Food delivery app announces $2.5 mln virus fund

Yemeksepeti, an online food delivery app in Turkey, has announced a 20-million-Turkish-lira ($2.55-million) support package for restaurants feeling the pinch of the coronavirus pandemic

In order to curb the spread of the virus, the Turkish government this week imposed further restrictions on movement with restaurants only allowed to do food deliveries.

Yemeksepeti's package, "We Are Stronger Together," will make fortnightly payments to restaurants instead of monthly ones and the listing fee will be waived off.

Moreover, the app will allow users to place orders through the app and pick them from the restaurants, saving costs of riders.

Nevzat Aydın, the company's CEO, said: "We are aware of the difficulties experienced by small businesses who have closed dine-in services and we are with them."

The company will also launch a 2-million-Turkish-lira ($250,000) fund for restaurants.