BEACHWOOD, Ohio – The city-run, fee-free restaurant-delivery program in Beachwood is being extended through February.

Beachwood Delivers was successful enough for officials to continue the program, which the city funded with $10,000. The city contracts drivers to ferry food to customers within a 5.2-mile radius. In its first 18 days, restaurants saved $5,879, “compared against the 30-percent charged by third-party delivery apps,” said Beachwood Mayor Martin Horwitz in a news release, “and our customers saved an estimated $9,000 in menu upcharges, increased taxes, and service and delivery fees.”

The program serves 10 of Beachwood’s 16 locally owned restaurants. The city of Beachwood and its Economic Development sector pay for the service, which local officials say is the first municipal/restaurant delivery partnership in the country.

The delivery service works like this: From 4 to 8 p.m. daily, residents, employees and hotel guests can call a participating restaurant, order and pay (minimum $25). The restaurant then calls the city drivers for delivery, and customers receive text updates.

The program comes at a critical time considering over the past year restaurants have emphasized delivery and pickup as a way to combat coronavirus restrictions. In Cleveland, city officials – seeking a salve for the economic plight brought on by the virus - capped fees from fee-based delivery providers like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub.

Participating restaurants

Blu, the Restaurant - 216-831-5599

BOMBA Taco + Bar - 216-755-5907

Cedar Creek Grille - 216-342-5177

Giovanni’s Ristorante - 216-831-8625

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse - 216-464-0688

Lindey’s Lake House - 216-342-5030

MarMar’s Pizza – 216-316-3355

Tres Potrillos - 216-591-1202

Winking Lizard - 216-454-0380

Yours Truly - 216-464-4848

I am on cleveland.com’s life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, here’s a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. And tune in at 8:05 a.m. Fridays for “Beer with Bona and Much, Much More” with Munch Bishop on 1350-AM The Gambler.

Get a jumpstart on the weekend and sign up for Cleveland.com’s weekly “In the CLE” email newsletter, your essential guide to the top things to in Greater Cleveland. It will arrive in your inbox on Friday mornings - an exclusive to-do list, focusing on the best of the weekend fun. Restaurants, music, movies, performing arts, family fun and more. Just click here to subscribe. All cleveland.com newsletters are free.