How often do you use restaurant ordering services? (DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub, etc.)

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The question's in the air lately: how much is it "normal" to DoorDash? ILXors, here is the place to record how many of your meals are carried to you by a gig worker with an app taking a cut. (Do not include delivery from restaurants via their own in-house system.)

Poll Results

OptionVotes
I have never done this 50
I have done this occasionally but may never do it again 14
About once a week 14
A few times a year 13
A few times a month 9
Once a month 7
A few times a week 5
About once a day 1
Typically more than once a day 0


Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:37 (one month ago) link

We were given a gift card for DoorDash 18 months ago. It is still unused.

more difficult than I look (Aimless), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:39 (one month ago) link

I have never done this and will never do it.

Kim Kimberly, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:40 (one month ago) link

+1

bulb after bulb, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:41 (one month ago) link

+2. Never have, never will.

citation needed (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:43 (one month ago) link

The only time I can specifically remember is like 10 years ago when I was drunk in a Milwaukee hotel room and wanted a Philly cheesesteak and it was easy to order one through Grubhub. Otherwise, I don't really do delivery (though I do order takeout food to pick up myself).

jaymc, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:44 (one month ago) link

I would have said "a few times a year" for my family but looking at my record it seems to have actually been a year and a half since we last did?

Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:47 (one month ago) link

Never. I own a car though. And we like to cook.

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:54 (one month ago) link

I used JustEat often before Covid and a lot more so during Covid but successfully quit it about a year ago after one botched/awol order too many - real enshittification all round. Now we only order from a local pizza place and an Indian place who both deliver directly.

nashwan, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:55 (one month ago) link

I'm constantly appalled by hearing that my younger coworkers order, like, a basic-ass sandwich for lunch or Taco Bell for dinner (which apparently ends up being like 30 bucks, for Taco Bell).

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:55 (one month ago) link

never

Muad'Doob (Moodles), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 18:57 (one month ago) link

most of the restaurants around here that advertise delivery through their own website are doing so in partnership with DoorDash, UberEats or GrubHub. There are very few restaurants here that have their own, in-house delivery drivers, other than Pizza Hut/Papa John's.

I tend to not do this often as it's massively expensive but if I'm leading training and only get a 30 minute lunch, sometimes I prefer to have something delivered that's ready to go rather than having to spend a third of my lunch assembling/cooking my food. or if mom wants something for dinner and we're too worn out to go out.

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 19:01 (one month ago) link

I don't even own a DoorDash

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 19:01 (one month ago) link

too fuckin much

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 19:02 (one month ago) link

i don't even own a t.v.!

okay, i do own a t.v. but i have never done this. my town is too small. i would feel way guilty having someone drive five minutes to my house to give me burrito.

am i the only ilXoR who has never owned a cell phone? feel like cell phone apps probably make it easier for people to order all sorts of stuff.

scott seward, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 19:10 (one month ago) link

i like how i wrote that like i'm not certain if cell phone apps make it easier for people to order stuff. i mean, duh.

scott seward, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 19:11 (one month ago) link

2-3 times a month I would guess. There are a couple places we like that are a bit far for us to pick up and it feels worth it. Busy two working parent family etc

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 21:11 (one month ago) link

2-3 times a month I would guess. There are a couple places we like that are a bit far for us to pick up and it feels worth it. Busy two working parent family etc

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 21:11 (one month ago) link

Individually almost never. It just doesn't make sense. One night I did it when I had to stay in the office late and I wound up paying $32 after tax fees and tip for a piddling little cup of chicken and a few donut-sized tortillas.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 21:14 (one month ago) link

yeah the benefit goes up significantly when it's for 2 or more people.

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 21:19 (one month ago) link

ok, I feel like a big bad greedy slime lord but I doordash at least once a week. my car is nonexistent, but the car thing is supposed to be resolved next coming weeks. ever so shortly I will be back to acting skinny at the grocery store only to come home craving sweet treats

stwahberrymilkgirlll, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 23:48 (one month ago) link

ok, I feel like a big bad greedy slime lord but I doordash at least once a week. my car is nonexistent, but the car thing is supposed to be resolved next coming weeks. ever so shortly I will be back to acting skinny at the grocery store only to come home craving sweet treats

stwahberrymilkgirlll, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 23:48 (one month ago) link

^^ new poster?!

voted never

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 23:55 (one month ago) link

Several times a week. There are a lot of good restaurants in my neighborhood, so why wouldn't I. It may seem expensive, but I'm actually saving by having my drinks at home.

