It's never crowded along the extra mile.
June 12, 2013 12:50 PM Subscribe
The last mile of logistics in getting food from the warehouse into the consumer's house is getting exciting. Schwan's has a very large delivery area for quite awhile, but only with frozen food. Amazon Fresh has expanded to L.A. Safeway is expanding quickly too. Peapod has been in this space for awhile but hasn't expanded very far. But sometimes, you just need a Whopper delivered. Daily milk delivery doesn't seem to be on the radar.
Yeah, I've always assumed that they're going to give me that bunch of broccoli that everyone keeps picking up and throwing back in the bin because it's crushed on one side.
posted by George_Spiggott at 12:58 PM on June 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by George_Spiggott at 12:58 PM on June 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
When I was a kid, we used to have milk delivered every couple of days or somesuch. There was a metal box thingie on the front porch where the milk man would retrieve the empties (they were glass bottles) and replace them with the standing order. Seems like it could make a comeback in an area with enough customer density to make the route profitable, but there must be something in the economics I'm missing, since surely someone would have done it. I mean, we were in the suburbs of Chicago when we had a milkman (mid-to-late 70s), so it's not like we were way out in the countryside.
posted by jquinby at 12:58 PM on June 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 12:58 PM on June 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
...by the way, how do you like this onion on m' belt?
posted by jquinby at 1:01 PM on June 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 1:01 PM on June 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
My one wish is breakfast delivery. Why is there no Waffle Truck that will pull up to my house on a lazy Sunday morning? I can trek downstairs in my jammies and fuzzy bunny slippers, give the guy a tenspot and have delicious belgian waffles* with almost no effort.
*AND COFFEE. Do not forget the coffee on penalty of death.
posted by desjardins at 1:07 PM on June 12, 2013 [12 favorites]
*AND COFFEE. Do not forget the coffee on penalty of death.
posted by desjardins at 1:07 PM on June 12, 2013 [12 favorites]
I had good luck with Peapod when I lived in an area of Chicago that was a food desert. The onions were always fine, as was the broccoli.
I've also used FreshDirect in NYC, which was fine, but I guess they treat their employees poorly (not a huge surprise).
I like just going to the store on my own, though. It's so much easier to get fresh food to prepare at home when you live in a small town.
posted by k8lin at 1:11 PM on June 12, 2013
I've also used FreshDirect in NYC, which was fine, but I guess they treat their employees poorly (not a huge surprise).
I like just going to the store on my own, though. It's so much easier to get fresh food to prepare at home when you live in a small town.
posted by k8lin at 1:11 PM on June 12, 2013
It's ok, grocery delivery is good for the environment.
posted by backseatpilot at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by backseatpilot at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2013
My one wish is breakfast delivery. Why is there no Waffle Truck that will pull up to my house on a lazy Sunday morning?
http://milwaukee.eat24hours.com/
posted by rough ashlar at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2013
http://milwaukee.eat24hours.com/
posted by rough ashlar at 1:13 PM on June 12, 2013
Strangely enough, the Omaha Nebraska metro area has had a revival in the home milk delivery arena: milk2you.com
I'm not sure why it works here (or if it works here), but a milkperson shows up at my door every year or so asking if we'd like to join her route. Weird.
posted by ensign_ricky at 1:14 PM on June 12, 2013
I'm not sure why it works here (or if it works here), but a milkperson shows up at my door every year or so asking if we'd like to join her route. Weird.
posted by ensign_ricky at 1:14 PM on June 12, 2013
rough ashlar, I've been on that site. The only places who deliver to my neighborhood are shitty Chinese restaurants and pizza joints.
posted by desjardins at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by desjardins at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013
Bah not available in my zip code. That said, you better be giving me some damn good prices to justify a $300 a year membership fee.
posted by Justinian at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Justinian at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
My one wish is breakfast delivery.
We here in Mid-City New Orleans have the luxury of calling up Wakin' Bakin'. It is as good an idea as you think it is.
posted by komara at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013
We here in Mid-City New Orleans have the luxury of calling up Wakin' Bakin'. It is as good an idea as you think it is.
posted by komara at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013
Why is there no Waffle Truck that will pull up to my house on a lazy Sunday morning? I can trek downstairs in my jammies and fuzzy bunny slippers, give the guy a tenspot and have delicious belgian waffles* with almost no effort.
