Food

Category Archives for Food.

This Pizza Place Delivers By Plane, With Free Shipping

by Gary Leff on February 27, 2021

Feb 27 2021

Papa Murphy’s in Anchorage, Alaska doesn’t deliver within 30 minutes, but that’s because they deliver by plane. If you live in remote Alaska, as far out as Prudhoe Bay 855 miles away, and you want pizza what else can you do?

The idea started when customers would call asking them to bring pizzas to the airport, and customers would arrange the air cargo themselves. While shipping eats into margins – they offer free shipping! – the pizza shop generally fulfill big orders (people don’t just order one pizza at a time).

Instead Of Outdoor Dining, Restaurants Are Offering Private Meals In Hotel Suites

by Gary Leff on December 11, 2020

Dec 11 2020

As the weather has turned colder in much of the country this presents a challenge. It’s no longer viable for many restaurants to attract diners to an outdoor setting. So some restaurants have turned to offering meals inside private hotel suites. Hotels are frequently empty, so there’s an easy unused resource to leverage and private rooms provide guests the comfort and safety of outdoors, without being subject to the elements.

New York City Will Allow Restaurant Covid Surcharges, Defrauding Customers And Employees

by Gary Leff on September 18, 2020

Sep 18 2020

New York City’s council passed a law allowing restaurants to add up to a 10% ‘Covid surcharge’ for eat-in dining. Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign it. It is stupid. Restaurants can already raise their prices.

This accomplishes two things: it lets restaurants charge a higher price than they advertise on their menus, and since customers are willing to pay a certain amount for their meal the surcharge reduces tips. It shifts income from restaurant workers to owners.

In The Era Of Corona, One Restaurant Re-Opens For Just A Single Guest At A Time

by Gary Leff on May 31, 2020

May 31 2020

For people not quite ready to go back to the way things were, there’s a restaurant that’s opened for only one guest a a time. In the middle of a field.

When a guest arrives they’re “greeted with a sign and a rope.” The rope leads to a table in the middle of a meadow. The restaurant asks you for a list of your closest friends, and they solicit a note from someone you know. The note is at the table, so the meal begins with ‘social interaction’.

I’d Gladly Eat At This Restaurant During The Global Pandemic

by Gary Leff on May 10, 2020

May 10 2020

Restaurants in Texas were permitted to re-open under new strict guidelines just over a week ago. Indoor spaces are limited to 25% of their previous capacity. Menus are single use only. Condiments cannot be left on the table, but provided only on request. Flatware cannot be pre-placed on tables either and instead must be given to each guest after being seated.

Still, I haven’t dined in at any restaurants yet. There’s one restaurant, however, with a concept that makes me feel safe.

How Restaurant Dining Will Change After The Pandemic

by Gary Leff on March 27, 2020

Mar 27 2020

China has seen our future, both in terms of economic collapse and how social relations change after what people are experiencing. Food delivery in the U.S. took a queue from China offering ‘leave food at the door’ as an option to ensure social distancing between driver and consumer.

Now that businesses in China are re-opening, we have a glimpse into how they’re protecting their employees, and how they’re changing the products that they offer to appeal to consumers.

Bangkok’s Government Is Cleansing The City of Street Food

by Gary Leff on December 15, 2019

Dec 15 2019

Two and a half years ago Thailand’s military junta came out wanting to ban Bangkok street food. The worldwide response was swift and firm. This idea is insane. They claimed to back off but the truth is they’ve been moving in that direction – and continue to push out street vendors.