Can we imagine the meal-sharing economy without service providers? The impact of COVID-19

Abstract

The meal-sharing economy has taken significant scholarly attention recently; however, no study examines the impact of the current health crisis on meal-sharing economy platforms. This research attempts to bridge this gap by investigating the effect of the COVID-19 on the meal-sharing economy based on the service providers’ perspective. For this purpose, thirteen interviews with meal-sharing service providers in Istanbul were conducted, and the data were examined through conventional content analysis. Findings showed that meal-sharing service providers have been facing unprecedented challenges since the outbreak. The findings also reveal a common consensus on the disruptive role of the coronavirus measures in terms of limiting meal-sharing activities. Moreover, it was indicated that the current health crisis has compelled service providers to redesign their events as online virtual activities. The results provide favorable theoretical and practical insights to guide the meal-sharing platforms for a health crisis adoption and revival of such platforms.