Oh. My. Goodness. This is brilliant! Repurpose an ice cream truck for the sake of nostalgia, crank out some mid-tempo morning music (not too chipper, but not sleepy), and have a set of little custom waffle irons with Waffle (Wo)Man stamped into the traditional grid pattern. Include packets of real maple syrup, little pats of butter, and a few other custom toppings for a dollar more.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh. My. Goodness. This is brilliant! Repurpose an ice cream truck for the sake of nostalgia, crank out some mid-tempo morning music (not too chipper, but not sleepy), and have a set of little custom waffle irons with Waffle (Wo)Man stamped into the traditional grid pattern. Include packets of real maple syrup, little pats of butter, and a few other custom toppings for a dollar more.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:15 PM on June 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
We had twice-weekly dairy delivery in Colorado Springs as recently as 2011. It's still a thing.
Here in the UK, Ocado delivers here once a week. It doesn't stop us from going into the village for market days, the butcher & the baker, but it's the bulk of the groceries.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 1:17 PM on June 12, 2013
Here in the UK, Ocado delivers here once a week. It doesn't stop us from going into the village for market days, the butcher & the baker, but it's the bulk of the groceries.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 1:17 PM on June 12, 2013
I saw a Mo Gro truck one day, and figured it was a national company, but apparently it's a New Mexico thing, with the goal to "Elimination of “food deserts” in New Mexico: that all communities have access to healthy, affordable, and sustainably sourced foods."
posted by filthy light thief at 1:17 PM on June 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by filthy light thief at 1:17 PM on June 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
When I was a kid, we used to have milk delivered every couple of days or somesuch
This is totally still a thing, although you'll pay the price for it.
Milk delivery in Southern Maine and the NH seacoast
A list of of New England dairy delivery services (from 2010)
Dairy delivery in Northern Maine
'Farm to Home' Milk delivery service in North Carolina
posted by anastasiav at 1:21 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is totally still a thing, although you'll pay the price for it.
Milk delivery in Southern Maine and the NH seacoast
A list of of New England dairy delivery services (from 2010)
Dairy delivery in Northern Maine
'Farm to Home' Milk delivery service in North Carolina
posted by anastasiav at 1:21 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've been on that site ... shitty Chinese restaurants and pizza joints.
Try "the knick" then.
http://themealmobile.com/restaurants.html - there is one last mke delivery service (I got paid to research this for someone) that I do not remember at the moment.
Found it - http://eatstreet.com/milwaukee
posted by rough ashlar at 1:23 PM on June 12, 2013
Try "the knick" then.
http://themealmobile.com/restaurants.html - there is one last mke delivery service (I got paid to research this for someone) that I do not remember at the moment.
Found it - http://eatstreet.com/milwaukee
posted by rough ashlar at 1:23 PM on June 12, 2013
I hadn't seen a roving ice cream truck in literally decades, until I moved to my current neighborhood a couple years ago. It made me wish for something like a roving late-evening taco truck. Judging by the frequent wafts of pot smoke I've smelled on my rambling walks, such an entrepreneur would likely do brisk business.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:25 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:25 PM on June 12, 2013
I lived in New York when FreshDirect debuted and it was amazing! Also when they debuted they had some crazy discount, like first time customers could get $25 when you buy $50 or more, so for a month straight I used every permutation of my address/name/credit cards.
Finally I could buy good produce that wasn't all fucked up and overpriced from the bodega or god-save-me Met supermarkets. NY supermarkets are pretty bad, they carry most everything a regular market does, except just 1 or 2 of it. Sorry, we sold the jar of pickles today.
The only downside was that the fruit was too fresh. Picked with the intention of sitting around for a week now was delivered directly to me, so now I had to plan a week and a half in advance if I wanted to eat some bananas. A month for avocados.
posted by wcfields at 1:27 PM on June 12, 2013
Finally I could buy good produce that wasn't all fucked up and overpriced from the bodega or god-save-me Met supermarkets. NY supermarkets are pretty bad, they carry most everything a regular market does, except just 1 or 2 of it. Sorry, we sold the jar of pickles today.
