New restaurant delivery service helps end hunger

A brand new online restaurant delivery service launched this week here in Kingston. Jubzi (pronounced jub-zee) rolled out here on Monday, May 3, 2021 and 40 Kingston eateries have already signed on.

Jubzi Inc. launched four months ago in Windsor, Ontario and has been a success with restaurant owners, the public, and a Windsor charity, according to a media release from the company. 

“This model has taken Windsor by storm and we are thrilled with our expansion into Kingston,” said Jubzi CEO Thanos Zikantas. “Windsor restaurants have jumped on board, the community has backed us and together we are doing some remarkable things.”

The big meal delivery apps charge restaurants up to 30 per cent in fees to process orders — in addition to delivery and administrative fees charged to the customer. Zikantis said Jubzi does not charge the restaurants anything for processing orders. In exchange, they require their Jubzi family of restaurants to help end hunger in their community by donating five per cent of their Jubzi sales to their local homeless shelter or food bank. 

How do they collect these funds? Jubzi keeps back five per cent of the food total of each order. The amount is then donated locally, and this will be audited annually by a local accounting firm.  

Here in Kingston, Jubzi will donate the first $5,000 to Martha’s Table, and the second $5,000 is earmarked for Partners in Mission Food Bank.

“After that we will rotate other local charities that focus on ending and addressing hunger and homelessness,” Zikantis shared with Kingstonist.

“In the past four months, Jubzi has processed over $400,000 in orders, has saved the local restaurants approximately $100,000 in commissions that otherwise would end up in the pockets of the national apps, and most importantly, 5,000 meals have been donated to the Windsor Downtown Mission.”

Zikantas, who owns a successful Greek restaurant in Windsor, started the app after refusing to pay the high fees to the big guys.

“We worked really hard over the past 20 years, and there was no way I was giving up 30 per cent of my business,” he said.

Kingston area restaurant owners feel the same way, and have signed onto the Jubzi network, according to the release.

“This is great for a sector of our economy that has been hit hard by the pandemic,” said Mike Argiris, owner of Morrison’s, a Kingston institution celebrating 100 years in business this year.

 “The other guys wanted to rob us and take 30 per cent of our business,” Argiris said. “And I like the fact that some of the savings will support local charities.”

“The charity aspect is important to us” echoed Dave McNamara, Owner of The Merchant Taphouse and Union Kitchen and Cocktails, two other popular local eateries that have joined the service and cause. “We are excited to be onboard with Jubzi”.

The Jubzi.com app is now available for consumers to download, and restaurant owners can sign up at Jubzi.com.