Coping with Food Delivery
Tired of cooking but adamant you want to obey Government social distancing, quarantine and isolation guidelines?
Your favourite meal is only a few taps away.
Maybe you just don’t feel like going out? Even before the COVID-19 Pandemic, food and grocery delivery services were growing.
I think it is safe to say that Jamaicans are foodies; whether we are cooking at home or dining at one of the hundreds of restaurants across the island, we love to eat. When going out isn’t, and option and we don’t feel like cooking, we can still have our favourite meals delivered to our doorstep ... (assuming you live in the delivery area).
Several foods delivery service providers have Android apps, a few have iOS apps, and most have a cross-platform website that is easily accessible. Looking for something quick? Looking for something done to order? Reputable sites like Cut Di Line, 7Krave, Pekkish and Quickplate have relationships with a large number of local restaurants.
COVID-19 lockdowns, quarantines and isolations have increased the demand for delivery services, and so new providers are popping up. Dine-In Delivery, Delivery Endz and Happy Hour Delivery are some of the other options.
Also, several popular restaurants are circumventing the aggregators and offering direct delivery or in-store pick with pre-order. Notably, international franchise Popeyes and local favourite Island Grill have all joined the market along with long-standing players like Pizza Hut and Dominoes.
With the increased competition, QuickPlate has added new services ... QuickCart. You can have your groceries delivered straight to your door. To be fair, VirtualMallJamaica has been offering PriceSmart delivery for a while, and MailPac just inked a deal with PriceSmart for home delivery. It seems like every day there is a new option.
Anyway, regardless of who you choose to be your delivery service provider, you can expect to:
Pay for the food and a delivery fee plus a tip or service charge
Wait up to 60 mins or longer especially for done to order meals
Order online via a secure website or an app
Speaking of ordering online, here are a few more tips. I recommend that you:
Set up an account using a separate email address Monitor your credit card transactions
Avoid cash payments, use online payments even for the tips Add clear delivery instructions, and
Track the delivery where possible
Once you’ve placed your order and your food is on the way, create a space for the delivery to be dropped. And, since you’ve already paid the tip online, there is no need for contact with the delivery driver.
Then an intricate process begins.
Remove the food containers from the transport container
Clean the area and wash your hands
Transfer the food to a microwaveable container or plate
Dispose of the food container and wash your hands Microwave the food for at least 30 sec, even if already hot.
Enjoy
For groceries, be sure to wash or wipe items before putting them away and wash your hands after.
