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Food delivery is a courier service in which a restaurant, store, or independent food-delivery company delivers food to a customer. An order is typically made either by telephone, through the supplier's website or mobile app, or through a third party food ordering service. The delivered items can include entrees, sides, drinks, desserts, or grocery items and are typically delivered in boxes or bags. The delivery person will normally drive a car, but in bigger cities where homes and restaurants are closer together, they may use bikes or motorized scooters.
Due to shifting habits in response to lockdowns and restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, online food delivery through third-party companies has become a growing industry and caused a "delivery revolution."[1] Nascent technologies, such as autonomous vehicles have also been used to complete deliveries.
Customers can, depending on the delivery company, choose to pay online or in person, with cash or card. A flat rate delivery fee is often charged with what the customer has bought. Sometimes no delivery fees are charged depending upon the situation.[2] Tips are sometimes customary for food delivery service. Contactless delivery may also be an option.[3]
Other aspects of food delivery include catering and wholesale food service deliveries to restaurants, cafeterias, health care facilities, and caterers by foodservice distributors.
- ^ Meemken, Eva-Marie; Bellemare, Marc F.; Reardon, Thomas; Vargas, Carolina M. (2022-08-19). "Research and policy for the food-delivery revolution". Science. 377 (6608): 810–813. Bibcode:2022Sci...377..810M. doi:10.1126/science.abo2182. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 35981021. S2CID 251671515. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ^ "Uber Eats waives delivery fee for independent restaurants as virus spreads". Reuters. March 16, 2020. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ "Is It Safe To Order Takeout During The Coronavirus Outbreak?". Huff Post. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2020-03-19.