The only downside was that the fruit was too fresh. Picked with the intention of sitting around for a week now was delivered directly to me, so now I had to plan a week and a half in advance if I wanted to eat some bananas. A month for avocados.
posted by wcfields at 1:27 PM on June 12, 2013
When I was 6 or 7 our neighbourhood stil had regular milk delivery. One day when I came home from school for lunch I was surprised to find my Dad home from work. Both he and my Mom were looking very sad and I knew instantly that there was bad news.
Our beagle had been run over by the milkman's truck. :(
posted by islander at 1:28 PM on June 12, 2013
Our beagle had been run over by the milkman's truck. :(
posted by islander at 1:28 PM on June 12, 2013
> Yeah, I've always assumed that they're going to give me that bunch of broccoli that everyone keeps picking up and throwing back in the bin because it's crushed on one side
I used to get groceries from Amazon Fresh, when my kids were small and shopping was a terrible experience (one of them tended to have meltdowns in the grocer store). I'm picky about my produce, and it was almost always in good shape. There were a few times when the boxed salads weren't ones I would have bought in a store -- I could see the past-their-prime leaves -- and when I complained, Amazon immediately refunded the price of those items.
I don't shop with them often now -- when I do it's usually just because we've been out of town for a while and I want to have groceries when we get home -- but the produce was never a problem. The prices, on the other hand...
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:28 PM on June 12, 2013
I used to get groceries from Amazon Fresh, when my kids were small and shopping was a terrible experience (one of them tended to have meltdowns in the grocer store). I'm picky about my produce, and it was almost always in good shape. There were a few times when the boxed salads weren't ones I would have bought in a store -- I could see the past-their-prime leaves -- and when I complained, Amazon immediately refunded the price of those items.
I don't shop with them often now -- when I do it's usually just because we've been out of town for a while and I want to have groceries when we get home -- but the produce was never a problem. The prices, on the other hand...
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:28 PM on June 12, 2013
I sometimes see a milk man driving around my neighborhood in Minneapolis. I don't think it is commonly used here (no one I know has their milk delivered), but it exists.
We also have an online grocer that delivers and have for years. My mom is disabled and has used them during times when her mobility isn't as great.
posted by Area Man at 1:31 PM on June 12, 2013
We also have an online grocer that delivers and have for years. My mom is disabled and has used them during times when her mobility isn't as great.
posted by Area Man at 1:31 PM on June 12, 2013
Seems like it could make a comeback in an area with enough customer density to make the route profitable, but there must be something in the economics I'm missing, since surely someone would have done it.
Living where I do, I am honestly surprised some hipster hasn't dug up and restored an old milk float and used it to deliver raw milk and free-range eggs.
posted by madajb at 1:31 PM on June 12, 2013
Living where I do, I am honestly surprised some hipster hasn't dug up and restored an old milk float and used it to deliver raw milk and free-range eggs.
posted by madajb at 1:31 PM on June 12, 2013
"Repurpose an ice cream truck for the sake of nostalgia, crank out some mid-tempo morning music (not too chipper, but not sleepy)..."
I'm imagining an ice-cream truck rendition of the Morning Edition theme.
posted by mbrubeck at 1:37 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm imagining an ice-cream truck rendition of the Morning Edition theme.
posted by mbrubeck at 1:37 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
( smugly thinks on the waffle stand that is two feet from my house on most days)
posted by The Whelk at 1:38 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by The Whelk at 1:38 PM on June 12, 2013
All I hav to say is that my inner Beavis comes out whenever I see a Schwan's truck... Huhuhuh... schwanz.
See also: Groendyke.
posted by cmoj at 1:40 PM on June 12, 2013
See also: Groendyke.
posted by cmoj at 1:40 PM on June 12, 2013
I used to get almost all my groceries through Amazon Fresh and racked up a ton of points on my Amazon credit card (3× bonus for buying from Amazon!). Unfortunately they eventually started raising order minimums, delivery fees, and added a big red message suggesting that you tip your delivery driver in advance (so much for their previous policy: "Our policy is not to accept tips. After all, our job is to make your life easier; delivering a high-quality service should be your expectation"). Add that to the fact that the products were more expensive in general, and often cheaper versions of products were not available and the value of the service was no longer worth the cost (which was hard to calculate).
posted by grouse at 1:42 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by grouse at 1:42 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
It made me wish for something like a roving late-evening taco truck.
