Grub hub/uber eats.... yucky.

[BehindBlueI's]

One thing I have observed recently is that several places, such as breweries, and independent casual restaurants offer a pretty good burger and fries for $13-$15 bucks. McD’s near is that for a BigMac value meal…

Agreed. Fast food is generally about the convenience, not the food. Calories in an acceptably palatable form relatively quickly. Often out a window so I can get back on the road.

I will sometimes do a cooler of food and stop at rest stops, but if I can stop I generally want to try some local something-or-other.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I can cook. I made my living at it for about 15 years (not fast food). I used to cook a LOT when I was with my ex (who also cooked). Now I'm with DoggyMama and she ate like a bird from the time I met her. If I cook a meal, a lot of it is probably going to go to waste, so I only cook maybe 1 or 2 days a week (other than breakfast, which is almost every day).

 

[Leo]

Some of it seems to be generational difference. The Neighbor lady never eats fast food, she is 20 years older than me. I will eat fast food occasionally, but it is when I am already in town doing other chores. The neighbor that is 40 years younger than me often has uber eats delivery within 15 minutes of coming home from work. I cannot figure that out, because he has to drive past 12 fast food places to get home from work. I am too cheap to pay for delivery when I already sitting in traffic in front of the place.

What is troublesome to me is the young mothers on my street who have uber eats drop off food for their family more evenings than not. Fast food for supper 4 or 5 nights a week cannot be good for health. By the time you buy the food, pay and tip the driver, it would cost less to put steak or roast beef, potatoes and a salad on the table. It is not that difficult if you plan ahead a little bit.

 

[Cameramonkey]

We've had really bad luck with both BK and Hardee's while traveling as far as consistency of service and food.

I know it's not an option here, but the burger place that's been 100% consistent for us over several years and multiple states has been Whataburger.

I miss the REAL Hardees Thickburgers.

Pre pandemic they were AWESOME! Hot, Fresh, and charred really well around the edges. Rivaling a sit down place. better charring than BK.

Then during Covid, I noticed that they all went downhill and changed ENTIRELY. Still a thick slab of beef, but now they are rubbery, greasy, and no real charring to speak of. Its like they all turned the griddles down and switched to a higher fat content of hamburger. And its across the board.

I havent seen a widespread fall from grace that bad since Pizza Hut went to frozen dough.

 

[Ingomike]

I havent seen a widespread fall from grace that bad since Pizza Hut went to frozen dough.

Same here. Never understood PH chase to the bottom of cheap pizza…

 

[Cameramonkey]

Same here. Never understood PH chase to the bottom of cheap pizza…

I understand it.


Greed.
(and the willingness to sacrifice quality... assuming the consumer wont care.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Same here. Never understood PH chase to the bottom of cheap pizza…

In broad strokes, they saw what Papa Johns had and wanted that instead. Instead of larger footprint stores with dining rooms and all the expense that goes with that, smaller stores with less overhead and more out-of-store customers.

It was a very different company when Pepsi Co owned it. Sort of a mid-tier sit down restaurant, something slotted between fast food chains and Red Lobster chains in a time where the competition wasn't so fierce. Food costs were low, a pizza cost the store about 1/10th what it sold for, but overhead was high compared to Papa Johns in other areas. Larger footprints for a dining room, wait staff, dish washers, and all that goes in to making that a success. The dining room was dead for much of the week. Instead of trying to revitalize the dine in business, which I'll touch on in a bit, they just exited the restaurant space and Yum! took over.

Papa Johns was the hot new competitor, and they could just slot into a strip mall and snag a high traffic area on the cheap and run the more profitable carry-out and delivery options with fewer staff, less space to maintain and clean, etc. Before PJ's, it was just Pizza Hut giant vs the locals, and PH had a big marketing budget, tie-ins with schools (remember the free pizzas for reading books promotions?), etc. Papa John started taking PH's business, and they noticed.

I can't say they made the wrong business decision. Dine in was drying up except for the buffet, which was not a profit center. If the location couldn't sell beer it was even worse. There was more competition in the mid-tier sit down space and customer preferences were changing. People didn't have the time or inclination to eat there for lunch during the work week. Entertainment options expanded, so playing pinball for 15 minutes waiting for an order wasn't really as compelling any longer, etc. The race to the bottom may have been what kept the brand going, but who knows if a successful play to upscale it a bit would have worked as well.

 

[Ingomike]

In broad strokes, they saw what Papa Johns had and wanted that instead. Instead of larger footprint stores with dining rooms and all the expense that goes with that, smaller stores with less overhead and more out-of-store customers.

It was a very different company when Pepsi Co owned it. Sort of a mid-tier sit down restaurant, something slotted between fast food chains and Red Lobster chains in a time where the competition wasn't so fierce. Food costs were low, a pizza cost the store about 1/10th what it sold for, but overhead was high compared to Papa Johns in other areas. Larger footprints for a dining room, wait staff, dish washers, and all that goes in to making that a success. The dining room was dead for much of the week. Instead of trying to revitalize the dine in business, which I'll touch on in a bit, they just exited the restaurant space and Yum! took over.

Papa Johns was the hot new competitor, and they could just slot into a strip mall and snag a high traffic area on the cheap and run the more profitable carry-out and delivery options with fewer staff, less space to maintain and clean, etc. Before PJ's, it was just Pizza Hut giant vs the locals, and PH had a big marketing budget, tie-ins with schools (remember the free pizzas for reading books promotions?), etc. Papa John started taking PH's business, and they noticed.

I can't say they made the wrong business decision. Dine in was drying up except for the buffet, which was not a profit center. If the location couldn't sell beer it was even worse. There was more competition in the mid-tier sit down space and customer preferences were changing. People didn't have the time or inclination to eat there for lunch during the work week. Entertainment options expanded, so playing pinball for 15 minutes waiting for an order wasn't really as compelling any longer, etc. The race to the bottom may have been what kept the brand going, but who knows if a successful play to upscale it a bit would have worked as well.

