EXHIBIT 10.42

                             SMARTSERV ONLINE, INC.



                          Date of Grant: March 12, 2004


To:      Robert Pons
         439 Williamson Road
         Gladwyne, Pennsylvania  19035

     You are hereby  granted an option (the  "Option")  effective as of the date
hereof,  to purchase  1,300,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
("Common Stock"), of SmartServ Online, Inc. (the "Company") at an exercise price
of $1.50 per share (the "Exercise  Price").  This Option shall  terminate and is
not  exercisable  after the  expiration of ten years from the date of its grant,
except if terminated earlier as hereinafter provided (the "Expiration Date").

     Your Option shall vest,  subject to accelerated  vesting as provided below,
over a four (4) year period as follows:  (i) 557,141  shares on the date hereof;
and (ii) the  balance of 742,859  shares in equal  amounts as of the last day of
each  calendar  quarter  beginning  with the quarter  ending  March 31, 2004 and
ending with the quarter ending December 31, 2007.

     In the event that a "change of  control"  (as  hereinafter  defined) of the
Company  occurs  at any  time  prior  to the  Expiration  Date  (as  hereinafter
defined),  your Option may, from and after such date,  and  notwithstanding  the
second paragraph of this Option, be exercised for up to 100% of the total number
of shares  then  subject  to the Option  minus the  number of shares  previously
purchased  upon  exercise  of the Option  (as  adjusted  for any  changes in the
outstanding Common Stock by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination
of  shares,  recapitalization,   merger,  consolidation,   transfer  of  assets,
reorganization,  conversion or what the Compensation Committee deems in its sole
discretion to be similar circumstances, (a "Recapitalization")).

     A "Change of Control"  shall be deemed to have  occurred upon the happening
of any of the following  events:(i) the  shareholders  of the Company  approve a
merger or  consolidation  of the  Company  with any other  entity,  other than a
merger or  consolidation  which  would  result in the voting  securities  of the
Company outstanding  immediately prior thereto continuing to represent more than
fifty  percent  (50%)  of the  total  voting  power  represented  by the  voting
securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after
such merger or consolidation,  or the shareholders of the Company approve a plan
of complete  liquidation of the Company or consummate the sale or disposition by
the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (other than to a
subsidiary  or  subsidiaries)  or (ii) any other event  deemed to  constitute  a
"Change of Control" by the Board of Directors of the Company.



     In  addition,  notwithstanding  the  second  paragraph  of this  Option the
vesting schedule of your Option with respect to the balance of 742,859 shares of
Common  Stock (the  "Remaining  Shares")  (as  adjusted  for any  changes in the
outstanding Common Stock by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination
of  shares,  recapitalization,   merger,  consolidation,   transfer  of  assets,
reorganization,  conversion or what the Compensation committee deems it its sold
discretion to be similar circumstances) shall accelerate as follows:

     (i)  33.33%  of the  Remaining  Shares  upon  the  Company's  Common  Stock
          achieving  a Market  Price of $5.00  per  share  ten (10)  consecutive
          trading days;

     (ii) 33.33%  of the  Remaining  Shares  upon  the  Company's  Common  Stock
          achieving  a Market  Price of $10.00  per  share ten (10)  consecutive
          trading days; and

     (iii)33.33%  of the  Remaining  Shares  upon  the  Company's  Common  Stock
          achieving  a Market  Price of $15.00  per  share ten (10)  consecutive
          trading days.

     For  purposes  of (i),  (ii)  and  (iii)  above,  the  Market  Price of the
Company's   Common   Stock  is  subject  to   adjustment   in  the  event  of  a
Recapitalization.

     The vesting  schedule of your Option shall also  accelerate in the event of
the following:

     (i)  25% of the  Remaining  Shares  upon the  Company  becoming  "Cash Flow
          Positive". For purposes herein, Cash Flow Positive shall be defined as
          any  quarterly  period in which  revenues of the  Company  exceed cash
          expenditures for operating expenses.

     (ii) 12.5% of the Remaining Shares upon the Company  achieving $4.0 million
          in revenue in any  calendar  year  based  upon the  Company's  audited
          financial statements;

     (iii)12.5% of the Remaining Shares upon the Company  achieving $8.0 million
          in revenue in any  calendar  year  based  upon the  Company's  audited
          financial statements;

     (iv) 12.5% of the  Remaining  Shares  upon the Company  achieving  $12.0 in
          revenue  in  any  calendar  year  based  upon  the  Company's  audited
          financial statements; and

     (v)  12.5% of the  Remaining  Shares  upon the  Company's  shares  becoming
          listed on Nasdaq (SmallCap or NMS) or the American Stock Exchange.