Josefa, Thursday, 4 April 2024 03:23 (one month ago) link

Have used these services sparingly in the past, but not for years, probably never will again.

ian, Thursday, 4 April 2024 03:23 (one month ago) link

It's always a good idea to check with the restaurant and see if they do better when you order direct from them though. One local place we discovered has its own online ordering platform and actually charges lower prices for its food than grubhub does, which was kind of shocking since grubhub is already tacking on other fees and costs. And best is to pick up, but there are a couple places where we can't do that and they don't have their own delivery or online ordering system. One of them the people who work there also just don't speak great english so phone ordering is difficult.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 03:36 (one month ago) link

I have never done this and will never do it.

― Kim Kimberly, Wednesday, April 3, 2024 1:40 PM (nine hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

budo jeru, Thursday, 4 April 2024 03:57 (one month ago) link

Never done it myself and will never do it. I always order direct. Fees are completely out-of-line here in LA and a few restaurants have joined together to build their own apps and platforms

Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 4 April 2024 06:14 (one month ago) link

oh is it doordash in america
over here it's deliveroo or justeat

nxd, Thursday, 4 April 2024 08:42 (one month ago) link

Last used about a year ago. I feel like alongside various subscription services they are a part of why people feel poorer but I'd be interested to see if this is born out by anything, like how much of peoples budget this stuff takes up

anvil, Thursday, 4 April 2024 09:09 (one month ago) link

I get Jersey Mike's sandwiches delivered to work sometimes, I think their app is just a front end for DoorDash.

Hot food like burgers isn't worth it to me, the food's never been very good by the time it arrives.

papal hotwife (milo z), Thursday, 4 April 2024 11:15 (one month ago) link

a few times a week, but I live in Bangkok where nobody cooks and restaurant food is so cheap and delicious

groovemaaan, Thursday, 4 April 2024 11:18 (one month ago) link

could not imagine doing this

H.P, Thursday, 4 April 2024 11:32 (one month ago) link

I did this for a little while in between jobs. You’d occasionally have some nice interactions with restaurant staff or customers (shout out to the stoner crew at KFC), but it was a pretty dismal experience overall and I’ve used these services very sparingly since, being sure to leave a decent tip. The last time I ordered something from one of these services, I had Covid and was starving for beef pho, which seems like a fair use.

spastic heritage, Thursday, 4 April 2024 14:27 (one month ago) link

In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I used these kinds of services multiple times a week. Drivers are delivering via motorbike instead of car, many restaurants have pre-cooked their foods. Resulted in faster delivery times and lower fees as a percentage of the total. Lots of discounts too, due to several competing services trying to get market share. Though I don't know how much of those discounts came out of what the drivers were getting vs. the app

Back in the US now and haven't used those services once

Vinnie, Thursday, 4 April 2024 14:43 (one month ago) link

Several times a week. There are a lot of good restaurants in my neighborhood, so why wouldn't I

Because it’s faster to walk there and back, and then the restaurant gets all of your money instead of a predatory tech company taking a haircut from them, and an additional tithe from you

bae (sic), Thursday, 4 April 2024 15:47 (one month ago) link

Ah there's the sanctimony that was sorely missing from the thread

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Thursday, 4 April 2024 15:49 (one month ago) link

The noise and emissions from the delivery mopeds is the scourge of inner cities. Inescapable. Because fuxors can’t walk a couple blocks…

calstars, Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:01 (one month ago) link

Restaurants by me don't deliver; you can only get delivery through outside services. One of them is so fancy they don't even work with delivery apps, so there *IS* no delivery, only pick up. Which is pretty rich for a pizza place imo but they are a fancy pizza place, I guess.

That said I've probably only gotten delivery 4x in the last year or so. I'm just more likely to skip dinner or eat tuna out of the can.

Ima Gardener (in orbit), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:05 (one month ago) link

Ah there's the sanctimony that was sorely missing from the thread

?? if the question wasn't asked in good faith, that's not on me.

bae (sic), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:07 (one month ago) link

Never done this, but I did get a coupon code for a year of free grubhub, and considered taking it, making a list of all the restaurants I might be interested in using, checking to see if they have their own delivery option, and only using ones that don't. Tab might still be open somewhere.