This would be a Portland GOLDMINE.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:44 PM on June 12, 2013
This would be a Portland GOLDMINE.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:44 PM on June 12, 2013
I don't mind going to the store but carting that shit around without a car is a no-go for me. Even when I had the car I used to hate carrying stuff up the 3 flights of stairs. Peapod it is. And it's awesome.
posted by bleep at 1:45 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by bleep at 1:45 PM on June 12, 2013
Speaking of the milkman, we had milk delivery when I was growing up in a small town in the 60s/70s. What I most remember, though, was that a) we were poor, and b) there was an order sheet that you could leave for the milkman that contained all these awesome things like ice-cream that I would stare at and wish for but never have.
With my disability, I have a really hard time walking around a supermarket. Grocery delivery would be a boon for me.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 1:50 PM on June 12, 2013
With my disability, I have a really hard time walking around a supermarket. Grocery delivery would be a boon for me.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 1:50 PM on June 12, 2013
Rhode Island has Munroe Dairy. My parents had them deliver to our house until my brother and I moved out.
posted by mkb at 1:55 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by mkb at 1:55 PM on June 12, 2013
We get milk delivery via our CSA. It's excellent local, organic, cream-on-top milk. Mmmm, milk. (I especially like when I open a new jug and pour it into the first cup of coffee in the morning, and a glug of cream falls into the coffee and makes it look like you put butter in there!)
We had milk delivered when we lived in England - you had to be quick bringing the bottles in or the birds would peck through the foil to eat the cream.
posted by rtha at 2:00 PM on June 12, 2013
We had milk delivered when we lived in England - you had to be quick bringing the bottles in or the birds would peck through the foil to eat the cream.
posted by rtha at 2:00 PM on June 12, 2013
Okay, now I want to run a waffle truck. A delicious delicious waffle truck.
posted by Kitteh at 2:07 PM on June 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 2:07 PM on June 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm seriously handicapped, and I don't own a car. I've been getting my groceries delivered by Safeway for a couple of years now, and I'm very pleased by it. Their web site is a breeze to use, and delivery is prompt and nothing is ever broken. (I think in all that time I've only had one broken egg, for instance, and it was evident that the delivery wasn't responsible.)
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:08 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:08 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
There are times every month where I wish death and destruction upon the people at Webvan that screwed up HomeGrocer.com.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:20 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:20 PM on June 12, 2013
A delicious delicious waffle truck.
driving it in circles around your block while eating waffles is a bad business plan
posted by elizardbits at 2:25 PM on June 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
driving it in circles around your block while eating waffles is a bad business plan
posted by elizardbits at 2:25 PM on June 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
OR THE BEST BUSINESS PLAN EVER
posted by Kitteh at 2:29 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 2:29 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I just checked out Amazon Prime's new L.A-area service.
Since I live in a security building I'd have to choose the "Attended Delivery" service:
I could see this being very helpful for things like cat litter, which I currently have to schlep 1/2-mile home, except they don't carry my brand. I can't see using it for anything fresh, so I'm not even sure I want to risk forgetting to cancel the membership for the free trial.
I'll be interested to see how this evolves.
Okay, now I want to run a waffle truck. A delicious delicious waffle truck.
As much as I love this idea, I just wouldn't feel safe driving around L.A. in a truck made of waffles.
posted by Room 641-A at 2:34 PM on June 12, 2013
Since I live in a security building I'd have to choose the "Attended Delivery" service:
Choose a one-hour time slot when you will be available to receive your order in person. If you like, our delivery associates will gladly bring your groceries into your kitchen and take away any totes or other shipping supplies., which give gives you a one-hour delivery window. Free delivery over $30As a Prime member I qualify for a 3-month free trial, but after that the cost is $299/year plus I'd also have to add in the tip for the driver (which I have no problem with other than factoring it into my actual costs.)
I could see this being very helpful for things like cat litter, which I currently have to schlep 1/2-mile home, except they don't carry my brand. I can't see using it for anything fresh, so I'm not even sure I want to risk forgetting to cancel the membership for the free trial.
I'll be interested to see how this evolves.
