Now, Czech residents living in central Prague and beyond have another option to deliver their favorite meals to their doorstep.

Unlike its competitors, however, Bolt Food will deliver to previously underserved areas in the outskirts of Prague, including neighborhoods like Černý Most, Jižní Město, Letňany, and Zličín.

Users simply download the Bolt app, and can place an order for restaurants up to eight kilometers away. Choose from popular fast-food chains like KFC, Burger King or Pizza Hut, in addition to other fast-casual local restaurants like PokeHaus, Kolkovna, Potrefená husa, and others.

Bolt Food is a subsection of Bolt (formerly Taxify), an Uber-like taxi service that operates in Prague. Markus Villig first started the service in Estonia and it has since expanded throughout Europe, Africa, and North America. Like Uber, the company recently launched Bolt Foods, a food delivery service.

Demand for food delivery has surged during the government-mandated restrictions on movement in the Czech Republic. In the coming weeks, Bolt Food plans to add hundreds of local businesses (including restaurants, bakeries, local, and even flower shops) to their app in support of the Czech economy during the novel Coronavirus outbreak.

“We see a lot of sense in supporting the business as well, as the crisis is really affecting them,” Roman Sysel, Bolt’s regional manager for Central Europe, told CzechCrunch.cz

Their debut expands a bustling delivery service industry in Prague. The take-out delivery market already includes Dáme jídlo, Uber Eats, and Wolt.

During a special promotional launch period, delivery within four kilometers will be free of charge for Bolt Food users. Once that period ends, expect to pay 40 CZK or more for delivery. A spokesperson from Bolt Food told CzechCrunch.cz that delivery fees will vary, depending on the delivery distance.

Unlike other services in the market, Bolt Food does not guarantee a specific delivery time. Delivery times may vary from 25 to 60 minutes, according to the app, depending on the location of the food.

During the quarantine, users will be required to pay by card in advance to ensure contactless delivery. Bolt Food partner couriers will leave the order at a predetermined location, like the front gate or front door.