Delivery drivers and take away orders ruin restaurant meals

NigelHarmansNewWife · 12/11/2024 22:29

Marblessolveeverything · 24/06/2024 08:46

It's their management of the activity rather than the business model. Our local restaurant has pretty much a separate kitchen banging out the deliveries. The drivers come to a different entrance.

The owner invested because profits from the deliveries are outstripping the restaurant. The reality is deliveries are here to stay, our expectation to eat good quality meal at home has expanded and to be fair most of the thriving ones near me are on the more healthy offering.

Having food ready not brought to the table is due to bad staff training and probably under staffing.

Completely agree with this.

Gogogo12345 · 12/11/2024 22:26

Cadela · 24/06/2024 08:48

Yes I actively avoid our local independent restaurants that are on Deliveroo/uber eats for this exact reason. It drives me barmy when I can see my food and no one will bring it to me!

That's due to poor organization of the restaurant though.

Pherian · 12/11/2024 22:24

I think you’ve picked a crap restaurant to eat out at.

JenniferBooth · 10/07/2024 23:01

So Italian and Greek hospitality survived the lockdowns better than we did

Original poster

contentlycontent · 10/07/2024 22:21

I spent just over 10 days in Italy and Greece, returning to UK 2 days ago. The dining experience is a million miles apart. No proliferation of take aways and delivery drivers, relaxed meals in restaurants with amazing service, food always served at a good speed (usually much earlier than expected).

I understand restaurants here are doing what they need to in order to survive but it did make me feel sad for how different things are here and not for the better

OP posts:

Mycatsmudge · 10/07/2024 20:59

We went to Franca Manda last week at lunch time and waited 20 mins to order and another 30 mins for the pizzas whilst the staff prioritised a wall of pizza takeaway orders. The restaurant was also completely full and the 2 ladies next to us complained they had been waiting over an hour for their main meal which were salads

asdfgasdfg · 10/07/2024 20:54

The drivers are all supposed to have business insurance haha. Our local McD had three foreign plated delivery drivers constantly parked in the diasaled bays.

brunettemic · 27/06/2024 08:41

It’s a changing society and businesses need to adapt to survive. Would you rather the restaurants you like went out of business, people lost everything (assuming they’re local not chain restaurants) and became unemployed?

What did they say when you raised it to them and made some suggestions about how to better manage the two different types of customers?

testing987654321 · 27/06/2024 07:59

grumpypedestrian · 26/06/2024 05:53

I’ve worked in an under staffed convenience store that did Just Eat, Evri and DPD. It’s a nightmare and I hated it.

Its not the customers fault, but when people refused to use self service because they wanted ‘interaction’ I hated it as we just didn’t have the time.

I do sometimes use self-service but I try not to simply because I see my elderly father struggling to cope with technology and I'm hoping if I use actual staff they might still be there when I'm old.

Jc2001 · 27/06/2024 07:54

contentlycontent · 24/06/2024 08:27

We don't eat out much, maybe once a month or less. When we do go, tends to be local independent restaurants. However our 4-5 most recent experiences are ruined by the revolving door of delivery drivers collecting takeaways and restaurant staff bending over backwards to meet their demand at the expense of those sitting there.

Yesterday we sat directly opposite the kitchen and watched orders for those eating in sit under hot lamps for upwards of 20 minutes whilst they packed order after order to give to the delivery drivers crowded round the door. We waited more than 15 minutes for a waiter to come to take our order, the food arrived at odd times with items missing and a couple of drinks forgotten entirely. The restaurant was at half capacity at this point.

I find it crazy that if I were to order a take away for the restaurant, it would be at my door in 30 minutes but when I am sitting right there, I spend more than half that time just trying to get their attention to place an order.

AIBU to think that the experience of eating out has ben destroyed as a direct result of the explosion of food delivery services?

I think you're right but I also that that eating habits have changed to an extent that restaurants are struggling to survive with our the take away business. It's a shame.

Ginmonkeyagain · 27/06/2024 07:33

@Janehasamane I don't go to the supermarket for the experience but I used to use online deliveries and went back to shopping in person.

I like to think about what I want to make that week as I go round the supermarket, perhaps seeing offers or what looks good - especially for fruit and veg.

Looking at pictures of food online doesn't inspire me in quite the same way.

DPotter · 26/06/2024 19:43

We've got the double whammy of the poor service and we live "too far" out of the town to even order take aways to be delivered ! That's about 4 miles

Mh67 · 26/06/2024 19:38

We have had the same experience in restaurants. I sent back two meals as they sat so long they were cold.

Janehasamane · 26/06/2024 16:33

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 24/06/2024 11:24

That's interesting - but that's one where I wonder whether it'll ultimately go the other way, that it'll all be delivery and it's the cost of the shop they cut rather than the delivery service. No one's going to the supermarket for the experience, and we might one day wonder at the inefficiency of us all going in our individual cars to a big shop.

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You would think that, but a lot of folks do go for the experience, they like to wander round, pick produce, and often see it as a bit of an outing.

i don’t, i have mine delivered and probably go into an actual supermarket about twice a year, but there is no disputing some folks do go for th4 experience.

MrsPositivity1 · 26/06/2024 16:15

Book a table and then book a deliveroo for the restaurant address for 10 mins later

😂😂😂😂

Pleasetakeaseat · 26/06/2024 14:07

Yeah we dont even bother popping into McD / KFC / Nandos etc anymore; walk-in customers are right at the bottom of the priority list, beneath nose picking and never cleaning the mcflurry machine

Its sooo insulting to be waiting in a queue 15 people deep, and have some randoms in smelly biker gear push past to the front, staff bending over backwards to serve them, ignoring the rapidly growing queue of paying customers who've been waiting fucking ages for what was once known as "Fast Food"

They clearly dont want our custom, they clearly want to see empty seats in all their branches, so lets make it happen people...

JenniferBooth · 26/06/2024 13:55

NeverEnoughPants · 26/06/2024 13:53

Is it skipping the queue when the customer's order was place before you even entered the shop? 🤔

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No but pushing ppl out the way is rude. Have some fucking manners

NeverEnoughPants · 26/06/2024 13:53

JenniferBooth · 26/06/2024 13:39

Even in Greggs Deliveroo drivers get to skip the queue

Is it skipping the queue when the customer's order was place before you even entered the shop? 🤔

Youdontevengohere · 26/06/2024 13:42

contentlycontent · 26/06/2024 05:50

I’m so sorry to all of you that have had to work in these crappy conditions with everyone annoyed at you. When I have sat there frustrated and wanting service, I do see all staff working hard and this is why I’ve not complained. I have in the past expressed how busy they are with deliveries and had a chat but no more.

As well as voting with my feet and not returning as a diner, I will start posting reviews like a PP has suggested. At some point in the future, the model is going to have to change to support this volume of take away orders, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s at the expense of dine in space

If they make more money through the take aways then yes, it will be at the expense of dine in space.
So many lovely restaurants near us are struggling or have had to close because the costs for them are so high now, and people just aren’t eating out as much. So if the take away industry is how they keep afloat then I can’t begrudge them that.

JenniferBooth · 26/06/2024 13:39

Even in Greggs Deliveroo drivers get to skip the queue

Ethylred · 26/06/2024 06:52

OnionPond · 24/06/2024 08:42

I haven’t come across this. What type of restaurants are these?

They're for the lower orders ma'am.

Onthebrink87 · 26/06/2024 06:49

Totally agree about the disruption in the restaurant and on the roads, but unfortunately (and especially with smaller/independents) it can well be whats keeping the businesses open these days - I do wish it was better managed though!