Is it sanctimonious to be creeped out by the number of ghost kitchens that operate actual storefronts in neighborhoods I walk through, where the storefront only contains a rank of app-operated lockers for drivers to pick up from?

bae (sic), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:12 (one month ago) link

Well, some of the restaurants I order from are 20 minutes' walk away, so it's not faster to walk there and back. The delivery people have motorized bikes that can get the food to me in five minutes. And I could actually be doing something at home while waiting for the food.

Josefa, Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:20 (one month ago) link

A lot of people don’t have one restaurant within two blocks of their home, let alone multiple options.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:30 (one month ago) link

“Is it sanctimonious to be creeped out by the number of ghost kitchens that operate actual storefronts in neighborhoods I walk through, where the storefront only contains a rank of app-operated lockers for drivers to pick up from?”

lol I found myself driving to one of these in some desolate industrial zone a few months ago, it was the weirdest vibe, the sandwich sucked too

brimstead, Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:33 (one month ago) link

Question for those who get delivery, do you reheat the food?

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:46 (one month ago) link

Def prefer to eat it as soon as it comes Usually hot enough

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:48 (one month ago) link

I seldom need to reheat. It might be necessary when there's some kind of mix-up in the delivery process and the food arrives way late.

Josefa, Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:50 (one month ago) link

When ordering for a family of four it’s also kind of insignificant to tack on that extra $2 for “priority order” or whatever, although it’s possible it doesn’t actually make a difference.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:54 (one month ago) link

Huh I've never had delivery food that wasn't too lukewarm or soggy, but I like hot & crispy food, I'm weird like that.

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:57 (one month ago) link

Btw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFsfJYWpqII

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 4 April 2024 16:57 (one month ago) link

I wish I could hate them, honestly, I do. I wish the restaurant got 100% of my money. But I wouldn't have many options, not even pizza or a burger or a burrito. All the delivery people are on apps now.

Ima Gardener (in orbit), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:00 (one month ago) link

I will point out also, again, that restaurants that look like they have their own in-house delivery don't actually.

The local pizza place in town uses the ToastPOS system, but also uses Toast Delivery Services to deliver. Where do the drivers come from? Doordash! But you don't find that out until you've submitted.

The local taqueria advertises delivery on their website...but it's handled through FoodHub, another third party delivery service.

Only know of one restaurant around here that delivers via its own engine. We usually pick up though cos it's simply not cost effective for delivery unless ordering for a lot of people

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:04 (one month ago) link

This was actually xxxxxxxxposts way back lol

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:05 (one month ago) link

I'm thankful that our favorite local pizza place (the only place we get takeout from, although we pick it up) keeps it old school and actually keeps their own drivers on staff. They still take orders on the phone and their own homegrown website (although I think they accept orders on the apps too, which presumably involve other drivers).

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:08 (one month ago) link

And to be honest I love not talking to anyone. I don't want to talk to people, I feel stupid when I can't understand them or they don't understand me or they can't tell me if there's wheat in something.

Ima Gardener (in orbit), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:09 (one month ago) link

Mom and pop Pizza places seem to be the most likely places to do it. I delivered for one years ago

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:10 (one month ago) link

Never! I’m so central in London terms that it makes no sense (same reason I never use Uber, 24/7 buses also available). The places I get take-away from are a) quality Japanese mini-chain 200m from my door that does £10 bento boxes b) Malay lunch place 150m from my door c) the Franco Manca by the tube station d) shawarma wraps from the Palestinian place across from the tube, and all of those I either stop in to order or phone directly to pick up in 10 minutes.

There once was a great local Chinese delivery place (Mayva) with a £5 minimum that I did use loads, but it closed years ago.

steely flan (suzy), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:19 (one month ago) link

I don't use any of these, and don't plan to, but I am thankful for modernized online ordering systems, which I imagine share a backend with the apps. Also, the abundance of app delivery people has also made it so double-parking on a busy street to get take-out isn't a terrifying proposition anymore. Around here, you can usually pull up behind a line of cars, their hazard lights blinking, and if you time everything right you can hop out for your food and be back in your car before the line moves up. Generally, I'll find parking, but there are a few places where parking is just about impossible and it's easier just to role-play a DoorDash driver.

beard papa, Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:29 (one month ago) link

I imagine this thread is showcasing contrasts in urban vs. exurban/suburban/rural disadvantages more than anything else.

citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:31 (one month ago) link

maria kinda wanted to do the box of food in the mail thing and i was against it. the local market is within walking distance and all i need is some chicken, a vegetable, and an onion and garlic and some spices to work my magic. don't need no food in a box. she just thought it would make life easier. during the pandemic? it must have been. probably that was the impulse back then but it just really seemed wrong to me. all the packaging and plastic and shipping....not for me. thinking about doing a local meatshare though. we have an old fridge in the basement now and we could freeze stuff down there.

scott seward, Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:38 (one month ago) link

I voted "I have done this occasionally but may never do it again" but I only did it once, back when this was still relatively new and I had a coupon for free delivery. Most of the food I order is either pizza (who generally have their own delivery people) or one of the places within walking distance from my house (a couple of restaurants on a street about 10 minutes walk away), in which case I just walk. I guess if I lived in a less walkable area I would do it every once in a while.

silverfish, Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:39 (one month ago) link

Never done it, can't imagine doing it.

Ippei's on a bummer now (WmC), Thursday, 4 April 2024 17:46 (one month ago) link

I imagine this thread is showcasing contrasts in urban vs. exurban/suburban/rural disadvantages more than anything else.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, April 4, 2024 12:31 PM (twenty-five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Somewhat, but even when we were in brooklyn and queens, the nearest takeout place we liked was often a 15-20 minute walk, and especially when you have little kids and especially when it's not great weather and you are coming from work late, that makes a difference.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:01 (one month ago) link

yeah actually when i think of lots of takeout i think of cities. mostly chinese food. but obviously the suburbs are all about it.

scott seward, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:05 (one month ago) link

in the suburbs i think of pizza delivery.

scott seward, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:05 (one month ago) link

the mayor of the town i live in calls it "rurban". which is a dumb word. and technically the town i live in is called a "city" but only 17,000 people live here and that just seems like a big town to me.

scott seward, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:07 (one month ago) link

DoorDash was a lifesaver when I was recovering from surgery.

c u (crüt), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:10 (one month ago) link

I feel like an alien reading this thread. At least 2x a week for me. Nearest real restaurants are 10 min ISH walk but nothing I would want take out from so delivery it is. I didn't realise that it was so uncommon.

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:14 (one month ago) link

2x a week is nothing to be ashamed of. I don't judge anyone for how they choose to spend their money tbh

c u (crüt), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:15 (one month ago) link

i think it makes perfect sense for some! especially city folks. but for me it would just be dumb. everything is close by car. i can eat in or pickup if i want to go that route. though i try to limit eating out cuzza $$$. still trying to come to grips with $15 burritos in life.

scott seward, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:17 (one month ago) link

I'd be slightly curious how many people used to habitually order delivery in the old school way but then stopped when the apps took over.

Josefa, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:22 (one month ago) link

Xpost - my mind was blow by how expensive restaurants had gotten when I was in Boston last week.

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:25 (one month ago) link

xp my parents still do this! They will normally get takeaway for us when one of us is home and whichever one is being ferried home in the car from the bus or train has to call the place to arrange an order for pickup. I think they use the apps for when they’re home and want something but if someone is out and due home they’ll call the place so they can ask the person when it’ll be ready.

We don’t really get takeaway much just cos there aren’t many places good enough for how much it costs. Our favourite place to eat locally delivers but honestly it’s so much better in person. Used to do it more in London. I usually find a reason to get something when I’m home though cos the Chinese places at home are so much better than where I live now.

Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:34 (one month ago) link

Broke the habit of doing it once a week to never now. Live in an area with a number of choices 5-10 mins away. An opportunity for a good walk and to wait around for whatever it is I choose.

xyzzzz__, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:37 (one month ago) link

And also the bin Chinese place is gone

Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:38 (one month ago) link

There is a very good goat curry place.

xyzzzz__, Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:39 (one month ago) link

I wish there were decent Turkish and Caribbean options near me but if I am in Dalston or Holloway I often pick up something for dinner. Actually this is a note to self to go get a Roti Joupa fix from their new place in Holloway.

steely flan (suzy), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:46 (one month ago) link

I feel like an alien reading this thread.

Different life circumstances, eating habits and economic priorities will obviously lead to make different choices. If it makes good sense for your needs and desires then there's no shame.

more difficult than I look (Aimless), Thursday, 4 April 2024 18:54 (one month ago) link

I'm in the 'UberEats curious' camp but never used it. We cook most nights and if we have a takeaway (curry, Chinese or pizza maybe once a month) we order directly from the shop.

