Whether you claim the title of Foodie or just enjoy eating food derived from the blood, sweat and tears of others from time to time, there is an app for that. Caviar is a mobile and web app that allows you to order food for delivery or pickup. Though it can be a dining solution for any hungry group or individual, in my opinion, it best serves complicated group orders particularly when waiting time is in short supply. Just imagine placing a detailed order over the phone versus having it written out in detail and stored for reorder in the future. They often run promotions for first time customers along with service fee and delivery fee discounts for return customers.
I personally use the Caviar app for pickup orders when I am dining with my coworkers at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. It eliminates the waiting time for my food when I order alone because it is prepared while I travel to the restaurant. Everyone else on the other hand has to wait while I am shamelessly enjoying my meal. At the end when everyone else who ordered together at the restaurant is left arguing over who gets to pay the bill (credit card reward point wars), who owes what on Venmo or in cash, or the dreaded "who didn't pay their fair share" guessing game I get to sit and watch them guilt-free. I avoid all of the fuss by ordering and paying ahead on Caviar. Of course I leave a tip in cash. When we order as a group on Caviar we can order our usual complicated meals regularly (I am a fan of the Bò lúc lắc and Garlic Noodles without onions). That is even if we don't have our usual waiter that day. Coupled with other apps like Open Table or Yelp I am even able to make our reservation before we arrive. In the end, I would say this process personally saves me 10-15 minutes during my lunch break or even 20-25 minutes when we order on Caviar as a group.
To top it off, when you order for pickup they remove the service fee. At that point it becomes an at-cost means to prepay for your food. Unfortunately if you have a credit card that rewards you for dining purchases they will normally not count your Caviar payment. On the plus side, generally each menu item has an accurate photo attached so trying a new item does not feel like a gamble. Experience being the best teacher, I suggest you give Caviar a try. If you signup through this promotional link, you will be able to support my efforts and be rewarded with your own pickup/delivery order credit(s). If you happen to try Caviar through my link, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of it!