     In lieu of paying the  Exercise  Price in cash and/or upon  exercise of the
Option,  you may elect a "cashless  exercise,"  in which event you will  receive
upon exercise a reduced  number of shares equal to (i) the number of shares that
would be issuable  pursuant to this Option upon  payment of the  Exercise  Price
minus (ii) the number of shares that have an aggregate  Market Price (as defined
below)  equal to the  Exercise  Price.  In  addition,  you may elect to have the
Company's tax  withholding  obligations in connection  with your exercise of the
option  satisfied on a cashless  basis, in which event the number of shares that
would  otherwise  be issuable  pursuant  to this Option  shall be reduced by the
number of shares that have an aggregate Market

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Price (as defined below) equal to the amount of tax required to be withheld (but
not more than such amount).

     For purposes of this Option "Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any
date shall be: (i) if the Common  Stock is listed or admitted for trading on any
national securities exchange,  the last reported sales price as reported on such
national securities exchange; (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted
for trading on any national securities  exchange,  the last reported closing bid
price for the Common  Stock as reported on the Nasdaq  Stock  Market's  National
Market  ("NNM") or Nasdaq Stock  Market's  Small Cap Market ("NSM") or a similar
service if NNM or NSM are not reporting  such  information;  (iii) if the Common
Stock is not listed or admitted for trading on any national securities exchange,
NNM or NSM or a similar service,  the last reported bid quotation for the Common
Stock as quoted by a market  maker in the Common Stock (or if there is more than
one market maker, the bid quotation shall be obtained from two market makers and
the average of the highest bid quotation shall be the "Market  Price");  or (iv)
if the  Common  Stock is not listed or  admitted  for  trading  on any  national
securities  exchange or NNM or quoted by NSM and there is no market maker in the
Common  Stock,  the fair market value of such shares as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company.

     This  Option may be  exercised  by you,  in whole or in part (but not as to
less than a whole share),  as to the vested  portion of this Option only, at any
time prior to the Expiration Date, by the presentation of this Option,  with the
purchase form attached duly executed, at the Company's office (or such office or
agency of the  Company as it may  designate  in writing to you)  specifying  the
number of shares of Common Stock as to which the Option is being exercised,  and
upon payment by you to the Company in cash or by certified  check or bank draft,
in an amount equal to the  Exercise  Price times the number of shares or in lieu
thereof  you may elect a cashless  exercise as provided  herein.  No  fractional
shares shall be issued or delivered upon exercise of this Option.

     This  Option is  exchangeable  by you at your  option at the  office of the
Company for other Options of different  denominations  entitling you to purchase
in the  aggregate  the same number of shares of Common Stock as are  purchasable
hereunder;  and this Option may be divided or combined  with other Options which
carry the same rights, in either case, upon presentation hereof at the office of
the Company together with a written notice,  signed by you, specifying the names
and denominations in which new Options are to be issued,  and the payment of any
transfer tax due in connection therewith.

     Your Option will, to the extent not previously  exercised by you, terminate
one (1) year after the date on which your employment by the Company or Affiliate
of the Company is  terminated,  whether  such  termination  is voluntary or not,
whether by reason of disability  as defined in Section  22(e)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),  and the regulations  thereunder,
or death;  provided,  that,  in the event your  employment  with the  Company is
terminated  due to a  "Termination  For Cause" by the  Company  (as such term is
defined in Section 9 of your  Employment  Agreement,  dated March 12, 2004) your
option will expire  immediately;  and provided further,  that, in the event your
employment with the Company is terminated  without "Good Reason" by you (as such
term is  defined in Section 10 of your  Employment  Agreement,  dated  March 12,
2004)  your  Option  will  terminate  thirty  (30)  days  from  the date of such
termination  and you may only  exercise this Option for the number of

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shares you had a right to purchase on the date your  employment  terminated.  In
the event of termination of your employment  upon a "Termination  Other Than For
Cause" or "For Good  Reason"  (as such terms are defined in Sections 9 and 10 of
your Employment Agreement),  after the date of such termination you may exercise
this  Option for 100% of the number of shares then  subject to the Option  minus
the  number  of shares  previously  purchased  upon  exercise  of the  Option as
adjusted  for a  Recapitalization.  If you are  employed by an  Affiliate of the
Company,  your  employment  shall be deemed to have  terminated on the date your
employer  ceases to be an Affiliate of the Company,  unless you are on that date
transferred to the Company or another Affiliate of the Company.  Your employment
shall not be deemed to have terminated if you are  transferred  from the Company
to an Affiliate, or vice versa, or from one Affiliate to another Affiliate.  For
purposes  herein,  an  Affiliate  of the  Company  shall be defined as an entity
controlled by or under common control with the Company.