I would prefer not to. (Chinaski), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:04 (one month ago) link

Never done this.
In the spirit of 'I don't even own a tv' will say that I haven't eaten food in or from a restaurant this century. Closest I've managed is getting chips from the local chippy once every couple of months. I did not have to phone ahead for my order.

oscar bravo, Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:05 (one month ago) link

DoorDash was a lifesaver when I was recovering from surgery.

― c u (crüt)

Yeah my roommate got hit by a car in late 2022 and spent most of 2023 with severe mobility challenges. Hell, *I* spent half of 2023 with sciatica that I managed by biking/scootering even the shortest distances. A nice evening walk wasn't in the cards.

Ima Gardener (in orbit), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:14 (one month ago) link

maybe monthly. we don't have takeaway much more than that and most places don't have their own *independent* websites, are more than a ten minute walk away, and with two hungry kids in the house walking all that way and waiting for half an hour while the food is made is not the best idea. we always tip the deliverer obv.

gene besserit (ledge), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:23 (one month ago) link

I honestly didn't know you could order directly from shops at this point. I think a tired several years ago. Aimless - I wasn't ashamed lol. I am just surprised! I had never thought about it before but didn't expect people to say never, that's all.

Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:31 (one month ago) link

I've done this 3 or 4 times over several years, but it really is too expensive for me to do again. The last time, I was dealing with some sort of crisis and UberEats'd a single Chipotle burrito just to have something to shove in my face. It came out to over $30. Like, what the fuck?

Before that, I had frequently ordered pizza delivery and sometimes Chinese. Those always seemed reasonably priced, but I don't go for either of those foods anymore. Maybe they're crazy expensive now too?

meatster of puppets (peace, man), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:32 (one month ago) link

I mean the economics of single-meal delivery just don't make any sense, that's why it costs $30.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:35 (one month ago) link

I mean yes a portion of that is probably the predatory middle man company too, but I'm also not sure restaurants would even bother to deliver you a single $12 burrito otherwise.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:36 (one month ago) link

Question for those who get delivery, do you reheat the food?

I do for the pizza...but also usually only eat half of it there and then, the other half the next day (also reheated). There may be some 'two meals, better value' psychological nonsense to this alongside concerns over temperature.

nashwan, Thursday, 4 April 2024 19:39 (one month ago) link

Have done Doordash maybe 2 or 3 times and hated it, but we get pizza or chinese from places that have their own delivery staff once a month or so.

The most we engage with this kind of stuff is using Instacart for groceries once every couple of months. Even then we'll pick up the order curbside rather than getting delivery, just the timesaving of not having to do the actual shopping is a lifesaver when we're stressed & overscheduled.

waste of compute (One Eye Open), Thursday, 4 April 2024 20:03 (one month ago) link

I do Just/Uber Eat/Deliveroo probably somewhere between every 1-2 months, usually a couple of those are because my job sometimes gave us vouchers but I'm leaving that job next week. as others have said it's pretty expensive for 1 person so I tend to only do it if I've got visitors. I usually can't be bothered to wait so if I want a takeaway I just go to the chip or kebab shop

Colonel Poo, Thursday, 4 April 2024 20:13 (one month ago) link

Probably once a month - also invoking the “busy family w/ school age kids and two working parents” clause here, and generous cash tips for the driver.

We have a few local businesses with their own riders still. Plenty of good food within walking distance but living in a congested inner city area it isn’t always super practical to do short hop drives. But I do prefer to pick up when I can, for the sake of freshness as much as any ideological reasons.

Kraal Disorientation Chamber (emsworth), Thursday, 4 April 2024 20:38 (one month ago) link

With two working parents and a baby, we get delivery a lot. I love to cook but it’s hard to do every day. Almost nowhere has their own delivery crew, I can think of one place, the ramen place down the street, although they run 3 or 4 brands of noodle shop from the same address and do some price discrimination - they really seem to be working the system to their advantage - also try the hainanese chicken ramen it’s really good.

Anyone else with their own ordering system is putting food in an Uber or using doordash for delivery. Tend to be higher end places where handing 30%+ to UberEats is more than sticking food in a cab.

I’m very central and we have a massive immigrant Chinese student population that comes with an expectation that anything can be delivered to the doorstep in 30 minutes. Hungry panda is the local Chinese oriented app and it’s a treasure trove of regional Chinese food, a lot of places don’t even have storefronts.

