ASU alumnus Adam Bell and his brother Dean are aiming to rid all households in Tempe of paper menus with OrderUp Tempe, an app and website that connects local restaurants to an online ordering system, all at the convenience of a customer’s phone or computer.
All a user needs to do is put his or her address into the site or app, and OrderUp Tempe will display all restaurants in the area that are open and can deliver.
The business began in 2011 and has grown into a familiar name across campus, teaming up with many popular restaurants in the area. It now has an assortment of people, including ASU students, helping with the marketing for the company.
OrderUp Tempe also offers exclusive deals and promotions through its restaurants that can only be found by accessing the app or website.
Bell and Dean grew up outside of Philadelphia and were familiar with online ordering because the idea had a large presence on the East Coast.
“As soon as I heard about this concept, I thought, 'That doesn’t exist here (at ASU),'” Bell said.
When Bell was a sophomore, he and his brother began their plans to turn OrderUp Tempe into a game-changing platform for the city's food industry with a pitch that offered a no-risk model of success.
“If somebody gave me the opportunity to show them the entire business model, they’d understand that there really is no risk involved,” says Adam. “If we don’t bring any business to your pizza place, then your pizza place will never share a dime with us.”
At first, restaurant owners were resistant to this type of drastic change, but the Bells were persistent. They are now affiliated with many popular food joints across the city such as Geno’s Cheesesteaks & Deli, Sal’s Pizza, Silver Mine Subs and many more.
Kevin Cowlin, shift leader at Silver Mine Subs on McClintock Drive, said OrderUp Tempe has remained a steady part of business at the store, with 15 percent of the orders coming from the app and website.
“It’s another way of advertising and marketing for us,” he said. “The majority of our orders are online, so it’s definitely a good thing."
Bell said he believes that in the next few years online ordering won’t be just another trend. The convenience and ease of use that this type of system provides to customers are the reasons behind this mentality.
“Eventually, everybody will be ordering online,” he said. “It’s just one of those things you can’t battle.”
Bell graduated from the W. P. Carey School of Business in 2013 and is excited about having his own business in the same place he attended college.
“I’m stoked that I’m doing it where I went to business school,” he said.
Business marketing freshman Noelle Hobaica, like many other ASU students, is not aware OrderUp Tempe exists.
“I haven’t heard of it, but I’ll definitely start using it now,” she said.
Bell said business is flourishing and is doing better every day.
“We’re hitting our targets, hitting our goals, and it’s really working well,” Bell said. “We really couldn’t be in a better spot than we are now.”
Reach the reporter at jhgolds2@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @mister_jgold
