Fifteen-minute groceries sounded like a customer win and an operator’s headache. Uber launched Carrefour Sprint in Paris in October 2021 with Carrefour and Cajoo, promising delivery in about 15 minutes through Uber Eats. CNBC described the dark-store model behind it: inventory close to customers so couriers had less distance to cover.
The speed sounded good until I thought about the labor and space it required. A small warehouse, stocked inventory, pickers, and riders all had to be available before someone asked for milk. I would rather see repeat orders and delivery cost per basket than a screenshot of the 15-minute timer. Speed is a feature; idle capacity is the bill.