Live data from Hacker News

Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

medium.com

61–66 of 66 posts

Re: Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

#61

I've ordered food from Chipotle online, taken 30-40 minutes to get to the store, and very often it would have been more convenient (I would have gotten my food more quickly) if I had skipped the online order and waited in the in-person line instead. This doesn't always happen and it depends on a ton of things (store, time/shift, crew working at the time) but it got to the point where I couldn't reliably get the food…

> I've ordered food from Chipotle online, taken 30-40 minutes to get to the store, and very often it would have been more convenient (I would have gotten my food more quickly) if I had skipped the online order and waited in the in-person line instead.

Chipotle is so terrible I've stopped ordering from them. If I tried that, there'd be a decent chance that when I'd get to the store, I'd fine it would be "online orders only." I've also put in online orders (which were accepted) only discover the store was actually closed.

Re: Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

#62
post #8

Hey, for Chipotle, I've had the exact opposite experience. Order online with their app, and the order is always bursting at the seams. Order in person, and it's meh. Plus the line! Order through like Favor / Uber, and it's like, "Why did I do this?" Curious how worker training factors in, or if it's just, "Oh we had more time so we made a better order..." Or, "Oh, we had the data in our own system that prints slips w…

> "Oh we had more time so we made a better order..."

I think this would have a lot to do with it, there's definitely a different time pressure between "the customer is watching me prepare this in front of them and is impatiently waiting on me" versus "the customer won't arrive for at least 15 minutes and I'm waiting on them".

Also, another factor is I've noticed it is sometimes the managers rather than the usual line workers that make the online orders, if the Chipotle doesn't have dedicated workers for the online order line. That would impact quality as well, as you may just presume that the Managers have more overall experience over average line workers. (I've also had cases where Managers actively watching the line have given me more food than unsupervised lines.)

Re: Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

#63

I've ordered food from Chipotle online, taken 30-40 minutes to get to the store, and very often it would have been more convenient (I would have gotten my food more quickly) if I had skipped the online order and waited in the in-person line instead. This doesn't always happen and it depends on a ton of things (store, time/shift, crew working at the time) but it got to the point where I couldn't reliably get the food…

> extra steak bowl with guac is $18 without chips or a drink

$20 lunch is now a thing, even at food stands/trucks, sandwich shops, or counter restaurants like Chipotle. :(

Best Chipotle deal is probably a single taco, which usually gets more than a single taco's worth of fillings and toppings.

Re: Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

#64
Here's a question to all those who order food - whether online or in person - from restaurants or caterers: what is gained by doing so compared to cooking your own food? For us it is an extreme rare occasion when we get something from a restaurant - usually pizza or Thai - since we (mostly "I") cook our own food. This takes some time, anything from 45 minutes to 1.30 hours and we also need to get the required materials to be able to cook but the results are worth it. What is the main reason for ordering out? Is it time? Lack of materials to cook your own? Lack of facilities? Lack of experience? Lack of inspiration to make something new every day? Is it just the thing to do without thinking about the alternatives?

Re: Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

#65

I've ordered food from Chipotle online, taken 30-40 minutes to get to the store, and very often it would have been more convenient (I would have gotten my food more quickly) if I had skipped the online order and waited in the in-person line instead. This doesn't always happen and it depends on a ton of things (store, time/shift, crew working at the time) but it got to the point where I couldn't reliably get the food…

If a restaurant is deliveries only (or primarily) like Dominos then I will order for delivery. I'll never order delivery from a place with a dining room. It just doesn't work. It will take the best part of an hour at minimum, the food will be cold/soggy/crushed when you get it, and you'll have to pay delivery fees. I learned this lesson way back in the 1980s when a McDonald's here tried to partner with a delivery sta…

FWIW I’ve had the opposite happen with several Chinese food places, receiving significantly more food than when dining inside.

Agree that delivery is not ideal and many times food is cold, more expensive, and items were forgotten.

Re: Do you get less food when you order online? That's what the data shows

#66
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Definitely not the case - I do both and while it does vary, it's not consistent across online/in-person

Depends on when you go. If you show up during lunch/hour when the line is getting long they absolutely will over scoop. It isn’t worth it for them to slow down the line when every customer asks them “can you scoop more” at every single step. They just over scoop to keep people quiet and keep the line moving. The difference is about 2x an online or off-peak order, and about 3x a late night order (hour before closing).…

Fine so long as they don’t overscoop the bean juice into my bowl … freakin’ hate that.
Post reply on HN