Now You Can Order Your Lunch On Facebook

Facebook has announced new features that will enable users to interact further with their network of friends and local businesses. Starting Wednesday, October 19, Facebook will let you poll your friends for recommendations on places to see, restaurants to try, and businesses that can be trusted. “You can also go to your Recommendations bookmark on Facebook to ask a new question or help your friends”.

Facebook is now no more just a social-networking where one connects with friends or meet new people; it is beyond that now – a marketplace.

Because Facebook knows we’re already addicted to our News Feeds, the social media juggernaut is rolling out new features created to maximize our time on the site – as well as get out more.

Social media giant Facebook on Wednesday started allowing its users in the USA to order food, book appointments and buy movie or event tickets through Facebook Pages.

Facebook told Quartz that it won’t be taking a cut from businesses or Delivery.com to offer this (already quite low-margin) service to the roughly 160 million-odd Americans that use Facebook.

The Recommendations tool will let you ask your friends’ advice on, say, a romantic restaurant.

According to Facebook, many people turn to social media when they are looking for suggestions on new restaurants, a good hair stylist, a trustworthy auto shop and so on.

Appointments can also be made for salons or spas from Facebook now.

Facebook also revamped its Events dashboard so folks can catch up on friends’ and hosts’ activities and browse event suggestions based on what’s popular. So while you might not notice them right away, the news is less about an imminent change to Facebook and more about what’s possible for Facebook moving forward.

Of course, businesses are being encouraged to respond to appointment requests via Facebook Messenger. Plus, the reason why they’re working with these third parties like Ticketmaster or Delivery.com is because it’s much easier and faster than having to build up their own services.

Technology giant Facebook wants more small business owners to handle their day-to-day communications, marketing and promotions through the platform, urging users that alongside the likes of Twitter and Instagram it is still a place where people spend most of their time – even when it comes to shopping.

We’re starting to roll out these initial experiences in the USA today.