Okay, now I want to run a waffle truck. A delicious delicious waffle truck.
As much as I love this idea, I just wouldn't feel safe driving around L.A. in a truck made of waffles.
posted by Room 641-A at 2:34 PM on June 12, 2013
I can remember when McDonald's delivered ... pizza.
The nineties were weird.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2013
The nineties were weird.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2013
It's not as bad as driving around in the south. Can you imagine the havoc that humidity would do to a truck made of waffles? They'd go all mushy in no time!
- driving it in circles around your block while eating waffles is a bad business plan
- OR THE BEST BUSINESS PLAN EVER
See, you just need a bit more creative thinking from filthy light thief, inc.:
"Do you love waffles?"
"Yes!"
"Would you like them delivered hot, with real maple syrup, right to your door?"
"Oh god, YES!"
"But are you concerned about the potential for weight gain from this delicious, convenient service?"
"Now that you mention it, yeah. Shit."
"Don't worry! The local Mobile Waffle Mobile will only stop if you can catch it!"
"Wait, what?"
"Unlike your typical Ice Cream Truck that will drive around, waiting for kids to congregate, or a taco truck that sits and waits for you to come to it, the Mobile Waffle Mobiles will slowly drive by, playing the siren song of "Waffles, waffles, warm and crispy waffles! Wouldn't you like some waffles? Then you'll have to catch me!" And our theme song doesn't lie! The driver won't stop until you catch the truck, or until you're suitably winded. So eat up! You deserve it!"
posted by filthy light thief at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2013 [12 favorites]
- driving it in circles around your block while eating waffles is a bad business plan
- OR THE BEST BUSINESS PLAN EVER
See, you just need a bit more creative thinking from filthy light thief, inc.:
"Do you love waffles?"
"Yes!"
"Would you like them delivered hot, with real maple syrup, right to your door?"
"Oh god, YES!"
"But are you concerned about the potential for weight gain from this delicious, convenient service?"
"Now that you mention it, yeah. Shit."
"Don't worry! The local Mobile Waffle Mobile will only stop if you can catch it!"
"Wait, what?"
"Unlike your typical Ice Cream Truck that will drive around, waiting for kids to congregate, or a taco truck that sits and waits for you to come to it, the Mobile Waffle Mobiles will slowly drive by, playing the siren song of "Waffles, waffles, warm and crispy waffles! Wouldn't you like some waffles? Then you'll have to catch me!" And our theme song doesn't lie! The driver won't stop until you catch the truck, or until you're suitably winded. So eat up! You deserve it!"
posted by filthy light thief at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2013 [12 favorites]
We used to have a Schwan's guy growing up. We lived in a very rural area, though, so when my mom forgot to leave an order a few times, he stopped showing up. I think my grandparents still get Schwan's.
posted by dirigibleman at 2:51 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by dirigibleman at 2:51 PM on June 12, 2013
Schwan's is such an enigma to me. I see the truck constantly in my neighborhood, delivering to the tiny handful of homes that use them. In all these years, though, I've not been handed, mailed, door-hangered, or whatever a single piece of promotional fluff for their service. I would think that a delivery guy rolling through a neighborhood would be tasked with occasionally tossing a few flyers or catalogs around to juice sales. But, I guess not. It's an odd business model.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:53 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by Thorzdad at 2:53 PM on June 12, 2013
Strangely enough, the Omaha Nebraska metro area has had a revival in the home milk delivery arena: milk2you.com
Omaha resident Warren Buffett's grandfather had a grocery store near 50th and Underwood. Berkshire Hathaway owns stock in a variety of food and beverage companies. Maybe the deliveryman is a billionaire.
posted by Cranberry at 2:54 PM on June 12, 2013
Omaha resident Warren Buffett's grandfather had a grocery store near 50th and Underwood. Berkshire Hathaway owns stock in a variety of food and beverage companies. Maybe the deliveryman is a billionaire.
posted by Cranberry at 2:54 PM on June 12, 2013
"Unlike your typical Ice Cream Truck that will drive around, waiting for kids to congregate, or a taco truck that sits and waits for you to come to it,
Where I grew up the ice cream truck was most definitely the 200 meter dash. First you have to scrounge up your quarters, then you have to run to catch the crabby guy who hates children and ice cream, speeding down the block daring you to stop him. Oh but we did.
