Why are pizza and Chinese the only 'delivery' foods? [Archive]

PaulFitzroy

07-16-2004, 09:34 AM

I myself would like to be able to have Mexican food, or hamburgers, or a chicken sandwich, or fish and chips, or any number of other items delivered to my house, but I can't, because they don't deliver at the restaurants where you'd order that stuff. Why is it that Chinese restaurants and pizza joints have become the only establishments in our culture that will send someone out to deliver food to your house?

I'm sure that this thread is going to get some responses of different exceptions to this rule, which I am quite anxious to hear. (Although that's not going to change the situation here where I am.)

friedo

07-16-2004, 09:41 AM

There's a burger joint down the street from me that delivers. I can also get Mexican, Thai and Greek food delivered.

But that's because I live in Queens, and Queens kicks ass.

DeVena

07-16-2004, 09:42 AM

Around here, we have all kinds of delivery food (Steak, Veggies, Thai, Chinese, Pizza, Hot Wings, etc). Here's one nation-wide service - Steak Out (http://www.steakout.com/)

RickJay

07-16-2004, 09:44 AM

Any type of food that can be made and eaten is delivered in Toronto. And when I lived in Kingston, McDonald's rolled out a delivery service there.

However, I think the OP asks a valid question if you rephrase it as "why are za and Chinese the MAIN delivery foods?"

I think it has to do with the nature of the food. 'Za and Chinese are quick, cheap foods that lend themselves to being eaten without the bother of silverware or place settings. They also don't lose their taste if they get a little cold, an obvious benefit when delivering food.

Anaamika

07-16-2004, 09:47 AM

I live outside of Albany, and I can get all kinds of things; from burgers to garlic knots to wings to salads.

slu

07-16-2004, 09:48 AM

In Philly (and other major cities methinks), we have something called Dining-In that delivers food from an assortment of restaurants that do not normally deliver. Many of them high end. You pay for it, but I like getting a nice Filet Mignon delivered to my door!

http://diningin.com to see if they are in your area.

As for why pizza and chinese are generally the only delivery places, I think a lot of places think their food quality will suffer if they do not serve it "hot off the grill".

xash

07-16-2004, 09:53 AM

We can order almost anything from home out here. McDonald's has also begun home delivery.

There's even a service called Meals-On-Wheels that brings you food home delivered from restaurants that don't directly offer home delivery :)

don't ask

07-16-2004, 09:56 AM

Last year someone set up a delivery service here. They provide all the local menus and you ring them with your order. They pass it on and deliver the meal. They only charge $4 per retaurant visited. They will also pick up alcohol and some grocery items - snacks, drinks. chocolates, cigarettes.

BurnMeUp

07-16-2004, 10:41 AM

I'll echo a few of the other posters on here. Many cities have a delivery service that will go to selected restaraunts and drive the food to you for a surcharge. I've had mixed results from these. Some are great and timely, others, not to careful with your precious cargo.

Which I think would be part of the issue. Some foods don't travel well and as mentioned in this same thread, suck rocks when cold. Fries for example. Either you eat them hot or throw them out. If they're cold they're awful, and they don't heat up well.

Larger downtown areas where people live nearly above the restaraunts they are eating from will offer delivery more often than places where they have to drive out into the suburbs.

Also, with a few exceptions, most places that offer delivery don't have much in the way of seating inside. They expect a delivery only business and can save a lot of money having just room to cool and a place to pick up for walk-ins. An westablished restaraunt would have top either maintain a delivery staff that might not get much action but still have to be paid an hourly wage. This could be costly if people didn't order delivery from them, as they wouldn't expect it to be available.

yabob

07-16-2004, 10:55 AM

One Silicon valley company I worked for during the boom used to take Waiters-On-Wheels orders late in the day. It was on the company. Of course, what it really was was a bribe to work late.

Dewey Finn

07-16-2004, 11:04 AM

There's even a service called Meals-On-Wheels that brings you food home delivered from restaurants that don't directly offer home delivery :)

FYI, here in the US, Meals On Wheels is the name of a a social service agency that delivers meals to people who can't get out of the house, like some elderly or disabled people.

Ice Wolf

07-16-2004, 11:15 AM

Around here, there's a roast dinner delivery service that isn't Meals on Wheels. Apart from that -- mainly pizza and KFC.

BurnMeUp

07-16-2004, 11:22 AM

FYI, here in the US, Meals On Wheels is the name of a a social service agency that delivers meals to people who can't get out of the house, like some elderly or disabled people.

True. Also Meals-on-wheels (the US version for the disabled or elderly) isn;t restaraunt quality food. Think more Hot School Lunch for seniors.

gotpasswords

07-16-2004, 12:59 PM

FYI, here in the US, Meals On Wheels is the name of a a social service agency that delivers meals to people who can't get out of the house, like some elderly or disabled people.

I think the name you're thinking of is "Waiters on Wheels" for the home delivery of restaurant meals.

But, home delivery of McDonalds is just sad.

Dewey Finn

07-16-2004, 02:45 PM

I think the name you're thinking of is "Waiters on Wheels" for the home delivery of restaurant meals.

But, home delivery of McDonalds is just sad.

No, I was amused by the fact that xash said that a commercial meal delivery service in Mumbai is called Meals on Wheels, while here in the US, it's a social service agency.