Last night we had Hunan food and whilst the pickled long beans and pork mince will be giving me spicy regrets all day long it was fantastic.

The plastic waste is a massive issue even if everyone has been mandated to standardise on polypropylene or compostable . There’s been a couple of mobs trying to get returnable standardised stainless steel containers going but without a mandate it will never get going.

Ed, Thursday, 4 April 2024 22:04 (one month ago) link

I was just picturing a ramen tanker truck that pulls up to your house and you just open the spigot into your ceramic bowl.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Thursday, 4 April 2024 22:06 (one month ago) link

I only accept noodles delivered like this

https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/japan-soba-delivery-old-photos-small.jpg

Ed, Thursday, 4 April 2024 22:21 (one month ago) link

I remember thinking delivery sounded very decadent back in 2003: Where the hell my Chinese food at?

Dr Drudge (Bob Six), Thursday, 4 April 2024 23:07 (one month ago) link

It also took me about 15 years before I came across General Tso's chicken in real life, which is lot less well-known in the UK.

Dr Drudge (Bob Six), Thursday, 4 April 2024 23:23 (one month ago) link

Well, some of the restaurants I order from are 20 minutes' walk away, so it's not faster to walk there and back. The delivery people have motorized bikes that can get the food to me in five minutes.

Probably my unfamiliarity with the process, then, but this sounds like ghost kitchens at best to me, and almost certainly microwaved. In ordering direct a few times a year for two decades, I never encountered an independent restaurant or multinational pizza chain that could take an order, prepare the food, and have it delivered in five minutes. There are two in-town chains I’ve ordered from a couple of times where I live now, and it usually takes over an hour.

A lot of people don’t have one restaurant within two blocks of their home, let alone multiple options.

The only food place open at all past 9pm in my immediate neighborhood (or downtown afaik), post-lockdown, is a bar-that-does-pizza five blocks away. Walking 20-30 blocks to another neighborhood takes 15-20 minutes.

bae (sic), Friday, 5 April 2024 00:53 (one month ago) link

why are people weird about food like this

brimstead, Friday, 5 April 2024 01:56 (one month ago) link

Pretty sure Josefa meant it takes 5 minutes to get it delivered not 5 minutes to get it ordered, made and delivered, pretty sure you knew that too

brimstead, Friday, 5 April 2024 01:57 (one month ago) link

I meant that once the food is prepared and ready, the actual transport time to my door is about five minutes. You’re right that the preparation of the food may take considerably longer than that. A gyro wrap could be assembled in a few minutes - that’s an easy one - whereas a whole Peking duck could be half an hour.

Josefa, Friday, 5 April 2024 02:04 (one month ago) link

xp sorta

Josefa, Friday, 5 April 2024 02:05 (one month ago) link

can't afford this

he/him hoo-hah (map), Friday, 5 April 2024 02:22 (one month ago) link

Used to be plenty of places around did their own delivery, back in the 90s/early 2ks (well, pre Menulog et al). We'd often get pizza/pasta/chinese. From local places, not chains. But, I do live in a big foodie city too.

But no, I no longer use Menulog and wont use Uber/grubhub/wtf ever. Even when I did use menulog I'd only use it for the ease of ordering and speciifcally pick restaurants that said they had their OWN drivers. Why? Because to be blunt I dont trust gig economy drivers/delivery ppl not to get lost/be late/eat my food.

Anyway its all moot now, given one evening of medium pizzas and a box of chips between me, my bf and the kids can end up costing us $70.

Stoop Crone (Trayce), Friday, 5 April 2024 05:56 (one month ago) link

I don't. I actually don't pick up food at all - restaurants are expensive here, so either I cook, or I want a full restaurant experience where I am sitting. It's also out of principle against laziness / "convenience" and because those delivery jobs suck. Easier of course because I live super central in a small town.

Nabozo, Friday, 5 April 2024 07:10 (one month ago) link

And yeah, I get mad at excessive wrapping at the supermarket, so a kilo of plastic to eat one lunch or dinner is anathema.