posted by bleep at 2:55 PM on June 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
Where I grew up the ice cream truck was most definitely the 200 meter dash. First you have to scrounge up your quarters, then you have to run to catch the crabby guy who hates children and ice cream, speeding down the block daring you to stop him. Oh but we did.
posted by bleep at 2:55 PM on June 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
Is this not a thing in the USA then? All the major supermarkets in the UK offer delivery services, and have done for years. I mean, I can understand having a maximum delivery radius from each store (as the supermarkets do here in the UK), so not having good coverage outside more urban areas, but seeing whole states that don't have grocery delivery is rather strange. Is it to do with the assumption of car ownership? Or something else at work?
(I only get my groceries delivered when there is a voucher or offer which negates the fiver-ish delivery charge, but living on the top floor it's very nice to have someone carry your week's shopping up the stairs for you).
posted by Coobeastie at 3:28 PM on June 12, 2013
(I only get my groceries delivered when there is a voucher or offer which negates the fiver-ish delivery charge, but living on the top floor it's very nice to have someone carry your week's shopping up the stairs for you).
posted by Coobeastie at 3:28 PM on June 12, 2013
Some places the arrival of the Schwan's truck is only narrowly behind the second coming of Jesus. And after hanging out there for a while, I came to the opinion that yeah, yeah it is.
Daily milk delivery doesn't seem to be on the radar.
Not with Fleming belting customers and pissing on old lady's flowers.
posted by Smedleyman at 3:33 PM on June 12, 2013
Daily milk delivery doesn't seem to be on the radar.
Not with Fleming belting customers and pissing on old lady's flowers.
posted by Smedleyman at 3:33 PM on June 12, 2013
I hadn't seen a roving ice cream truck in literally decades, until I moved to my current neighborhood a couple years ago. It made me wish for something like a roving late-evening taco truck. Judging by the frequent wafts of pot smoke I've smelled on my rambling walks, such an entrepreneur would likely do brisk business.
Judging from the amount of pot smoke I've smelled in my rambling walks, such an entrepreneur would likely be running for their life surrounded by slow-moving hordes of munchy-crazed potheads, valiantly fighting them off zombie style and desperately tossing Doritos and hacky sacks out the windows in a futile effort to throw them off the scent.
But what they failed to account for is that I don't even like Doritos.
posted by roquetuen at 3:34 PM on June 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Judging from the amount of pot smoke I've smelled in my rambling walks, such an entrepreneur would likely be running for their life surrounded by slow-moving hordes of munchy-crazed potheads, valiantly fighting them off zombie style and desperately tossing Doritos and hacky sacks out the windows in a futile effort to throw them off the scent.
But what they failed to account for is that I don't even like Doritos.
posted by roquetuen at 3:34 PM on June 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
> Is this not a thing in the USA then?
It depends where you live. When I lived in Queens, NYC, I could go to the grocery store and buy my groceries, then someone would come drop them off a bit later.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:42 PM on June 12, 2013
It depends where you live. When I lived in Queens, NYC, I could go to the grocery store and buy my groceries, then someone would come drop them off a bit later.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:42 PM on June 12, 2013
then you have to run to catch the crabby guy who hates children and ice cream,
When I was younger I used to think that he simply didn't see us - the half dozen kids madly waving our money running down the middle of the street behind him. Then I grew up and realized those guys probably did see us and they were just your average don't-give-a-fuck teenage assholes who thought it was funny and got payed by the hour regardless.
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 3:42 PM on June 12, 2013
When I was younger I used to think that he simply didn't see us - the half dozen kids madly waving our money running down the middle of the street behind him. Then I grew up and realized those guys probably did see us and they were just your average don't-give-a-fuck teenage assholes who thought it was funny and got payed by the hour regardless.
posted by Rocket Surgeon at 3:42 PM on June 12, 2013
My grandparents told my mom and her brothers that those were "jingle trucks," which just drove around playing music (jingles). Maybe my grandparents weren't lying after all.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:22 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 4:22 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
We had some bad experiences with PeaPod... but now Stop&Shop is rolling out a pick-up depot. You order online, like thru PeaPod, but you pick it up at a pickup depot outside the store when convenient, and where you can go inside to make corrections to wrong orders, or pick up something you forgot.
posted by Slap*Happy at 4:52 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by Slap*Happy at 4:52 PM on June 12, 2013
Our local Safeways and independent grocer both deliver - but I think it's a $5 charge from Safeway. Seems like a boon to anyone who is housebound.
