IT giant Uber is launching a new feature for foodies across the globe – and Australia will be the first country to try it.

Uber held its annual Go-Get new product launch on Wednesday, May 15, in New York City.

In the shadow of the World Trade Centre, the tech giant announced that its new ‘Dine Out’ service will launch worldwide. But it will be given its first test run in Sydney from June. It’s likely Melbourne will be soon after that.

Talking to news.com.au, Uber’s global chief product officer Sachin Kansal said the “game-changer” move will turn Uber Eats on its head, enabling customers to book tables in restaurants and get dining out discounts from the app that’s usually used to order in.

“Uber and Uber Eats are about us giving our users options,” Kansal said. “Sometimes those users may order through Uber Eats, but sometimes they may want to dine out and enjoy the ambience of the restaurant. This is a continuation of our journey for both users as well as restaurants.”

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Credit: Benedict Brook

Aussie treats baffle Americans

To celebrate Australia being the first market to launch Dine Out, the company treated bemused New Yorkers to “fairy bread-inspired” strawberry finger buns and mini Cheesymite scrolls, prepared by celebrated Aussie New York cafe Little Ruby’s.

Even those serving the treats to commuters in the Oculus transport interchange were somewhat confused by what fairy bread was. But while New Yorkers found the finger buns finger-licking good, they were more circumspect about the Vegemite-infused buns.

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“Thrill” to debut Dine Out Down Under

“It’s a thrill and privilege for Australia to be the first market anywhere in the world to test and finesse the new Dine Out product – one we know will benefit restaurants and bring additional convenience and value to Sydneysiders and visitors alike,” said Uber Eats Australia managing director, Ed Kitchen.

“I am proud to be able to launch this technology for Australian small business owners in Sydney first, though as a proud Melburnian, I’ve assured my friends and family that the plan is to launch in Victoria in the coming months.”

Dine Out encourages Aussies to use the Uber Eats app to book tables to eat in at restaurants – via a partnership with bookings app OpenTable – as well as to redeem discounts. Diners will also be able to book an Uber ride to get them to the restaurant on time.

Uber Eats is touting Dine Out as a boon to both diners and restaurants.

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Credit: Steven Woodburn

Why is Australia first to get Uber Dine Out?

The company said the southern hemisphere being in winter was key to Australia being chosen to launch Dine Out.

During the colder months, more people huddle indoors, and restaurants want to prise them off the sofa. One way to do that is to offer money off their meals.

Uber also expects that restaurants will offer discounts to get customers in during what might be a quieter time, when they struggle to fill seats. Say, a cheaper main dish before the evening rush.

At the glitzy New York event, Sydney’s trendy harbourside restaurant Catalina was highlighted to the audience as an example of a Dine Out option.

Catalina Rose Bay Owner Judy McMahon said winter was always quieter, despite the eatery’s breathtaking location.

“Maybe this year, with Uber’s Dine Out technology, it will be different,” she said.

“I anticipate a lot of the clientele using this feature will be new or younger, and that appeals to me.”

Other Sydney restaurants on board with Dine Out are across the spectrum of price and tastes, including Fabbrica, Wings and Tins, Malabar, Employees Only and Raw Bar.

Restaurants are able to express their interest in registering for the new feature here.

Uber has said the Dine Out feature will not cost customers or eateries any extra to access.

“I was in Sydney in December and I love the city,” said Kansal. He added that Australia was one of Uber Eats’ “strongest markets”.

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The issue Aussie Uber users are grumbling about

Just like in other nations, cost-of-living pressures were weighing on customers, Kansal said.

“Affordability and prices are a big thing that we hear from users, and then we ask ourselves, what can we do?” he said. “We can’t solve the broader problem ourselves, but we can contribute to the solution.”

In New York, Uber launched a number of new features which it’s claimed will help people save money.

These included Price Lock Pass which, for $US3 a month, solidifies a price for a particular route, such a trip from home to work. That means users won’t find that one morning, they’re paying vastly more due to price surges.

Uber claims its new Route Share feature will allow customers to get rides for up to 50 percent cheaper. Ubers that several people can share will traverse predetermined routes in cities at least every 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, Savings Slider on Uber Eats will suggest alternatives to your usual grocery items if they’re cheaper in an alternative store nearby. Uber is also introducing Member Days – similar to Amazon Prime Day sales. 

“All the initiatives that we talked about today will find their way into Australia,” Kansal told news.com.au. However, Dine Out aside, Australian launch dates are not yet confirmed.

Uber released its results for the first three months of 2025 last week. While revenue didn’t meet analysts’ expectations, it still posted a profit of $US1.78 billion – welcome news after a $US654 million loss in early 2024.

Deliveries, via Uber Eats, were up 15 percent year on year to 20.38 billion journeys worldwide. Its delivery profits rose 45 percent to $US763m.

This article originally appeared on news.com.au. It has been reproduced here with permission.

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