# are chinese resturants considering delivery not a necessity anymore ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 26, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619 "2018-02-26T19:09:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/1 "2018-02-26T19:09:25Z")
inspired by this thread [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=20793385](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=20793385) When I was growing up we loved Chinese food but it was considered expensive but wed say " but mom it delivers" and The restaurants themselves touted delivery as a main selling point food quality was like the third thing considered after price But last time we ordered some I discovered that most of the sit down places aren’t around due to the dozen or so buffets that have opened up and the ones that are don’t deliver anymore Even the “express” that just cooked the food and delivered it was gone So I called the place that’s referred to as the “Chinese McDonalds” locally because only reason you eat there is because it technically was food and it delivered and even they quit delivery which stunned many because as I said delivery is the only thing keeping it open So is this a trend because fo fuel or insurance ? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/2 "2018-02-27T02:06:14Z")
Chinese restaurants here still deliver. I think some use UberEats, Just Eat and similar services. To me that would be a bigger factor — buffet is a different market. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/3 "2018-02-27T03:27:58Z")
On the contrary, at least for me, my favorite Chinese place did not deliver for as long as they have been around and only just started offering it last year so now I eat it much more often. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/4 "2018-02-27T03:58:10Z")
I only know one Chinese place that delivers around here. There are two high end places that don’t deliver but still do a brisk take-out business, and at least two more low end places that don’t deliver. I think there are 8 pizza places in town and every one of them delivers. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/5 "2018-02-27T04:39:40Z")
I’ve NEVER been around chinese restaurants that offered delivery of food so far as I know. There’s a reason it’s called Chinese Take-out. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/6 "2018-02-27T05:24:07Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Chinese restaurants here still deliver. I think some use UberEats, Just Eat and similar services. Toronto has at least two Chinese-language equivalents of those services, too. (One of them is called something-Mao or Mao-something and has a picture of a cartoon cat as a mascot.) ---
**Author:** ![DidierAubin87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DidierAubin87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DidierAubin87)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/7 "2018-02-27T08:56:10Z")
Actually, there are still Chinese restaurants deliver their foods, if they don’t do it, there are still other delivery services we can order like UberEat :)) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/8 "2018-02-27T15:30:13Z")
All of our local joints deliver. I suppose that, with third party delivery services, some might not feel the need to keep someone on payroll to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/9 "2018-02-27T15:40:00Z")
We have one third-party service but they don’t deliver from the Chinese places. Of the three Chinese places: One delivers and has a buffet and menu ordering and take-out; one, which is in a large supermarket, is strictly a buffet with no delivery but they do have take-out off the buffet; and the other is strictly a take-out place. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/10 "2018-02-27T15:42:27Z")
I’ve lived in the suburbs/exurbs all my life and rarely encountered Chinese restaurant delivery. I have the impression this is more common in urban type densely populated areas. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/11 "2018-02-27T16:16:59Z")
I had to look this up, but it looks like all the places near my house deliver. The odd thing is, we’ve gotten Chinese many times over the past 30 or so years, but I’ve (or my parents, when I was younger) always phoned in the order and just gotten it takeout. I’m not exactly sure why, but the only food I’ve ever had delivered here is pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/12 "2018-02-27T16:26:02Z")
I live in a largely Chinese part of the L.A. metro area (South San Gabriel Valley). There are literally 3-5 Chinese restaurants on every block. None of them deliver, but almost all of them stay open until midnight weekdays, 1 or 2 weekends, so that’s a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/13 "2018-02-27T16:45:04Z")
I’m sure it depends on location. Around here, they generally didn’t deliver (though some are adding delivery now). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/14 "2018-02-27T16:58:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve lived in the suburbs/exurbs all my life and rarely encountered Chinese restaurant delivery. I have the impression this is more common in urban type densely populated areas. same for me on both counts. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/15 "2018-02-27T19:12:32Z")
Do these places that have stopped delivery have bars? I’ve been to some Chinese restaraunts that don’t deliver, and it is obvious that the food takes a backseat to selling liquor. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/16 "2018-02-28T00:59:41Z")
I’ve never heard of a Chinese restaurant that _didn’t_ deliver! Grew up on Long Island, now live in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/17 "2018-02-28T02:36:29Z")
When I lived on Long Island, many places didn’t deliver. But in Queens, every place delivers, many by bicycle. But we have maybe 8 places in a while mile radius. As long as one delivers, they all have to deliver. Only one of the nearest is on Seamless. being able to pay with cc means they get more of my business. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/18 "2018-02-28T03:48:00Z")
We’ve had Chinese restaurants around here in our area (Cleveland/Akron exurbs) for as long as I’ve been around but it wasn’t until the “new” one opened maybe 10 years ago that we had delivery. I think the others have followed suit. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/19 "2018-02-28T20:17:41Z")
Unlike Pizza, Chinese delivery is just the stuff of TV shows for us (like Seinfeld). Yeah one (out of a half dozen or so) of the carryout places does offer delivery… on orders of over $30, which is rarely the case, given the relative cheapness of Chinese food and that it’s usually only one or two people ordering it at a time in our house. Not like most of the places are far anyway. Cheaper AND faster just to pick it up. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619/20 "2018-02-28T20:28:37Z")
Like others in the thread have pointed out, Chinese restaurants that provide organic delivery service is the stuff of urban legend and pop culture. Maybe it’s regional; still, in the half dozen regions of the US I’ve lived in, I have seen exactly zero Chinese restaurants with delivery, and only recently has my current Chinese place offered it, through DoorDash. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-chinese-resturants-considering-delivery-not-a-necessity-anymore/809619.md?page=2)