Waitr Secures $10 Million From NFL Star and Investor Drew Brees

The latest Louisiana funding news comes from food delivery app Waitr, a Lake Charles-based startup.

Waitr founder Chris Meaux sought funding locally, and was connected to New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees, who invested $10 million in the startup. To date, Waitr has raised $16 million.

Brees, who has been an investor for five years, first noticed Waitr because of its impact on his companies including Walk-Ons Bistreaux and Bar. “It was increasing our sales at each location by 10 percent or more. As I began to learn more about the company, there was no doubt in my mind it would be a leader in food delivery.”

TechCrunch reported that Waitr will use some of the funding for expansion, hiring and marketing. “But it will also invest in building new features to make life easier for the people who work in restaurants,” wrote Lora Kolodny.

Waitr is fast-growing and now in 18 cities across the country. Unlike other food delivery apps such as UberEATS and Postmates that focus on larger markets as well as those not as big, Waitr is a proponent of solely focusing on smaller cities. The startup currently operates in New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles and others in Louisiana, as well as cities and towns in Texas, Alabama, and California.