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When you order cooked food, you're already paying a premium for someone to work on your order right now. So the price differential doesn't seem that great to go

by GavinB 14y ago

When you order cooked food, you're already paying a premium for someone to work on your order right now. So the price differential doesn't seem that great to go from takeout or eat in to delivery. This is why pizza delivery seems so cheap ($4-5 depending on how you tip). When you're ordering delivery of something that wasn't already priced as on-demand, you're going to find the price dramatically increases and you really don't want to pay 2x the normal price for your toothbrush and 12 pack of soda. There's also the economies of scale that aren't set up yet--those will help somewhat once same day delivery is widespread.

w1ntermute 14y ago
> When you order cooked food, you're already paying a premium for someone to work on your order right now. So the price differential doesn't seem that great to go from takeout or eat in to delivery. This is why pizza delivery seems so cheap ($4-5 depending on how you tip). On a related topic, why is only pizza delivery common in many parts of the US? In other countries, such as Japan, you can find home delivery options from all kinds of restaurants, but this doesn't exist in a lot of America, particularly the suburbs.
- elteto 14y ago
  I have found that most restaurants in my area do deliver but they severely restrict as to how far they will go, so I am mostly out of luck. I think that the answer to your question is mostly a cultural one, pizza places are expected to deliver and be open 24 hours because, hey, it's pizza. However, there is not so much pressure on other restaurants so they avoid the logistics of providing the service or they do so but don't go very far away.
  - w1ntermute 14y ago
    > I think that the answer to your question is mostly a cultural one Right. I think I was a little opaque here, but my question was really why exactly did that cultural idiosyncrasy develop in America?
- philwelch 14y ago
  Not every food keeps as well as pizza, especially when it takes 30 minutes to an hour to deliver it. Most foods would get cold more quickly or turn to mush.
- te_chris 14y ago
  Some places are really good here in NZ. These guys are close to us and a really good example, online menu http://www.soulthai.co.nz/ http://www.soulthai.co.nz/, free delivery if you spend over $20 and they send their drivers out with mobile EFTPOS (card swiping machines) and let you split it. Pretty good thai too, but really the experience and convenience they offer is why we use them all the time.

by GavinB 14y ago

w1ntermute 14y ago

> When you order cooked food, you're already paying a premium for someone to work on your order right now. So the price differential doesn't seem that great to go from takeout or eat in to delivery. This is why pizza delivery seems so cheap ($4-5 depending on how you tip). On a related topic, why is only pizza delivery common in many parts of the US? In other countries, such as Japan, you can find home delivery options from all kinds of restaurants, but this doesn't exist in a lot of America, particularly the suburbs.

elteto 14y ago
I have found that most restaurants in my area do deliver but they severely restrict as to how far they will go, so I am mostly out of luck. I think that the answer to your question is mostly a cultural one, pizza places are expected to deliver and be open 24 hours because, hey, it's pizza. However, there is not so much pressure on other restaurants so they avoid the logistics of providing the service or they do so but don't go very far away.
- w1ntermute 14y ago
  > I think that the answer to your question is mostly a cultural one Right. I think I was a little opaque here, but my question was really why exactly did that cultural idiosyncrasy develop in America?
philwelch 14y ago
Not every food keeps as well as pizza, especially when it takes 30 minutes to an hour to deliver it. Most foods would get cold more quickly or turn to mush.
te_chris 14y ago
Some places are really good here in NZ. These guys are close to us and a really good example, online menu http://www.soulthai.co.nz/ http://www.soulthai.co.nz/, free delivery if you spend over $20 and they send their drivers out with mobile EFTPOS (card swiping machines) and let you split it. Pretty good thai too, but really the experience and convenience they offer is why we use them all the time.