How Eric Martell Cooked up a 'Digital Food Court'

How Eric Martell Cooked up a 'Digital Food Court'
Category: Interviews
Author: Jon Eckhardt
Published: June 17, 2015
Updated: June 4, 2020
Views: 7433
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Eric Martell co-founded EatStreet as a 19-year-old to create a "digital food court" and online ordering for mom-and-pop restaurants serving hungry college students. His startup has now grown to 110 cities, with 50 full time employees and more than 10,000 restaurant clients. In some college towns, half of the student body use EatStreet regularly. Martell talked with EIX editor Jon Eckhardt about how a food delivery man sparked the idea for EatStreet, his company's approach to problem-solving, and his make-or-break moments -- including turning down high-paying jobs for the uncertain life of an entrepreneur.

Additional Search Terms: restaurant industry, delivery services, Uber, Uber Eats, customer service, gig economy


Jon Eckhardt
Jon Eckhardt
Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Distinguished Professor / Wisconsin School of Business & Wisconsin Institute for Discovery / University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Cite this Article
DOI: 10.17919/X93S3G
Eckhardt, Jon. "How Eric Martell Cooked up a 'Digital Food Court'." FamilyBusiness.org. 17 Jun. 2015. Web 10 May. 2024 <https://eiexchange.com/content/98-how-eric-martell-cooked-up-a-digital-food-court>.
Eckhardt, J. (2015, June 17). How eric martell cooked up a 'digital food court'. FamilyBusiness.org. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from https://eiexchange.com/content/98-how-eric-martell-cooked-up-a-digital-food-court