Reeder

07-16-2004, 03:57 PM

Hey...I live in the sticks. I'm lucky to get pizza delivered.

Derleth

07-16-2004, 04:31 PM

Hey...I live in the sticks. I'm lucky to get pizza delivered.Hell, living 3 and a half miles south of town means nobody will deliver. Not Pizza Hut, not Pizza Pro, not the small local joint which makes huge-ass thin crusts. We'd waive the speed guarantees if that was an option, but it isn't.

(The Chinese place doesn't deliver at all, I don't think, but that's okay because the Chinese food sucks around here.)

spingears

07-16-2004, 04:53 PM

There's even a service called Meals-On-Wheels that brings you food home delivered from restaurants that don't directly offer home delivery :)

Meals-On-Wheels is a charitable organization that delivers one hot meal a day to the elderly and incapacitated. Least wise in this town. Not a pickup and delivery service for the benefit of the general public.

You could arrange for a taxi cab to do the pickup and delivery for a price.

Or a courier service would likely do the job for a price.

Or drive it yourself.

As a last resort 'hoof it.'

overlyverbose

07-16-2004, 04:55 PM

A friend of mine started a company called Dining Out maybe 5 or 6 years ago. The company delivers from most of the major restaurants in the St. Louis metro area. It was a great idea on her part - she was bought out two or three years ago when she moved out-of-state with her husband, but before she left, she was very successful.

NoClueBoy

07-16-2004, 05:22 PM

Hey...I live in the sticks. I'm lucky to get pizza delivered.

There's always the Post Office.

FilmGeek

07-16-2004, 05:27 PM

You live in a college town and can't get sandwiches delivered? Balderdash!

Call Jimmy Johns: 812-332-9265 on Kirkwood or 812-333-2102 on 10th. (these I got from www.JimmyJohns.com)

So there. :)

How far away is Peoria? I looked up "bloomington indiana delivery" and got a lot of "peoria/bloomington metro" sites. They have a TON of delivery places, mexican, italian, etc.

SanibelMan

07-16-2004, 05:31 PM

overlyverbose

07-16-2004, 05:39 PM

Do you have any idea what the service is called now? I'd be interested in getting food other than pizza delivered.

Here's a link to their web site: 569-Dine (http://www.569dine.com/). It has the phone number and a list of hours (operational hours are kind of limited - I think they're open until 9 or 9:30, but that might have changed), plus a list of their affiliated restaurants and their menus.

Otto

07-16-2004, 05:40 PM

How far away is Peoria? I looked up "bloomington indiana delivery" and got a lot of "peoria/bloomington metro" sites. They have a TON of delivery places, mexican, italian, etc. Peoria, Illinois is I'm confident in saying outside the delivery area for anyplace that might serve Bloomington, Indiana.

Although now I'm experiencing some flashback cravings for some of the delivery food I could get back when I lived in Bloomington, Illinois. Mmmmm...Grog's Pizza...

Valgard

07-16-2004, 10:19 PM

Peoria, Illinois is I'm confident in saying outside the delivery area for anyplace that might serve Bloomington, Indiana.

Although now I'm experiencing some flashback cravings for some of the delivery food I could get back when I lived in Bloomington, Illinois. Mmmmm...Grog's Pizza...

Oh man, I LIVED on Grog's in Champaign/Urbana. $3.99 for a medium pizza, free extra sauce, extra cheese, bell peppers and onions...lousy crust but man, $3.99 to your door...

MissGypsy

07-16-2004, 11:25 PM

I'm surprised that delivery options in Bloomington, IN have dried up so much since I lived there. It hasn't been THAT many years!

Dagwood's Deli & Sub delivers, as I recall, so there are your sandwiches. Not sure if memory is accurate, but I thought BuffaLouie's did, too.

Now if Janko's, Macri's Deli, and the Irish Lion had delivered, I wouldn't have moved away. And I'd weigh about 400 lbs. Now I'm hungry and homesick.

vivalostwages

07-17-2004, 01:22 AM

I can get Thai as well as pizza and Chinese here. I don't know about services that bring chow from other restaurants but they may very well exist. I just never thought about it.

bat312

07-17-2004, 01:36 AM

People...it is made of people!

Roland Orzabal

07-17-2004, 02:23 AM

Here in Roanoke, VA, we have a company called Gourment To Go that will pick up and deliver food from an ever-expanding list of restaurants. It's easy, convenient, and offers a great selection. It's also expensive as hell. The first, and last, thing I ordered from them was a seven-dollar chicken dinner from Country Cookin' that cost me fifteen bucks (pre-tip). Other than that, it's pretty much pizza or Chinese. I guess that's why GTG can get away with charging so much...they don't have much in the way of competition, and they've been around for at least a couple years.

And as for you lucky bastiges in NYC, thanks for giving me yet another reason to envy you. Not only can you actually do stuff at three o'clock in the morning that doesn't involve getting hammered, you can also get real food delivered to your homes. Sigh...

PaulFitzroy

07-17-2004, 02:41 AM

Now if Janko's, Macri's Deli, and the Irish Lion had delivered...

The Irish Lion is one of my favorite places to eat here. I'm surprised they keep letting me in, also...I'm not 21 and I don't look 21, but they don't ask. Good for them!

Wesley Clark

07-18-2004, 11:10 AM