Milk delivery - man, I remember 'high hats' of cream when, on a super cold mornings (it was delivered at o'dark-thirty year-round) the milk would start to freeze and push the cap up off the bottle.
I also remember the clank of bottles rousing me ever-so-briefly from my sleep (my room was in the back, and our delivery guy went down the alley).
There are companies in the Seattle area that deliver milk - notably Smith Bros Dairy.
posted by dbmcd at 5:41 PM on June 12, 2013
Milk delivery - man, I remember 'high hats' of cream when, on a super cold mornings (it was delivered at o'dark-thirty year-round) the milk would start to freeze and push the cap up off the bottle.
I also remember the clank of bottles rousing me ever-so-briefly from my sleep (my room was in the back, and our delivery guy went down the alley).
There are companies in the Seattle area that deliver milk - notably Smith Bros Dairy.
posted by dbmcd at 5:41 PM on June 12, 2013
Safeway charges anything from $4 to $10 depending on the kind of delivery slot you choose. If you pick a 1-hour window, it's $10. If you pick a 4-hour window (which I always do) it's $4.
They also require a minimum order of $49. Which isn't much of a problem for normal grocery purchasing (my orders usually are between $100 and $200) but means that you won't be using them for "I want a candy bar" type orders.
Also, you have to put your order in at least the night before the day of delivery. One of the delivery guys told me about this: at 3:00 AM, a crew comes into the store with a pile of computer printouts and shops for each person who's made an order. They ring the order up, and put the groceries in crates with labels on them, and fill up a truck. At 9:00 AM, a driver comes on shift, and he makes the deliveries. He brings my crates up to my door on a hand-truck and hands me my stuff. (If you ask them, they'll bring it inside for you, but I don't do that.) It makes sense handled that way, but it only works if the orders are placed by midnight the night before, and if they're fairly substantial orders.
The people like me who choose 4 hour windows get a break on the delivery cost because they can be wedged into the delivery process anywhere there's time.
All of which is fine by me.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:21 PM on June 12, 2013
They also require a minimum order of $49. Which isn't much of a problem for normal grocery purchasing (my orders usually are between $100 and $200) but means that you won't be using them for "I want a candy bar" type orders.
Also, you have to put your order in at least the night before the day of delivery. One of the delivery guys told me about this: at 3:00 AM, a crew comes into the store with a pile of computer printouts and shops for each person who's made an order. They ring the order up, and put the groceries in crates with labels on them, and fill up a truck. At 9:00 AM, a driver comes on shift, and he makes the deliveries. He brings my crates up to my door on a hand-truck and hands me my stuff. (If you ask them, they'll bring it inside for you, but I don't do that.) It makes sense handled that way, but it only works if the orders are placed by midnight the night before, and if they're fairly substantial orders.
The people like me who choose 4 hour windows get a break on the delivery cost because they can be wedged into the delivery process anywhere there's time.
All of which is fine by me.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:21 PM on June 12, 2013
I mean, we were in the suburbs of Chicago when we had a milkman (mid-to-late 70s), so it's not like we were way out in the countryside.
We also had a milkman in the suburbs of Chicago during that time. I don't remember how often we got milk delivered (I was really young!) but I do remember having the metal box on the porch.
These days, Oberweis does milk delivery around here, as well as in some other parts of the Midwest plus Virginia.
posted by SisterHavana at 6:47 PM on June 12, 2013
We also had a milkman in the suburbs of Chicago during that time. I don't remember how often we got milk delivered (I was really young!) but I do remember having the metal box on the porch.
These days, Oberweis does milk delivery around here, as well as in some other parts of the Midwest plus Virginia.
posted by SisterHavana at 6:47 PM on June 12, 2013
Off topic, when I worked in Toronto several years ago, I was amused to see that super markets there carried milk by the gallon in large plastic bags/envelopes rather than the plastic jugs I am used to in the US.
posted by hwestiii at 6:49 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by hwestiii at 6:49 PM on June 12, 2013
A lot of places have the jugs too (and cartons), but, yep. Bags.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:55 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by Sys Rq at 6:55 PM on June 12, 2013
My neighborhood has a waffle restaurant that delivers. We've definitely called in an order on a Sunday morning and had piping hot, fantastically good Belgian waffles show up at our door within fifteen minutes. I do live in paradise, yes.
I actually just got my very first Amazon Fresh delivery about an hour ago. So far, I love it! Mostly because some sort of mixup led to my receiving three avocados I didn't order. Usually I would contact Amazon about the mistake, but I assume it'd take long enough to figure out what went wrong that the avocados wouldn't be worth taking back (especially since they just started serving LA this week - I have to imagine their customer service line is a little slammed right now, because I have to imagine their scheduling failed to account for the realities of LA traffic...my delivery was 50 minutes after my selected window), so I reckon I'm just going to keep 'em.
posted by town of cats at 7:55 PM on June 12, 2013
I actually just got my very first Amazon Fresh delivery about an hour ago. So far, I love it! Mostly because some sort of mixup led to my receiving three avocados I didn't order. Usually I would contact Amazon about the mistake, but I assume it'd take long enough to figure out what went wrong that the avocados wouldn't be worth taking back (especially since they just started serving LA this week - I have to imagine their customer service line is a little slammed right now, because I have to imagine their scheduling failed to account for the realities of LA traffic...my delivery was 50 minutes after my selected window), so I reckon I'm just going to keep 'em.
posted by town of cats at 7:55 PM on June 12, 2013
Schwan's pulled out of my reasonably well-off Rhode Island town last year, pretty much overnight. It was weird: their terminal is near my house and one day the yard was suddenly empty of trucks.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:13 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by wenestvedt at 8:13 PM on June 12, 2013
"And if I'm hungry at 12:30 in the morning, Pink Dot will deliver."
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:50 PM on June 12, 2013
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:50 PM on June 12, 2013
Milwaukee could definitely use a breakfast delivery service/fresh breakfast truck with some good coffee and preferably homemade corned beef hash. It would be even better if you could schedule the night before, after coming home from the bar. The next morning, the delivery driver would call you like 4 times to make sure you're awake and then show up at the door all "Hey dude, I'm here with your delicious breakfast and hot coffee." I don't know how well that would work out in real life, but in my imagination it's pretty awesome. I'm also guessing Bloody Marys wouldn't be allowed... That Wakin Bakin looks excellent, though.
There's also FlavorCycle, which has a few other options depending on which part of town you're in. I'm pretty sure they're open now, but I can't figure out how to order for the life of me. Maybe you just call the restaurant and ask for flavorcycle delivery?
I haven't had anything from the Schwan's man in a long time, but I loved the bagel dogs growing up.
posted by nTeleKy at 12:38 PM on June 13, 2013
There's also FlavorCycle, which has a few other options depending on which part of town you're in. I'm pretty sure they're open now, but I can't figure out how to order for the life of me. Maybe you just call the restaurant and ask for flavorcycle delivery?
I haven't had anything from the Schwan's man in a long time, but I loved the bagel dogs growing up.
posted by nTeleKy at 12:38 PM on June 13, 2013
> So far, I love it! Mostly because some sort of mixup led to my receiving three avocados I didn't order.
Did you get charged for them? If so, let them know and I bet they'll refund it.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:12 PM on June 13, 2013
Did you get charged for them? If so, let them know and I bet they'll refund it.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:12 PM on June 13, 2013
I was curious about the lack of nostalgia in this thread for the days of Webvan, and thought, oh well, I must be getting old, or it's just completely not relevant anymore, or some combination of the two.
So I was interested to stumble upon this Reuters story describing the links between the two services: "From the ashes of Webvan, Amazon builds a grocery business".
posted by KatlaDragon at 6:04 AM on June 17, 2013
So I was interested to stumble upon this Reuters story describing the links between the two services: "From the ashes of Webvan, Amazon builds a grocery business".
posted by KatlaDragon at 6:04 AM on June 17, 2013
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oh but Schwan's gallon buckets of vanilla ice cream take me back to childhood.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:55 PM on June 12, 2013 [7 favorites]