I lived all that. Remember the introduction of pan pizza, it was so good. Fresh store made dough oily and crispy. I so miss that taste…

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I lived all that. Remember the introduction of pan pizza, it was so good. Fresh store made dough oily and crispy. I so miss that taste…

I only know/care because I worked there through high school when it was still under Pepsi Co and worked at a company store. They offered me a manager slot when I turned 18 with the understanding I would be fast tracked toward a possible regional if I got a bachelor's degree. I literally laughed and said I was joining the Army in a week. And did. I couldn't see making a career in the restaurant business, didn't really trust any promise of a regional manager slot which was six figures even then and highly competitive, and it was one of the easiest and best decisions I ever made. Pepsi Co was a significantly better company to work for then Yum! from what I heard afterward.

 

[firecadet613]

I only know/care because I worked there through high school when it was still under Pepsi Co and worked at a company store. They offered me a manager slot when I turned 18 with the understanding I would be fast tracked toward a possible regional if I got a bachelor's degree. I literally laughed and said I was joining the Army in a week. And did. I couldn't see making a career in the restaurant business, didn't really trust any promise of a regional manager slot which was six figures even then and highly competitive, and it was one of the easiest and best decisions I ever made. Pepsi Co was a significantly better company to work for then Yum! from what I heard afterward.

It's amazing how quickly once 'iconic' brands can fall due to changes in society and/or their internal leadership decisions.

Pizza Hut, Blockbuster, Hardee's, etc.

But on the flip side, how other Brands are on the upward trajectory - Dunkin' (OK, anything coffee)!

I hear those regional gigs are pretty sweet, but you've definitely found your niche and the people of Indianapolis are lucky to have you.

 

[bobzilla]

Is it safe to assume that all the folks railing against these delivery services never order pizza for delivery?

I've never been able to even if I wanted. So no, I have never had pizza delivered. Yes, these services are stupid unless you are homebound or on house arrest. Not only is it financially idiotic because of the increased cost (which is already increasing enough) but now you have soggy fries, cold sandwiches and the ice melted in your drink.

This was why I hated covid policies so much. I don't want to eat cold, soggy food.

 

[Leadeye]

I've never had food delivered to my house regardless of where I lived so it would be a new experience. My sons both talk about it, but I've never heard them say anything negative. Could be because they eat so fast, they never notice it.

Living where we do, even UPS and FX drivers complain, so I don't ever expect to see anything like hot food delivered.

 

[Ingomike]

I've never been able to even if I wanted. So no, I have never had pizza delivered. Yes, these services are stupid unless you are homebound or on house arrest. Not only is it financially idiotic because of the increased cost (which is already increasing enough) but now you have soggy fries, cold sandwiches and the ice melted in your drink.

This was why I hated covid policies so much. I don't want to eat cold, soggy food.

I am with you, I want hot fresh food. Apparently the generation raised on chicken nuggets has no appreciation for hot fresh food. If I put my conspiracy theory hat on, either intentional or not, it had the effect conditioning people to get them ready for Soylent green.

Knew a mother that took her kid through McD’s drive through every day for nuggets and diet coke. Can’t believe he is still alive growing up on that crap. This started at about two years old…

 

[firecadet613]

I am with you, I want hot fresh food. Apparently the generation raised on chicken nuggets has no appreciation for hot fresh food. If I put my conspiracy theory hat on, either intentional or not, it had the effect conditioning people to get them ready for Soylent green.

Knew a mother that took her kid through McD’s drive through every day for nuggets and diet coke. Can’t believe he is still alive growing up on that crap. This started at about two years old…

The human body is resilient!

 

[Leo]

The human body is resilient!

Man has eaten a Big Mac a day for 50 years, attributes good health to walking

"I probably will be eating Big Macs every day for the rest of my life," said Don Gorske.

www.today.com

 

[ljk]

I had a young lady contractor in my office waited 45 minutes for Doordash to deliver a milk shake from Arby's during peak lunch hour, where she could have put her phone down and drive there and back in 12 minutes. I don't understand what the deal is.

I've never had food delivered to me, not even pizza. I'm a steak and wings kind a guy, but my boys like to have Whoppers from time to time. After spending $21 dollars at Culvers for one combo meal and ice cream last year, just for my son, I learned to make burger patties from ground beef pretty quickly.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I wonder if part of it for the hourly crowd is that they get thier WHOLE lunch hour off? They pay somebody else to go get the food while they work and then get to sit for the entire hour.

I don’t get it myself. Pay above market rates PLUS tip for cold food? I mean, if you go yourself you can at least eat the fries while they are fresh on the drive back.

 

[Hatin Since 87]

I wonder if part of it for the hourly crowd is that they get thier WHOLE lunch hour off? They pay somebody else to go get the food while they work and then get to sit for the entire hour.

I don’t get it myself. Pay above market rates PLUS tip for cold food? I mean, if you go yourself you can at least eat the fries while they are fresh on the drive back.

Not only that, but i look forward to getting out of the shop for a little bit. Even if it is only 10 or 15 minutes, that fresh air and little drive is a good way to reset for the day.

 

[HoughMade]

That seems to be everyone is QSR right now.

Grubhub/DoorDash is BIG business. Never underestimate the laziness of the average American...

I guess you're right, but I've never used them. I don't see myself using them ever. But, I'm old school. I pretty much only eat fast food on the road and if I choose restaurant food, I normally go to somewhere with waitstaff...the exceptions being Culvers and Chick Fil A. Regardless, I eat in unless I'm traveling.