Four Democratic lawmakers, led by Senator Amy Klobuchar, wrote to antitrust enforcers on Wednesday to warn that plans by Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) Inc, owner of Uber Eats, to buy rival online food delivery company Grubhub Inc would "raise serious competition issues" in many cities.
In their letter, the lawmakers said the deal would give Uber and Grubhub 48 percent of the U.S. market, while Doordash would have 42 percent. A merged Uber Eats and Grubhub would have 79 percent of the market in New York, 68 percent in Boston, 65 percent in Miami, 60 percent in Chicago, and 51 percent in Atlanta.
Uber Technologies Inc (UBER) is trading at $34.48, going up by +$1.08, or by +3.23%.
"We have been hearing about the exorbitant fees that these online delivery app companies charge to restaurants, which are then forced to pass these excessive costs on to consumers," the lawmakers wrote. "It is particularly troubling that this merger is being contemplated during a pandemic, when consumer demand has increased and when restaurants are more desperate for revenue than ever."