The way we eat has changed fundamentally over the past four decades. Don’t we all remember when a trip to a Chinese Take Away was quite an achievement? First, there were not that many around – for example having lived during my final university years near Arsenal football ground there was exactly one (!) open weekdays after 10 p.m. – and second, would we manage to order a dish we really fancy as in proper sit-down restaurants staff would explain to us what to pick according to our tastes and preferences? As Take Aways tended to be rather well visited it compared more to a hamburger joint and we had to make decisions fast – little time for explanations from the other side of the counter.
However, times changed and approaching today’s foodie subject we need to factor in two further shifts in society which occurred alongside.
The world of work became more diverse in a sense of doing ones’ shift was no longer something reserved for men and women on the factory floor but turned into reality in many other professions, think global banking, newspaper editing, television production, public transport, hospitality in general… add evening classes at the open university or libraries that stay open 24 hours, police, nurses, and doctors. Having your square meal at noon sharp no longer mattered for an ever-growing number of the workforce, neither did supper at 5 p.m. We may need to eat at 4 or 11 p.m., respectively.
Then satellite and digital television and of course the advent of the world wide web allowed us to have access to hundreds of channels instead of four to five and whenever we wish to consult the internet we can do so. Hence once in the comfort of your own four walls it was quality time as there was more to do at home leisure pursuit wise, including not rushing to that Take Away or Pizza Parlour balancing two carton boxes in one hand and an umbrella in the other often with moderate success…
Both developments contributed to us, the consumer, looking around for alternative ways and times to eat a full meal or snack and so we started sourcing restaurants which no longer required us to physically set foot in but would deliver to our doorsteps. I am not saying cooking yourself was no longer in fashion – ordering a meal delivered to home became a kind of ‘alternate fashion’ if that term is allowed.
It started in bigger cities where food courier services became a hot pick, pun intended; some specialized in stopping over at an off license should that be required, too. Fliers dropped through the letterbox detailed from which restaurants we could order and which number to ring. Done deal.
When laptops and smartphones and limitless internet at home (or at the workplace) saw the light of our IT – day things progressed further and even faster. Now we could compile our very own list of favourite outlets, send an e-mail, or call and Bingo.
The way we order our meal online 2.0
Our very own town became integral part of this unstoppable trend. Here, the internet would not take away trade from local businesses but as a matter of fact, contribute to an increase in sales. And the best addition from a technological perspective was the fact that mobile phones became small computers indeed. Think applications, or ‘APPs’.
In a recent article we mentioned a number of food and lodging establishments which we rarely do out of fairness to all other enterprises. But sometimes it is a prerequisite to make a point and for this month’s subject and to highlight why it is a very useful too we take a look at ‘yemeksepeti.com.’ Have you come across it already?
Best translated as Food Basket it holds exactly what it promises. Logged in or as guest user you click on the location where you are (or will be at some point) and enter a more precise delivery area so that you see on your screen which options you have. A drop-down menu then lets you choose what type of food or cuisine, the price range and most relevant perhaps, current delivery times or delays. If you want, you can settle there and then or click ‘cash payment’. The only further logistics you need is a telephone number; it may vary from town to town, but my family managed both a local, and foreign number and both worked. However, it is advisable to go local as Yemeksepeti will send you an SMS with confirmation details.
Amongst our family we have tried a full meal ‘made in Türkiye’ including starters and desserts, we returned to our favourite pizza chain as well, we ordered a single caffe latte or on another occasion opted for a well-known crispy chicken brand. Our daughter and coming back to changes in society is most naturally perfect with regards to all matters IT and taught her parents how to go about it so credit to her!
And so, the verdict is… nothing compares with the atmosphere of visiting a candle-lit restaurant soft music included. Add our fantastic resort’s sea-views… But for all the various reasons mentioned above there are moments when we want to eat good food at home without having to cook ourselves, watching our preferred soap, reading a book, putting on pyjama’s instead of Sunday Best… whether we speak the language already or not – and as the online platform introduced today offers an English language menu as well – we have an option. And by the way should you read this article from the comforts of a hotel: same as in many other countries think the UK, consider the USA but less so in central Europe, it is absolutely acceptable to have something delivered to where you stay and in particular in hotels without a full restaurant or room service, a quick check with reception advisable. Enjoy your meal, enjoy your stay!
