Yup. But that DOESN’T pan out for the fees and shady business practices of companies like Uber or DoorDash or whatever. Instead, those services will sell you the same menu item at at increased cost and pretned it’s the restaurant price, because there are delivery fees, service charges, and tips on top of that. To say nothing of the way these gig-economy companies are really just ways to do end runs around employment law so they don’t have to provide things like sick leave, healthcare, worker’s comp, etc. And THEN there’s the way many have, and in some cases still do, pocket tips meant for drivers, and constantly nudge their algorithms to minimize driver pay.
My solution is therefore to simply NEVER use these services. If I want takeout, I’ll almost always opt to go get it myself. The food arrives as warm as possible and I’ve made sure the order is correct for myself before I ever leave the restaurant.
Believe it or not, there ARE places that still have their own delivery drivers. Usually, there’s a small fee, unless you have a big order. I have no problem paying that fee and tipping the driver.
But I’ll only use those gig services in cases where I have no other option. Most of the time, it’s not even worth it for the airport. Unless I’m gone more than a week, driving myself and parking is cheaper or equal to the Lyft fee to the airport and back home.
I would pay for a service fee and tip if I couldn’t pick up my own take-out.
I’ve had one pizza delivered in the past year, through DoorDash, which offered a free delivery for some reason, and I tipped the deliver fella, of course.
I do sometimes use Ritual , DoorDash, or UberEats to order my take-out which I then pick up myself.
The last delivery order before my DoorDash Fourth Man in the Fire delivered pizza was chicken soup while I was sick in April 2013.
I’ve probably ordered delivery 12 times in my entire life.
You’re preaching to the choir here. I used to deliver food for several national and local businesses. The local one I started at actually paid decently, but all the national gig companies pay garbage and don’t give a shit about their “contractors.”
Wow! Husband just remarked you have a great memory! We hope the two memories weren’t related.
I use delivery when staying in hotels, rather than using room service. I last did this in July and the hotel had a room set up dedicated to delivery! It can be tricky figuring out how to avoid a third party if you want to order without calling.
That’s sooo unreasonable! They’ll be wanting affordable health care next!
The service in question pays its drivers $23/hr. They bump the menu price per item by $1 to $3 over what you pay in person. (Which is fine since they gotta pay the rent) They charge a delivery fee which was $4.99-- now $2.99 (I wonder why?) They add in a driver’s “commission” which “goes directly to the driver” …in other words a built-in tip. Looks to be about 20% which is also fine and finally (and for me the deal breaker for future orders) Taxes & Fees combined into one line item- tax is ez to compute 8% here for prepared food iirc. Oh & when you place your order you can add a tip.
When your customers go from instant buy to “Wait, let’s think about it”, it is never a good thing.
When I had open heart surgery and was confined to home, unable to drive, and during the pandemic, when I stayed home for a year and a week, I made grateful use of delivery services. And I knew how they paid, and tipped more than accordingly. I do the same with Uber. It makes me angry, and sad, how miserably most gig workers are treated. (and, for what it’s worth, I also thanked them profusely). https://youtu.be/6DjX6jFIiAQ?si=kUfkUrU2eDvnQLlq
I have a pretty good memory for what I’ve ordered and the clothes I’ve worn
I picked up a bug in Boston in early April 2013, when we were in town for a family wedding. The wedding took place the 9 days before the Marathon bombing, and we had been staying in the Colonnade Hotel until 8 days before the bombing. I became sick about 2 days after I got back to Toronto. The manhunt for the suspects took place, and I reached out to the newlyweds, who lived in Cambridge. Thank god they were in Europe on their honeymoon on the day of the bombing and the days that followed!
I lost my sense of taste for close to 7 days with that flu, and my spine hurt. I was also moving apartments at the end of the month. I remember warning a family with a baby to keep their distance so they wouldn’t pick up anything when they came to check out my apartment. I also turned 40 about a week after I was finally over that bug.
