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I really don't like the idea of people handling my food when they're not affiliated with the restaurant, so I avoid delivery apps altogether. Instead I call it

I really don't like the idea of people handling my food when they're not affiliated with the restaurant, so I avoid delivery apps altogether. Instead I call it in and pick it up myself, this way I can be sure that the food is properly handled and that the restaurant gets to keep a bigger share of the profit from the sale.

sokoloff 6y ago
I do the same; my main motivation is hotter food and lower/more predictable latency.
Nextgrid 6y ago
The problem is that those scummy delivery platforms have taken over the market. A lot of restaurants no longer have in-house delivery staff and only rely on said platforms for delivery. Some won’t even accept collection orders over the phone, forcing you to use the platforms even if you’re happy to pick up in-person and would simply like to order in advance.
- tristan957 6y ago
  Easy solution is to not patronize those place. Put your money where your mouth is.
goblin89 6y ago
I noticed the trend of switching from eating out to getting delivered meals in pre-pandemic years in countries like mainland China and South Korea. I’m not a fan of it, and perhaps there’s more to that than just the subjective “oh no, things are bad because they aren’t the way they used to be” bias on my side. — Visiting a restaurant in person gives a glimpse of how they operate (Bourdain’s “clean toilets” measure and all), which seems important when discovering new places. Without that, you have to mostly rely on online optics when determining whether they’re even sanitary (doesn’t sound realistic to expect government regulation to frequently check every single place that prepares food for delivery). — Near impossibility of establishing anything resembling a personal relationship between yourself and people who prepare your meal and/or the business owner, and indeed those you trust to bring it to you. The former applies more to smaller restaurants, but they are incidentally also the places one would feel most inclined to consciously support. — Further contribution to sedentary/low-mobility lifestyle. — Uncertainty about how much of your payment goes to the restaurant and also comes into play, though I already wonder about that every time I pay with plastic. — When choosing to dine at a place that also does delivery (with delivery workers visibly coming in and leaving), it could be hard to shake the feeling of being in a place where other customers would rather pay someone they don’t know to go rather than coming in person. — Somewhat tangentially, a walk in Seoul became almost hazardous because of delivery scooters ignoring traffic rules with deafening noise—trying to squeeze as many deliveries in an hour as possible, while shaving costs on mufflers and/or vehicle maintenance. Presumably, this also has to do with specifics of local law enforcement, but I can’t help but think how dominance of meal delivery could change the walkability and urban landscape of any city over longer term. The trend was boosted by the pandemic and I hope it will fall back afterwards. Small but quality local restaurants and cafes can be satisfying to discover and visit when you can.

sokoloff 6y ago

I do the same; my main motivation is hotter food and lower/more predictable latency.

Nextgrid 6y ago

The problem is that those scummy delivery platforms have taken over the market. A lot of restaurants no longer have in-house delivery staff and only rely on said platforms for delivery. Some won’t even accept collection orders over the phone, forcing you to use the platforms even if you’re happy to pick up in-person and would simply like to order in advance.

tristan957 6y ago
Easy solution is to not patronize those place. Put your money where your mouth is.

goblin89 6y ago

I noticed the trend of switching from eating out to getting delivered meals in pre-pandemic years in countries like mainland China and South Korea. I’m not a fan of it, and perhaps there’s more to that than just the subjective “oh no, things are bad because they aren’t the way they used to be” bias on my side. — Visiting a restaurant in person gives a glimpse of how they operate (Bourdain’s “clean toilets” measure and all), which seems important when discovering new places. Without that, you have to mostly rely on online optics when determining whether they’re even sanitary (doesn’t sound realistic to expect government regulation to frequently check every single place that prepares food for delivery). — Near impossibility of establishing anything resembling a personal relationship between yourself and people who prepare your meal and/or the business owner, and indeed those you trust to bring it to you. The former applies more to smaller restaurants, but they are incidentally also the places one would feel most inclined to consciously support. — Further contribution to sedentary/low-mobility lifestyle. — Uncertainty about how much of your payment goes to the restaurant and also comes into play, though I already wonder about that every time I pay with plastic. — When choosing to dine at a place that also does delivery (with delivery workers visibly coming in and leaving), it could be hard to shake the feeling of being in a place where other customers would rather pay someone they don’t know to go rather than coming in person. — Somewhat tangentially, a walk in Seoul became almost hazardous because of delivery scooters ignoring traffic rules with deafening noise—trying to squeeze as many deliveries in an hour as possible, while shaving costs on mufflers and/or vehicle maintenance. Presumably, this also has to do with specifics of local law enforcement, but I can’t help but think how dominance of meal delivery could change the walkability and urban landscape of any city over longer term. The trend was boosted by the pandemic and I hope it will fall back afterwards. Small but quality local restaurants and cafes can be satisfying to discover and visit when you can.