What To Consider When Choosing A Food Delivery Platform

Floridians are spoiled for choice. Do you spend a leisurely day on the beach or a sunny afternoon in one of the state’s beautiful parks? Do you watch the Marlins or the Rays, the Heat or the Magic? And do you order a comforting plate of Cuban ropa vieja for dinner or a handheld Southern fried chicken sandwich? The choices can feel overwhelming!

It’s hard enough choosing what to order sometimes, without worrying about how to order it. To help you cut through the noise, this article offers a short guide for choosing the right food delivery platform. Here are a few things to consider when your stomach starts grumbling.

Especially if you’re a frequent delivery enjoyer, you have to take delivery costs into consideration. Some platforms add an excessively high delivery fee on top of the order, which can quickly turn that $10 sandwich into a $17 regret.

If you’re looking for convenience without the cost, try getREEF Miami (or wherever in Florida you call home). They offer fee-less delivery on orders of any cost, and you don’t have to sign up for an expensive monthly membership for the privilege.

There is a world of difference between French fries that take 20 minutes to reach you and fries that arrive at your doorstep in an hour. The former are crisp and satisfying – their integrity still intact – while the latter are lifeless, limp, and texturally grainy.

The same goes for most foods: burgers, tacos, fried chicken, etc. Therefore, when choosing a food delivery platform, pay special attention to delivery times. Ideally, you want a platform that delivers in 30 minutes or less, the sweet spot for cooked foods. Anything over that, and you’re paying for sub-optimal delivery food.

Nearly every fast-food chain has launched its own delivery platform in recent years, but let’s take those platforms out of the running. Supporting local businesses should be a priority for Floridians, wherever you live. When you support local restaurants and business owners, everybody benefits; you add money back into the local economy and help ensure that your friends and neighbors make a living.

With that in mind, look for a delivery platform that features local businesses. Not only will you get some of the best food from passionate, locally-minded chefs, but you can feel better knowing that your dollars helped bolster the community.

Ordering food isn’t always about ordering restaurant dishes. Sometimes, you need groceries, packaged snacks, or other “CPGs” (Consumer Packaged Goods) delivered to your door.

If you’re going to stick with one delivery platform, make sure they offer quick delivery on CPGs. Some platforms, like getREEF mentioned above, boast an impressive 10-minute delivery window on CPGs. If you run out of chips at your next party or wake up to find an empty cereal box, you can replenish your stocks quicker than the time it takes to drive to the store.

Next time you get hungry, consider the points above to choose the perfect food delivery platform.

This post is originally published at Florida Independent.