Choose and Justify a Product for a New Food Delivery Startup

You are the founder or first product manager of a new startup in food delivery. Decide what product you would build and make the case for it. Explain which customers and which problem you would focus on, what the first version does, why a startup could win in a space where large delivery apps already operate, and how you would know it is working. ```hint Find the gap the big apps leave Large delivery apps win on selection, scale and speed. Look for a diner, restaurant or courier problem that their model handles badly or ignores, because that is where a small team can win. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does the startup have to serve diners, or may it serve restaurants or couriers instead, for example with software for restaurants? - Which market should I assume: one US city, or a market where the large apps are weaker? - How much funding does the startup have, and must it show fast growth or a path to profitability first? - Are capital-heavy models such as running our own kitchens or autonomous delivery in scope, or should the idea be asset-light? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A view of the market: its three sides (diners, restaurants, couriers), what the incumbents do well and where they leave a gap. - A target segment and problem chosen from several candidates using explicit criteria. - A focused first version with a clear wedge, and how the product expands from there. - Success metrics that include unit economics, such as contribution per order, and not only order counts. - Risks, especially an incumbent copying the idea, and how the startup stays defensible. ### Follow-up Questions - A large delivery app launches the same feature soon after you do. What protects you? - How would you win your first restaurants and first customers in a single launch area? - Which metric, at which stage, would tell you to pivot instead of continuing?