Nabozo, Friday, 5 April 2024 07:19 (one month ago) link

i do this whenever i want whoch is rarely

close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac), Friday, 5 April 2024 09:01 (one month ago) link

i probably use Just Eat about once a week because i'm a terrible person

Bitchin Doutai (Noodle Vague), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:02 (one month ago) link

I remember thinking delivery sounded very decadent back in 2003: Where the hell my Chinese food at?🕸


This surprises me; 2003 I was living in Dublin and it was definitely normal for us (flatmates) to get pizza delivered but I didn’t grow up in a big city and we could have got delivery literally any time from, ooooh I want to say 1996? But as before, usually the parents would prefer for someone to call and one of them to run down for it in the car.

Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:08 (one month ago) link

easy knowing who comes from money

close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:17 (one month ago) link

wow uncalled for! Not my fault you grew up in the middle of nowhere/hanging from the stern of a fishing boat

Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:21 (one month ago) link

fond memories of my dad thinking that ordering a takeaway was the height of fall of the roman empire decadence

Bitchin Doutai (Noodle Vague), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:23 (one month ago) link

mind you he also thought kebabs were some kind of enemy within immorality so

Bitchin Doutai (Noodle Vague), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:23 (one month ago) link

was he wrong

jury out

close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:25 (one month ago) link

^ responsible for croissants being straight now

Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Friday, 5 April 2024 11:26 (one month ago) link

no eu didnt

close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac), Friday, 5 April 2024 12:02 (one month ago) link

I've never done this. But then I've never had food delivered directly from a restaurant either.

Hunky Tory (Tom D.), Friday, 5 April 2024 12:18 (one month ago) link

I imagine this thread is showcasing contrasts in urban vs. exurban/suburban/rural disadvantages more than anything else.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, April 4, 2024 1:31 PM (yesterday)

eh i live in flushing and the number of fantuan/hungrypanda riders you see whizzing around... ed otm about the international chinese students.

, Friday, 5 April 2024 13:27 (one month ago) link

i answered in my own personal capacity, which is never - i call it in and pick it up. but back when i was working in midtown my job would pay for seamless for working late hours and i'd get it almost every night - billing/reimbursement was all built into the seamless platform so it didn't make sense to call in orders. whatever happened to seamless, anyway?

, Friday, 5 April 2024 13:31 (one month ago) link

there was this japanese bento box service in midtown serving japanese expats, mostly at the japanese banks - think they had a website or something, two choices a day. you'd make your selection the day before or in the morning or w/e and then pick it up at lunchtime. good stuff!

, Friday, 5 April 2024 13:33 (one month ago) link

One thing that's interesting about this thread is that the decision to order delivery really comes in two distinct forms, which feel really different to me: "order from a restaurant via app vs. going to the restaurant and eating there" and "order from a restaurant via app vs. eating something I have at home"

Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, 5 April 2024 13:34 (one month ago) link

some of the restaurants around here seem to be perpetually empty, nobody eating in, you wonder how they stay in business! then you see the steady stream of delivery guys walking in and out and it's like, oh that's how.

it’s a treasure trove of regional Chinese food, a lot of places don’t even have storefronts.

this is a good tip, i never thought about the ghost kitchens that must exist near me - time to get on the app!

, Friday, 5 April 2024 13:36 (one month ago) link

Most restaurants everywhere look half empty ime.

Hunky Tory (Tom D.), Friday, 5 April 2024 13:38 (one month ago) link

xp idk, some of these ghost kitchens seem a little off

https://i.imgur.com/OnGEGW5.png

c u (crüt), Friday, 5 April 2024 13:40 (one month ago) link

Holborn/the British Museum area has tons of regional Chinese places doing roaring Hungrypanda business. UCL, Soas, LSE, Kings and CSM/UAL all have tons of wealthy international students.

I suppose I would like ‘the apps’ better (and use them) if riders were not constantly telling people that their working conditions suck and amount to bogus self-employment.

steely flan (suzy), Friday, 5 April 2024 14:10 (one month ago) link

If I had my way, street-facing retail space would be required to prioritize renting to businesses that actually have a reason for customers to come in and out. Not really sure if we have ghost kitchens near me though. I usually look places up separately before ordering from them.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Friday, 5 April 2024 14:36 (one month ago) link

eh i live in flushing and the number of fantuan/hungrypanda riders you see whizzing around...

