Uber Eats is partnering with nonprofit Pizza to the Polls to launch a nonpartisan fleet of food trucks that will offer free food to voters standing in lines, starting Vote Early Day on Oct. 24.
The food truck schedules in the D.C. area are Oct. 30 through Nov. 3. There are no set voting locations in the Washington area for the food trucks. They go to where lines are longest throughout each day, relying on voters to submit reports online.
Free food is available for whomever is there, including people in line, their children, poll volunteers and staff. Food trucks will deploy to voting locations through Election Day.
More than 180 trucks will roll out across D.C. and 24 other cities. In the District, the trucks will stock food from Shake Shack, Milk Bar and other local restaurants while playing music.
Uber said it built the food truck program in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which is likely to cause longer wait times due to poll worker shortages and social distancing measures.
Pizza to the Polls was founded during the 2016 election cycle, collecting reports of long lines and sending delivery pizzas. It raised more than $43,000 from 1,728 donors and delivered over 25,000 slices of pizza.
During the 2018 elections, Pizza to the Polls raised more than $426,000 from almost 11,000 donors and sent pizza to 611 polling places in 41 states. So far this election season, it has raised more than $75,000.
It buys from pizzerias close to each polling location, including larger chains. Its website has links for donations and reporting locations of long lines.
Uber has added an in-app poll-finding feature, and is offering 50% off round trip rides to and from voting locations, up to $7 each trip. That also applies to Uber bikes and scooters.
