Travel Tip: Order Food Online While Traveling
Browsing through the hotel room service menu on my last trip abroad, the first thing I thought was “damn, this food sounds boring”.
The second was “they want how much?!!”
Exhausted from a full day of travel, and not willing to leave my hotel on a 2 hour scavenger hunt for affordable food, my wallet was saved by the wonders of the internet. Ordering takeaway and food delivery online, and at more competitive prices than that of regular room service.
I imagined the fights I was about to cause with the front desk, and began devising plans for a covert mission which would allow the delivery driver to make it to my room. Such plans were in vain – apparently outside food delivery is quite common in hotels nowadays! And that’s when I realized. A hotel isn’t like a movie theatre. You’re allowed to bring outside food in!
How easy it is for your delivery driver to fight their way past the front desk is dependant on the hotel, however having food delivered to the front desk is actually quite a standard practice. Even the walled confines of Disneyland allow in delivery drivers! While some hotels may not let them upstairs, your worst case scenario is meeting the delivery driver in the main lobby. This will be the case if you’re staying on a restricted level, having booked a VIP room or suite.
Obviously hotels want you to order from their over-priced room service menu if possible (or even better, use your mini bar), but ultimately their top priority is making your stay in their hotel as convenient and comfortable as possible. Helping you get what you want to eat while you’re staying there makes you more likely to return in the future, which makes them money in the long run.
This was the first and last time I ordered from room service. $70 for a burger with fries and dessert!!
Fancy, high end hotels may have policies against outside deliveries, and while they won’t help a guest order, they’ll never stop a delivery man from coming in.
While most hotels will already provide host of menus from local takeaways at the front desk, or even display menus in the Guest Information book in your room, you’ll find the most competitive prices online. You also won’t have to pay through the nose to make an outgoing local phone call from your room.
Online food delivery is now such a booming business that some services will even go to any restaurant, pick up your food, and bring it to you – even if the restaurant doesn’t have delivery. Some of the most memorable meals during my travels have comprised of delicious food being delivered to my boring hotel room while I was watching bad cable!
4 Comments
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I hadn’t thought of using online food order services while traveling, and I don’t know how I hadn’t! Finding food can be a pain when you’re traveling, especially if you’re tired and don’t want to search for a good restaurant. Ordering food online and having it delivered can save you the trouble of searching for dinner when you just want to stay in bed. Thanks for the idea!
Hi Hazel! Glad you found the post helpful – many hotels will have menus for local delivery services as well when you get to a destination, so always make a stop at the concierge too :)