UPDATE 1: 2/5/26 (6:15pm EST)

Preparing for Super Bowl Sunday 2026!

Dear Partners,

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here! In an effort to address any concerns you may have, we're writing to let you know that we're preparing for the big game day. That being said, we have two major notes to share:

1. Extreme cold temperatures and their impact on rider supply:

The forecast for Sunday calls for temperatures that are well below freezing, which may discourage couriers from showing up. Keeping this in mind we will be incentivizing couriers with bonuses throughout the day, but please be mindful of potential delays due to lower than usual rider supply, which will be communicated via your dashboard.

2. On the importance of aligning customer expectations:

During the Super Bowl, we see many of our partners get overwhelmed with the spike in volume and end up getting too backed up to fulfill orders on time. This often results in multiple cancelations. Please ensure you increase your ETAs so that customers have realistic expectations about when they're going to receive their food, and understand it's okay to pause ordering on your platforms while you catch up with demand. We want these orders to be delivered fresh and on time — and customers who have their expectations aligned are more likely to be understanding about delays!

So long as you ensure your team manages customer expectations properly should you experience large surges in volume (which is always best handled by having ETAs reflect the increase in volume and wait time / pausing ordering when you have too many orders to fulfill) and courier supply remains steady despite the freezing cold, the day should be a great success! We genuinely look forward to another successful Super Bowl Sunday.

Thank you,

Team Relay

UPDATE 5: 2/1/26 (4:10pm EST)

Update on continued delays (2/1)

Good afternoon,

We appreciate all of you for your continued collaboration in properly aligning customer expectations by following dashboard instructions. Thankfully this weather won't stay like this forever.

Please continue to expect delays as the city thaws, and we'll continue to do our best to get your food picked up as quickly as possible.

As a note, please ensure you're also delaying food prep if your ETAs are increased, so food doesn't sit out long while waiting for couriers to accept offers. Thank you!

UPDATE 4: 1/26/26 (6:10pm EST)

Delays expected rest of this week - ensure ETAS are increased to at least 90 minutes

Good evening,

We appreciate all of you who cooperated in properly aligning customer expectations today by adjusting your ETAs. As many of you may have noticed, roads are still in terrible condition and will likely remain that way since freezing temperatures will prevent snow from melting off the streets. 

Couriers will be very slow to move until bike paths are properly cleared, so please ensure you follow directives as stated in your Relay dashboard. Failure to do this will inevitably result in customers asking for refunds we will not be able to cover.

We will continue to keep you updated via the banners on your Relay dashboard. Another large winter storm is forecast for next weekend, and we will send communications about that as the week progresses because it is still too soon to understand its full impact.

UPDATE 3: 1/25/26 (8:40pm EST)

Delays expected all day tomorrow (1/26) - ensure ETAS are increased to minimum of 90 minutes

Good evening,

Please note that it will take the city time to clean streets so that they are safe to navigate again, so extensive delays are expected tomorrow (1/26).

Please ensure your ETAs are set to be no lower than 90 minutes to properly align customer expectations. Failure to do this will result in customers asking for refunds we will not be able to cover. We will continue to keep you updated on courier availability as the city recovers from the storm. 

UPDATE 2: 1/25/26 (3pm EST): Turn off Ordering

Good afternoon,

Conditions continue to worsen and we will not have sufficient couriers online to offer dinner service.

We ask that you stop online ordering for delivery now, and instead enable pickup service only so consumers near you can pick up takeout if they would like food. Relay will stop accepting new deliveries shortly.

Our available couriers will remain online to clear out any orders you currently have as they become available and accept offers, but note that long distance deliveries are likely not going to be accepted by couriers.

UPDATE 1: 1/22/26 (12:30pm EST): Encouraging pausing ordering

Good afternoon,

The area is being hit hard by snow, and soon that will turn into slush/ice which will lead to dangerous road conditions for all couriers but especially those on bicycles. Given the freezing temperatures and roads that should be near impossible to navigate, it is looking like a high rate of couriers will opt not to show up today and so we are strongly encouraging that ordering be paused (or switched to pick up so consumers close to you can pick up their food if they want to eat take out today).

Please continue to watch the banners on your dashboard for updates. Thank you.

INITIAL OUTREACH 1/22/26 (12pm EST):

Dear Partners,

Next week's forecast starting on Sunday January 25th calls for a potential winter snowstorm that may dump several inches of snow/ice on the city followed by a week of freezing temperatures that will result in dangerous road conditions for nearly the entire week. These conditions will lead to delays as couriers will be slower to move for their safety and many may choose not to work. We encourage you to ensure your ETAs are no lower than 90 minutes during peak storm hours, and to consider closing if you see couriers are not being dispatched.

We will do our best to maintain operations if the blizzard actually lands but cannot guarantee reliable service if it snows as much as forecast. Couriers will and should always prioritize their own safety and only the bravest will show up to work. Should you choose to remain open in blizzard conditions, we ask for kindness and patience as orders are possibly picked up. ETAs should be set to at least 90 minutes, or ordering should be paused if you see couriers are not being dispatched.

Please note that during periods of delays, our customer service team may be much slower to respond since their ticket volume will increase — we kindly request that you limit outbound messages to troubleshooting issues (such as asking where orders were left) as requests for couriers will not be responded to.

We appreciate your patience and partnership and will continue to work to ensure the coming days are as successful as possible.

Thank you,

Team Relay