― 龜, Friday, April 5, 2024 6:27 AM (one hour ago)

are these restaurants/services unsavvy enough to use Doordash/UberEats/GrubHub as a front/middle end (per OP)?

citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, 5 April 2024 15:26 (one month ago) link

i went to a popeyes near me to eat there after going to a B&N and it was a little crazy how long it took us to get our food because everyone working was feverishly filling online orders. i mean it makes sense if you are driving and you just call them five minutes before you get there. but we didn't do that and we paid the modern day price for it. the local mcdonalds here is nuts like that between delivery services and the drive-thru. last time i was in there i heard the manager say she was going to go postal because of all the doordash orders and then she smacked her forehead on the food warmer because she was running so fast.

scott seward, Friday, 5 April 2024 15:33 (one month ago) link

I'm amazed that "go postal" is still in use

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Friday, 5 April 2024 15:38 (one month ago) link

she was pretty old. it was era-appropriate for her.

scott seward, Friday, 5 April 2024 15:51 (one month ago) link

xp to steve i dunno! have never downloaded doordash to see what's available around me

, Friday, 5 April 2024 17:49 (one month ago) link

one thing i hate are what i call skimmers - people who create a website based on a restaurant in the area and SEO it - it sits there routing orders from the web to the restaurant while taking a cut. the restaurant just sees online orders coming in i guess and doesn't know they're coming from a website that's impersonating their brand. often happens with immigrant owned places not savvy enough to have their own web presence. sometimes you'll google a place and it has 3 different websites that all purport to be the official one. just sucks. i think doordash was actually running this scam itself back in the day.

, Friday, 5 April 2024 17:52 (one month ago) link

Yelp as well, also google has done it in the past, not sure if they still do.

citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, 5 April 2024 18:06 (one month ago) link

I do this 1-2x a week probably. mostly when I’m working that day and am too tired to cook. the politics are questionable on balance but it’s great for lazy people with disposable income. modern life!

brony james (k3vin k.), Friday, 5 April 2024 18:32 (one month ago) link

Doordash fucked me again. 3rd time. I ordered a Falafel Non-Pareil with Aeolian Cheese Bernaise sauce, major side of tenderized Purple Potato Jardiniere in Cocotte, minor side of Garnish Gnocchi. $100 tip. Guy was 4 hrs late and he saltburned my Civil War vet Great Uncle's grave

— The Heart of 2024 (@tupacdurex) April 8, 2024

ciderpress, Monday, 8 April 2024 20:35 (one month ago) link

I used'em in 2020 four or five times, stopped whe I realized I could get it faster and without fees by driving.

These days if I want to eat a restaurant meal I just go to the restaurant (I live solo).

poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 April 2024 21:20 (one month ago) link

i mean it makes sense if you are driving and you just call them five minutes before you get there.

There’s a company out there called mavi.io that allows you to order through the dashboard and uses the car’s gps to time your order being ready with your arrival.

just sucks. i think doordash was actually running this scam itself back in the day.

This is how door dash bullied restaurants onto its platform. I do recall though one pizza place they were doing this to where door dash were offering a discount over what the pizza place was selling pies for. The restaurant started putting in orders and getting paid more than it was shelling out.

Ed, Monday, 8 April 2024 22:11 (one month ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 00:01 (one month ago) link

I used to order for myself a cornucopia of items from a restaurant because I hated paying a $30 delivery charge/restaurant fee/tip for just nothing, and then would have to eat a mountain of food for a week which became very tiresome.

More recently I'm just ordering from delivery services when I have visitors and want to provide a dinner without cooking or having to go out at night. It's maybe a few times a year

Dan S, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 00:13 (one month ago) link

Too often

Marten Broadcloak, mild-mannered GOP congressman (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 10 April 2024 01:03 (one month ago) link

how much are delivery fees in america? here it’s usually around 2$ with a 5$ minimum order.

groovemaaan, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 04:45 (one month ago) link

https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/18/21262316/doordash-pizza-profits-venture-capital-the-margins-ranjan-roy

Ah there's the sanctimony that was sorely missing from the thread

bae (sic), Wednesday, 10 April 2024 07:01 (one month ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Thursday, 11 April 2024 00:01 (one month ago) link

Lol only here would I have seen these results

the talented mr pimply (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 11 April 2024 00:10 (one month ago) link

I ordered a pizza using the Slice app last night. No delivery fees. Seems legit?

brimstead, Friday, 12 April 2024 16:09 (one month ago) link

yeah Slice is legit, I've never used it but a few places I almost bought from use it

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Friday, 12 April 2024 16:19 (one month ago) link

whoa these results, tracks with the discus I guess

nashwan, Friday, 12 April 2024 19:54 (one month ago) link


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