# Does restaurant delivery mean inside the building to your door? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 23, 2019, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065 "2019-02-23T04:54:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/21 "2019-02-23T18:41:59Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > So no onus? > > I guess I have a problem with things becoming a problem for no reason. Also I like to reduce the things in life that I need to monitor and nail down, when there seems to be no reason for it, especially little things that I am paying decent money for. YMMV. > > It just seems presumptuous to try to get out of apartment delivery by making weird phone calls. Why specifically am I wrong for suggesting clear delivery instructions? What exactly is my mental or moral deficiency in this matter? I agree, this _should not_ be a problem. It often _can_ be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/22 "2019-02-23T20:30:25Z")
> [@](#): > > They don’t need to know the “why,” but as others have said, it’s a very good idea to specify “the delivery person needs to come to the apartment door, I cannot meet them in the lobby,” when you place the order. I don’t think you should have to specify. So far as I’m concerned, delivery means to your door, unless otherwise specified. I think the fault is with the company/delivery person for not specifying they don’t come to the door if they don’t. The entire damn point of delivery is that the customer doesn’t have to go anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/23 "2019-02-23T21:19:36Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > By nailing down expectations right from the outset, these conflicts can be reduced. > > Your experience may vary. Do I have to specify containers too, or is it cool for them to bring me my pad thai cupped in their hands? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/24 "2019-02-23T21:23:50Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Do I have to specify containers too, or is it cool for them to bring me my pad thai cupped in their hands? That depends on your requirements as a customer and your estimation of their business practices. If, IYHO you feel that this level of specificity is advantageous to you, proceed. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/25 "2019-02-23T21:26:45Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > I don’t think you should have to specify. So far as I’m concerned, delivery means to your door, unless otherwise specified. I think the fault is with the company/delivery person for not specifying they don’t come to the door if they don’t. The entire damn point of delivery is that the customer doesn’t have to go anywhere. Not that I disagree with you, but if, like the OP, you’re in a situation in which (a) you’re physically limited, and meeting the delivery person in the lobby is problematic, and (b) you’ve already had repeated issues with delivery people not doing this…standing on principle by not giving specific instructions comes across to me as either plain old stubbornness, or looking for something to bitch about. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/26 "2019-02-23T21:33:31Z")
Well, the first few times it wasn’t repeated issues. Now that it’s clearly a repeated issue, he’s not saying “I’m not going to specify g’dangit!!!11!!”, he’s asking “is this weird or am I?” FTR, I think it is extremely weird. And **Alessan** , you need to specify how you want the pad thai to be cooked. Ingredient amounts must be provided as ounces per pound ratios with three decimals\*. - Specify when are you using volume ounces and when you’re using weight ounces. Whether the cooks actually will pay attention to the distinction or not is left to the inspiration received from Nuestra Señora de las Perolas (Our Lady of Pots). ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/27 "2019-02-23T22:41:21Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > I don’t think you should have to specify. So far as I’m concerned, delivery means to your door, unless otherwise specified. I think the fault is with the company/delivery person for not specifying they don’t come to the door if they don’t. The entire damn point of delivery is that the customer doesn’t have to go anywhere. Thank You! This is why I don’t feel good about getting these phone calls (accented to the point of incoherence) where they are “hinting” at me passive agressively that they don’t want to do their job. To be clear: I called for pizza within one block of my home to two different places, Chinese food from the next town, and barbecue from 10 min away, basically local. Each time I got a problem. So I wonder if it’s me, or the mores in my area have changed. To me the best way to get what you want and not get your food spit on is to know what TF they are doing and why. Babysitting and coddling every service giver that I employ doesn’t sound like the way I want to do business. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/28 "2019-02-23T22:45:53Z")
Let me ask these questions: 1. Before you were injured, did you regularly order food for delivery? If so, did you notice this sort of issue before? 2. Do you live in an urban area in which parking close to your apartment building can, in fact, difficult to find? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/29 "2019-02-23T22:48:33Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Not that I disagree with you, but if, like the OP, you’re in a situation in which (a) you’re physically limited, and meeting the delivery person in the lobby is problematic, and (b) you’ve already had repeated issues with delivery people not doing this…standing on principle by not giving specific instructions comes across to me as either plain old stubbornness, or looking for something to bitch about. Well I didn’t know this was an issue til very recently. Give me some time. Obviously I am never going to make an order without doing this again, even if I’m peeved. This is my burden now forever and if that is the case I just want to know why. But I am trying to think about the best way to not get your food spit on, and it might just not be to call and make a deal out of it when you order. Who knows? THis is why I want to get to a resolution other than caveat emptor 24-7. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/30 "2019-02-23T22:52:45Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > But I am trying to think about the best way to not get your food spit on, and it might just not be to call and make a deal out of it when you order. Who knows? THis is why I want to get to a resolution other than caveat emptor 24-7. As you’ve now specifically mentioned being worried about having your food spit on twice, I’m taking it that you believe that, if you specify “please be sure to come to the apartment door,” that’ll be the delivery person’s reaction? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/31 "2019-02-23T22:53:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Let me ask these questions: > > 1. Before you were injured, did you regularly order food for delivery? If so, did you notice this sort of issue before? > > 2. Do you live in an urban area in which parking close to your apartment building can, in fact, difficult to find? No I don’t order delivery much. I am in an urban area, but I have never heard of any deliverer not delivering because they could not park. Have you ever heard of it? In any case how can I as the customer help them with this? All of the sudden in 2019 one can’t park? You put the blinkers on and deliver the food right? I can’t understand calling me and bitching to me while my food is getting cold. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/32 "2019-02-23T22:57:05Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > As you’ve now specifically mentioned being worried about having your food spit on twice, I’m taking it that you believe that, if you specify “please be sure to come to the apartment door,” that’ll be the delivery person’s reaction? No. Spit came up in this thread and reminded me that one of them had said the bell didn’t work and I told him to try harder. It worked. That’s the one I think might have been a risk. I don’t want to be put in that position. In this thread a couple have reminded me that people spit on food. My goal is to avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/33 "2019-02-23T23:01:08Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I am in an urban area, but I have never heard of any deliverer not delivering because they could not park. Have you ever heard of it? In any case how can I as the customer help them with this? All of the sudden in 2019 one can’t park. In many neighborhoods here in Chicago, on-street parking is, in fact, extremely difficult to find. It’s not uncommon at all to see cars double-parking with the flashers on, including, yes, delivery people. If you told me that some delivery people are concerned that having to go all the way up to an apartment to make a delivery (which, depending on if they have to take an elevator, have to wait for the elevator, etc.) could take a number of minutes longer, and leave them more open to getting a ticket, I would believe it. Is it also possible that some of these delivery people are just being lazy? Sure. Again, if it’s important to you that the delivery person comes up to your apartment, say something. And, tip well. If you’re concerned about the guy spitting on your food ahead of time, tell the person on the phone at the restaurant that you’ll give the delivery person an extra $X tip, but they _have_ to bring it up to your apartment. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/34 "2019-02-23T23:10:10Z")
Where do you live OP? (rhetorical no need to answer) As has been said, weird, on their part. I lived in a 3 story walk up once and never had a problem with any deliveries of any sort. OTOH I tipped the drivers extra just because of that, sometimes as much as 50% of the bill depending on the size of the order ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/35 "2019-02-23T23:49:22Z")
As a former delivery person, I came to the building and (typically) buzzed the person to let them know I was there. Either they’d buzz me in, or announce they were coming down. As a customer, I’ve only had the OP’s situation happen once. During a snowstorm, after waiting almost two hours for my food, I got a call from the driver saying he wasn’t getting out of his car. I had to put on shoes and a coat and trek downstairs for my ice-cold food in blizzard conditions, and he gave me a hearty scowl when I didn’t tip. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/36 "2019-02-24T00:31:55Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > Where do you live OP? (rhetorical no need to answer) As has been said, weird, on their part. I lived in a 3 story walk up once and never had a problem with any deliveries of any sort. OTOH I tipped the drivers extra just because of that, sometimes as much as 50% of the bill depending on the size of the order I live in an urban college town with lots of food service at all levels of quality. It really does seem that there is a “trend” but so far no one here recognizes it any more than I do. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/37 "2019-02-24T00:35:37Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > In many neighborhoods here in Chicago, on-street parking is, in fact, extremely difficult to find. It’s not uncommon at all to see cars double-parking with the flashers on, including, yes, delivery people. > > If you told me that some delivery people are concerned that having to go all the way up to an apartment to make a delivery (which, depending on if they have to take an elevator, have to wait for the elevator, etc.) could take a number of minutes longer, and leave them more open to getting a ticket, I would believe it. > > Is it also possible that some of these delivery people are just being lazy? Sure. > > Again, if it’s important to you that the delivery person comes up to your apartment, say something. And, tip well. If you’re concerned about the guy spitting on your food ahead of time, tell the person on the phone at the restaurant that you’ll give the delivery person an extra $X tip, but they _have_ to bring it up to your apartment. Isn’t it the delivery mans job to find space to park? How is it mine? I’ve just never heard anyone say “Thats it! It’'s 2019 and I’m not going to look for parking for anyone anymore. They have to come down and get it. They weren’t going to tip me anyway!” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/38 "2019-02-24T00:49:24Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Isn’t it the delivery mans job to find space to park? How is it mine? Even if “it’s the delivery man’s job to find a place to park,” if there _is_ no open space near your apartment, the delivery person cannot magically make one appear. If he then circles the block for ten minutes looking for an open place to park before coming up to deliver your food, then you’re going to be bitching about how long it took, and how your food was cold when it finally got to you. Multiple people have given suggestions on what you _can_ do, as well as suggesting that services like DoorDash (and, I suspect, UberEats) might sometimes have delivery people who are less than awesome at it. But, no, you seem convinced that you should not have to specify “please be sure to come all the way to the apartment door,” and that doing so is simply asking for trouble and retribution. Ideally, no, you should not have to specify this. Your recent past experiences have told you otherwise. Do something different. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/39 "2019-02-24T00:51:20Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Isn’t it the delivery mans job to find space to park? How is it mine? I’ve just never heard anyone say “That’s it! It’'s 2019 and I’m not going to look for parking for anyone anymore. They have to come down and get it. They weren’t going to tip me anyway!” I’ve always lived in one or two family houses , so this has never been my issue- I have always had to meet them at the door. But the parking thing - I can see that. Because quite frankly, I don’t want to be stuck behind a double-parked delivery driver for however many minutes it takes one of my neighbors to buzz him in and for him to get up-to the third floor, deliver the food and get back down. I will say in more congested neighborhoods than mine , I usually see delivery people using bikes/motorbikes rather than cars, which tends to make parking a nonissue. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065/40 "2019-02-24T01:05:32Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > That’s longer than the “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” story; but it’s every bit as sad. Why is having Domino’s pizza 3 times a month as sad as this? I don’t get it. I rarely order food for delivery, but I’ve never had an issue with people refusing to bring it to my door. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-restaurant-delivery-mean-inside-the-building-to-your-door/830065.md?page=3)