Uber Eats has introduced a new feature called “Live” that allows users to order food and drinks directly to their seats at select live event venues in South Africa, reshaping the way fans experience entertainment.
With the new feature, attendees at concerts, sports matches, and other live events can open the Uber Eats app, browse food stalls available at the venue, place an order, and have their meal delivered straight to their seat, no queues, no missing the action.
Uber Eats first piloted the feature at SunBet Arena in Pretoria during the Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs on June 13, 2025. The company says the goal is to bring even more convenience to the live entertainment experience in South Africa.
“This is about enhancing moments that matter and helping people enjoy live events without having to get up and miss out,” Uber Eats said in a statement.
Launched in South Africa in 2016, Uber Eats has grown rapidly across major cities. With “Live,” the platform is now targeting the country’s bustling entertainment scene. High-profile venues like SunBet Arena, one of South Africa’s premier indoor venues host between 20 and 30 major events annually. In 2025 alone, it has welcomed international stars such as Andrea Bocelli, Sting, and Robbie Williams, and played host to the week-long BAL playoffs and finals.
As demand for convenience continues to grow, Uber Eats is betting that in-seat delivery will become a staple at live events, offering a seamless way to enjoy both the show and a meal.
First piloted at SunBet Arena in Pretoria during the Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs on June 13, 2025, the feature allows attendees to use the Uber Eats app to browse menus from participating vendors, place orders, and have meals delivered straight to their seats, eliminating queues and letting fans stay immersed in the action.
“This is about enhancing moments that matter, helping people enjoy live events without having to get up and miss out,” the company said.
Now, Uber Eats is eyeing a broader rollout to South Africa’s largest entertainment venues. Cape Town Stadium, FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, and Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, all known for hosting high-capacity concerts, football matches, and cultural festivals are seen as key expansion targets as Uber Eats aims to become a fixture of the live entertainment experience nationwide.
“As South Africa’s entertainment landscape evolves, we’re committed to evolving with it,” said Cassie Jaganyi, Head of Communications for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa. “Uber Eats Live is about enhancing moments, not interrupting them. It’s innovation that moves with the crowd, not against it.”
Uber Eats has been active in South Africa since 2016, but the launch of “Live” represents a strategic play to embed itself deeper into cultural experiences. The move comes amid a surge in demand for online food delivery. In 2024, South Africans spent roughly $3.3 billion on food ordered online, a figure expected to nearly double to $5.99 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of 9.9%. Aggregator platforms like Uber Eats and Mr. D are the fastest-growing segment of this market.
The company says this innovation aligns with its broader mission to create seamless, tech-enabled experiences that meet users “exactly where they are at the heart of culture, community, and celebration.”
According to Uber’s 2023 Economic Impact Report, the company supported over 40,000 earners and contributed more than R17 billion (around $930 million) to South Africa’s economy in a single year. By enabling features like Uber Eats Live, the company continues to find new ways to serve not only consumers but also merchants and delivery partners.
With world-class entertainers like Andrea Bocelli, Sting, and Robbie Williams already performing at SunBet Arena this year, and major local festivals drawing large crowds across the country, Uber Eats believes the time is right to make seat-side service the new standard at South African events.
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