On September 10, 2025, a major development in the world of small business finance arrived as fintech company Pipe and Uber Technologies announced a partnership set to transform how restaurants across the United States access working capital. The collaboration, which integrates Pipe’s embedded financial technology directly into the Uber Eats Manager app, aims to break down the traditional barriers that have long prevented small restaurant owners from securing the funds they need to grow and thrive.
For many small businesses, especially those in the food service sector, the struggle to obtain capital is nothing new. Traditional banks often require extensive documentation, credit checks, and personal guarantees—hurdles that can be insurmountable for business owners with limited credit history or those just starting out. According to CNBC, Pipe’s CEO Luke Voiles put it bluntly: “The No. 1 pain point for small business is access to capital, and in the restaurant space, it’s even more acute.”
Pipe’s partnership with Uber Eats is designed to address that pain point head-on. The Uber Eats Manager app, already a one-stop shop for thousands of restaurants to monitor and manage their operations, now includes a powerful new feature: eligible restaurants can see pre-approved capital offers from Pipe, customized according to their revenue and cash flow. These offers are generated using Pipe’s artificial intelligence-driven underwriting engine, which analyzes six months of anonymous credit card transaction history shared by Uber. Importantly, the process sidesteps the usual requirements—no credit checks, FICO scores, or personal guarantees are needed.
“I think it’s an alignment of wanting to help these small businesses succeed, building the thing that just works to do that and making it so seamless and embedded that the customers don’t even realize somebody else is involved,” Voiles told CNBC. And the numbers back up the promise: Pipe approves 98% of applications, with funds typically hitting restaurant accounts within 24 hours. That kind of speed is almost unheard of in traditional lending, where weeks or even months can pass between application and approval.
Pipe’s capital offerings are also distinct from conventional term loans. Rather than fixed monthly payments, Pipe’s repayment terms are flexible and adjust according to the restaurant’s revenue flow. That means if business slows down, owners aren’t locked into payments they can’t afford—a crucial safety net in an industry known for its ups and downs. “It’s just a way to actually help the restaurant owner that may be an immigrant with no FICO score get access to capital for the very first time, open a second location and double their business,” Voiles explained to CNBC.
The integration is already rolling out widely to restaurants on Uber Eats, and the scale of its impact could be enormous. As reported by Reuters and IBTimes, the collaboration is expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the U.S., offering them the capital needed to compete and expand in a challenging market. Karl Hebert, Uber’s vice president of global commerce and financial services, emphasized the significance of the move: “Uber is focused on helping restaurant partners be successful on Uber Eats. This is an opportunity to meet restaurant partners where they are—particularly those who use the Uber Eats Manager dashboard—and we’re eager to see how it’s received.”
It’s not just about convenience, either. The partnership is part of Uber’s broader strategy to expand its financial services offerings. In recent years, Uber has collaborated with a variety of fintech firms to provide drivers and couriers with innovative financial tools, such as the Uber Pro Card, which offers instant payments and cash-back rewards. The integration with Pipe marks a natural evolution, extending those financial innovations to the restaurant partners who form the backbone of the Uber Eats platform.
Pipe, which boasts a $2 billion valuation as of September 2025, has built its reputation on making customer-friendly capital and smart financial tools accessible to growing businesses right inside the software they use every day. Its merchant support team is dedicated to ensuring the process is straightforward and easy to navigate, according to a press release from Pipe. The company’s merchant-friendly solution is specifically designed for small businesses, offering multi-draw advances, transparent terms, and flexible payments that adjust to business performance.
“Uber Eats is an integral part of how its restaurant partners operate, making access to working capital a natural next step. Working with Uber, Pipe is able to move fast to understand the needs of these restaurants and deliver capital where traditional banks have failed,” Voiles said in a statement. “Together, we’re unlocking growth for restaurants by finally putting long-overdue capital within reach.”
Restaurant owners are already noticing the difference. Kelly Jones, owner of 404 Coffee, credited Uber Eats’ merchant capital as “key to assist with our planned expansion.” For many like Jones, the ability to access custom capital options in just a few clicks—without the hassle of extensive paperwork or credit checks—can be the difference between stagnation and growth.
Uber’s commitment to supporting its restaurant partners isn’t new. Back in 2022, the company teamed up with Visa to provide $1 million in grants to small businesses on the Uber Eats platform that were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and other unexpected events. But the partnership with Pipe signals a shift from one-time grants to a more sustainable, scalable model of support—one that could help thousands of restaurants weather not just emergencies, but the everyday challenges of running a business.
As the integration rolls out across the country, eligible merchants using the Uber Eats Manager app will find capital offers tailored to their unique business situations. The process is simple: restaurants can choose to share their data with Pipe, submit their application within the app, and, if approved, receive funds fast—sometimes within a single day.
The move reflects a growing recognition among tech and financial companies that supporting small businesses isn’t just good PR—it’s good business. By empowering restaurant owners with the tools and resources they need to grow, both Uber and Pipe are betting that a stronger, more resilient restaurant ecosystem will benefit everyone involved, from diners to delivery drivers to the platforms themselves.
For now, all eyes are on the rollout. Will this new approach to embedded finance finally level the playing field for small restaurants? If the early numbers and testimonials are any indication, Pipe and Uber Eats may just have served up the recipe for success that so many business owners have been craving.