So far, I have only had 4 significant flus as an adult (1998, 2002, 2013, 2018) and that was the 3rd one. So I remember it!
Back in the day I went to restaurants often, usually as a guest (I was a much-pampered wine/whiskey writer at the time), and my fellow scribbler would often complain, mumbling to on another, almost under their breaths. I, on the other hand, almost always complained aloud, summoning the waiter, or if necessary the maitre d’. Often a waiter would try to put me off with some excuse like “It’s for the staff.” That was when I’d say “Is the staff picking up the tab, then?” And that would be the end of it. As it happens, I’ve gone our to eat less and less frequently over the years. It’s too much of a pain in the ass at high cost. Why should I have to ASK the restaurant to provide a civilized atmosphere? I don’t want the waiter to introduce himself–I’m not there for a social occasion. I don’t want anyone asking whether everything is find–if it isn’t, I’ll let you know. I much prefer to pick up local Chinese or Pakistani to take home. Otherwise, we cook for ourselves at our own pace and convenience.
BarneyGrubble
(Fan of Beethoven and Latina singers)
614
Along those lines……I was at a birthday celebration at a restaurant for my nephew, and the manager was a friend of his, so he introduced us all. His friend was a “touchy-feely” guy, who, when he spoke to us kept putting an arm around our shoulders, to the point that I almost asked him to cut it out.
The problem for waiters is that other people expect such introduction/interaction and are upset if a waiter doesn’t do it - it’s a lose-lose situation for them
I don’t need to know the waiter’s name but I’ve been to dinner with others who would like to know - I guess it’s a more personal touch? There are two bars I frequent and I finally asked the waitress at one of them what her name is the last time I was in - after a year of being a bar fly at that place I guess it’s time we learn each other’s name I’m planning on an upcoming trip to the other bar so I will probably introduce myself. The last time I was in, the waiter remembered which beer I like and he even remembered what I ordered on my last visit in. I guess I’m a regular now
[quote=“billmarsano, post:613, topic:36619”] I
don’t want the waiter to introduce himself–I’m not there for a social occasion. I don’t want anyone asking whether everything is find [sic]
[/quote]
Considering your food critic past, I get it.
But many of us ARE there for (a variety of) social occasions. I think if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us DO want some level of interaction with staff beyond servile silence. Personally, I find servers’ avoidance of interaction extremely off-putting, and I confess I expect inquiry about whether our meal was satisfactory. I’ll go even further and suggest that since server interaction is a desirable part of a restaurant experience, that interaction–good or bad–should be a valuable part of a professional review.
I will grant that there are innumerable ways a server can spoil a diner’s experience by being too convivial, too intrusive, and being otherwise inappropriate. For me, touching is always kapu.
And I’ll also grant that an appropriate level of interaction varies with the diner. The challenge for good servers is to be as gracious and hospitable as the guests reasonably want.
I think a server introducing themselves and offering a name isn’t a big issue - I certainly don’t need life stories though. There is a fine line with offering friendly service, and actually taking too much time chatting it up. I like efficient and friendly.
This is where I tell our waiters that they need to be able to read the room, and not be tone deaf.
If it’s a two top, and the diners are, say, celebrating an anniversary and want some privacy, the basics will do.
But if the table looks like it’s a group from out of town, or tourists, etc., then a little and show and dance (not literally, but figuratively) may push you from 20% to 25% or even 30%.
That’s what really separates the wheat from the chaff.
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BarneyGrubble
(Fan of Beethoven and Latina singers)
620
One that really surprised us: we were at a restaurant we went to often, and never noticed any interaction problems among the servers, but on one occasion we were waiting for payment in cash to be picked up, and one server stopped by to do so, but then stopped and said, “Oh, that’s Mandy’s table; I can’t pick up cash.”
Wow! Husband just remarked you 
I’m planning on an upcoming trip to the other bar so I will probably introduce myself. The last time I was in, the waiter remembered which beer I like and he even remembered what I ordered on my last visit in. I guess I’m a regular now 
