Apps That Deliver

8 best Austin delivery services to meet your every need

4 Nikki Favor food delivery app January 2015

Favor is one of the awesome services in Austin that will deliver food and other items to your door.

Photo by RP[Mx]

For the days when you're short on time or the couch is just too damn comfy, we've rounded up the top Austin services that really deliver. From a simple meal to everything you need for craft cocktails, here are the best delivery services and apps operating in town.

Eat24
Rather than having to comb through multiple restaurant websites to find a place that delivers, you can peruse Eat24, an online service that allows you to search for tasty dishes from Austin-area eateries that offer delivery. Order online through the company's website or download the app for on-the-go access.

Food.ee
Next time you have an office party or a big meeting, skip the catering prices and take a look at Food.ee. This app connects you with local restaurants that have simple menu items and the capability to handle large orders. Just be sure to order at least a day ahead oftime, because Food.ee needs a 24-hour notice at minimum. The lowest order price is $40 plus a flat delivery fee of $15.

Gourmet By Numbers
Gourmet By Numbers makes being a chef easy. This Austin-based company will deliver a delicious recipe and the necessary ingredients so you can make a restaurant-quality spread. Order your meal of choice off the rotating menu online and have it delivered to your door. The menu features locally sourced ingredients and multiple options, including vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Prices for a one-time, single serving order start at $12.50, but there are several serving size and subscription options.

Instacart
Feel like skipping the crowd at the grocery store? Instacart allows you to order an entire grocery trip's worth of products online or through the app and have it delivered to your house. The service is currently available at H-E-B and Whole Foods Market in Austin. The delivery fee on an order under $35 starts at $7.99; over $35 starts at $3.99.

BrewDrop
There are multiple alcohol delivery apps operating out of Austin, but root for the home team and try BrewDrop next time you need a beverage but don't want to drive. BrewDrop's simple app lets you browse options as if you were at the nearest liquor store. Once you make your selection, a friendly delivery person from BrewDrop's partner stores will bring your order within an hour for just $5 (plus tip).

Sourced
Yet another local company has hit the scene to help you step up your beverage game. Similar to Gourmet By Numbers, Sourced will deliver everything you need — from the recipe to the alcohol and glassware — to create your own craft cocktails. The menu changes every six weeks to make sure you'll always have something new to sip on. The smallest package, which includes six drinks, costs around $50. Sourced asks that you order online ahead of time, because deliveries can take up to three hours.

Favor
Perhaps the most recognizable name on the list, Favor is the catch-all app that can deliver almost anything. Its most popular use is for food delivery, but this Austin-based company is also capable of getting you material items like clothing. Helpful Favor runners can drop off your order to your house, office, or wherever you're located, just as long as it's within the service area. Pricing starts at $5, plus 5 percent of the item's cost and a tip for the deliverer.

Get Me
A new Dallas-based company that launched in Austin earlier this month is shaking things up with a variety of offerings. A cross between Favor and Uber, Get Me is a multipurpose app that not only connects you to "Go-Getters" who deliver items, but also picks you up at in-town locations. Rates reflect time of day and distance and are outlined by zones centered around your location.

apps

SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts