Third-Party Delivery Apps Are Changing the Restaurant Industry Forever | Eater

"A San Francisco restaurant that made a deliberate operational choice to switch from sourcing corn tortillas to hand-pressing them in-house for a noticeably superior masa flavor, even though it required hiring staff to press and cook tortillas for hours each day. The pandemic forced a dramatic shift toward delivery—takeout business rose roughly 150% for the restaurant—so tacos and carnitas that were meant to be enjoyed warm and supple in the dining room frequently arrived soggy or cold in compostable boxes, were sometimes microwaved into rubbery textures, and were subject to delays from drivers (one anecdote even mentions dogs in the back seat). Managing simultaneous full-service and heavy delivery demand has felt like running two concepts out of one kitchen: cooks constantly toggle between plated orders and boxed ones, the expeditor becomes critical to avoid mistakes, and staff now spend time handling delivery errors (from emailed apologies and gift cards to occasionally sending missing guacamole via rideshare). While third-party apps have become essential revenue sources and helped keep the business afloat, they also reshape priorities away from the dining room, risking the loss of hospitality, table-side interaction, and the sensory experience—heat, aroma, texture—that make dishes truly memorable; the team hopes diners will return so the restaurant can again prioritize communal, in-person service and the truest expression of its food." - Sara Deseran