MealPal

MealPal offers a subscription-based service targeting urban professionals with affordable, pre-ordered meal options. The company was founded in 2016 by Mary Biggins and Katie Ghelli. Biggins, who previously co-founded the fitness subscription service ClassPass, and Ghelli, formerly of ZocDoc, identified an opportunity to apply a similar subscription model to the daily office lunch. This background provided Biggins with a strong foundation in subscription models and consumer behavior.

The business operates through a digital platform, available as a website and a mobile app, that connects subscribers with a network of local restaurants. Revenue is generated from monthly subscription fees, which offer various tiers based on the number of meals included, such as 12 or 20-meal plans. This model provides the company with a predictable income stream. MealPal has raised a total of $35 million in venture capital, including a $15 million Series A in February 2017 led by Comcast Ventures, and a $20 million Series B in September 2017 led by Menlo Ventures. Other key investors include Bessemer Venture Partners and NextView Ventures.

Subscribers can browse daily meal options from participating restaurants, which each offer one specific meal per day for MealPal users. Orders are placed in advance, from 5 p.m. the day before until 10:30 a.m. on the day of pickup, for a designated 15-minute window. This pre-ordering system is a core feature, designed to eliminate wait times for customers and provide restaurants with predictable order volumes, which helps optimize kitchen operations and potentially reduce food waste. The service is pickup-only, distinguishing it from delivery-focused competitors. For restaurants, the model is similar to catering, which is often a profitable segment, as preparing a large volume of a single dish requires less labor than individual, varied orders. MealPal purchases meals from restaurants at an agreed-upon bulk price, which allows it to offer meals to consumers at a significant discount. The platform also collects data on consumer preferences, providing valuable feedback to restaurant partners to help them refine their offerings.