Technology

Qu, Cartwheel partner for first-party delivery capabilities

Photo: Adobe Stock

May 1, 2025

Enterprise delivery management platform Cartwheel has partnered with Qu, a unified commerce platform for enterprise restaurants. The collaboration integrates Cartwheel's advanced delivery management tools into Qu's unified commerce platform, enabling restaurants to meet rising demand for first-party digital ordering, according to a press release.

Qu's recent 2025 State of Digital Report showed that 40% of restaurant brands expect first-party digital ordering to be their top revenue driver this year. The integration between Cartwheel and Qu addresses this trend by providing quick-service and fast-casual restaurants with scalable, efficient delivery solutions that enhance the customer experience while maximizing operational efficiency.

"This integration with Qu brings our enterprise-grade delivery management capabilities to more mid-market and enterprise restaurants nationwide," Alex Vasilkin, co-founder and CEO of Cartwheel, said in the press release. "As first-party digital ordering continues to drive significant revenue growth, restaurants need sophisticated, well-integrated tools to manage both in-house and third-party delivery operations. Our partnership with Qu creates a seamless experience that helps restaurants optimize their delivery programs for profitability and control."

The partnership offers Qu clients access to Cartwheel's comprehensive delivery management platform, which includes:

• Driver Management Suite. Tailored for restaurants with in-house delivery drivers, the suite offers AI-powered auto-dispatch, sophisticated routing tools, and real-time tracking capabilities that enhance the customer experience while streamlining operations.
• Hybrid Delivery. Lets restaurants combine in-house and third-party delivery using custom rules (order value, distance, driver availability, etc.) to determine the best fulfillment method.
• Third-Party Delivery Management. Centralizes management of 50+ delivery providers through a single dashboard, with orchestration rules that optimize delivery based on factors including distance, cost, and driver availability.

"Our customers are increasingly focused on maximizing their first-party ordering channels, and on how they can make those channels operationally efficient and effective," Darien Bates, chief product officer, Qu, said in the press release. "By partnering with Cartwheel, we're providing restaurants with the tools they need to manage their off-premises operations at scale. This collaboration is another example of how Qu can leverage its unique unified commerce platform to support extraordinary experiences for brands and partners alike."