     If you die while  employed by the Company or an  Affiliate  of the Company,
your legatee(s),  distributee(s),  executor(s) or administrator(s),  as the case
may be,  may,  at any time  within  one (1) year  after the date of your  death,
exercise  the Option as to any shares  which you had a right to purchase and did
not  purchase  during  your  lifetime  plus those  shares that would have vested
within one (1) year  thereafter.  If your  employment  with the  Company,  or an
Affiliate is terminated by reason of your becoming  disabled (within the meaning
of Section  22(e)(3) of the Code and the  regulations  thereunder),  you or your
legal  guardian or custodian  may at any time within one (1) year after the date
of such termination,  exercise the Option as to any shares which you had a right
to purchase and did not  purchase  prior to such  termination  plus those shares
that  would  have  vested  within  one  (1)  year   thereafter.   Your  legatee,
distributee,  executor, administrator,  guardian or custodian must present proof
of his authority  satisfactory to the Company prior to being allowed to exercise
this Option.

     This  Option  is not  transferable  otherwise  than by will or the  laws of
descent and distribution,  and is exercisable  during your lifetime only by you,
including,  for this purpose,  your legal  guardian or custodian in the event of
disability.  Until  the  Option  Price  has been  paid in full  pursuant  to due
exercise of this Option and the  purchased  shares are  delivered to you, you do
not have any rights as a shareholder  of the Company.  The Company  reserves the
right not to deliver to you the shares  purchased  by virtue of the  exercise of
this Option  during any period of time in which the Company  deems,  in its sole
discretion,  that  such  delivery  would  violate  a  federal,  state,  local or
securities exchange rule, regulation or law.

     This Option  constitutes the entire  understanding  between the Company and
you with respect to the subject matter hereof and no amendment,  modification or
waiver of this  Option,  in whole or in part,  shall be binding upon the Company
unless in writing  and signed by an  appropriate  officer of the  Company.  This
Option and the  performances  of the parties  hereunder  shall be  construed  in
accordance  with and governed by the laws of the State of  Pennsylvania  without
regard to principles of conflict of law.

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     Please sign the copy of this Option and return it to the  Company,  thereby
indicating your understanding of and agreement with its terms and conditions.

                                        SMARTSERV ONLINE, INC.


                                        By: /s/ L. Scott Perry
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           L. Scott Perry
                                           Chairman of the Board

     I hereby  acknowledge  receipt of a copy of the  foregoing  Stock Option to
purchase  1,300,000  shares at an Exercise Price of $1.50 per share,  and having
read such documents,  hereby signify my understanding of, and my agreement with,
their terms and conditions.

     /s/ Robert Pons
- --------------------------------                --------------------------------
        Robert Pons                             (Date)  March 12, 2004



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                                  PURCHASE FORM
                                 To Be Executed
                             Upon Exercise of Option

     The  undersigned  record  holder of the within  Option  hereby  irrevocably
elects to exercise the right to purchase _______ share of Common Stock evidenced
by the  within  Option,  according  to the terms  and  conditions  thereof,  and
herewith makes payment of the purchase price in full or, alternatively, elects a
cashless  exercise in  accordance  with the terms of the Option as designated by
holder in writing to the Company.

     The undersigned  requests that certificates for such shares shall be issued
in the name set forth below.

Dated:
                                               _________________________________
                                                          Signature

                                               _________________________________
                                                       Print Name of Signatory

                                               _________________________________
                                               Name to whom certificates are to
                                               be issued if different from above


                                               Address _________________________
                                                       _________________________

                                               Social Security No. or other
                                               identifying number ______________

If said  number of  shares  shall not be all the  shares  purchasable  under the
within Option,  the  undersigned  requests that a new Option for the unexercised
portion shall be registered in the name of:

                                               _________________________________
                                                        (Please Print)

                                               Address _________________________
                                                       _________________________

                                               Social Security No. or other
                                               identifying number ______________

                                               Signature _______________________

                                               _________________________________
                                               Print Name of Signatory

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