Delivery pizza

[JAZ]

This topic on Domino's pizza tracker got me thinking about delivery pizza in general.

My opinion is that it's pretty much all bad. Not that the places that deliver are all bad, by any means. But whoever thought that pizza was a good food to make ahead of time and deliver? The crust is always soggy, no matter how crisp it started out. If it's hot when it goes in the box, then it steams and gets gooey. If it's not hot, well then, it's cold by the time it gets to you.

Sure, if you're prepared and have the equipment, you can put a pizza stone in the oven when you order and then slap the pizza on it to crisp back up, but that kind of defeats the purpose of delivery.

I think the only way delivery pizza could be really good is if there were roving vans with pizza ovens in them -- then, when you ordered, they could pop the pizza in the oven and start driving. It'd cook on the way and be handed to you straight out of the mobile oven. That would be worth ordering.

I can think of a lot of food that stands up to delivery better than pizza -- most Asian food, for instance. Yet, we all order pizza, and we all put up with second-rate products, just because they're delivered. Why is that?

[saucée]

I live very close by the place I order from so about 50% of the time, the pizza was made less than 5 minutes ago. It's not that bad. I think, though, that you can't really evaluate delivery pizza by real pizza standards. Real pizza can be sublime but delivery pizza always pales in comparison due to the reasons you've mentioned. But delivery pizza, if made with delivery in mind can be good. If you get rid of the idea of a crispy crust and go for a puffier (but not too puffy) crust and put some fresh toppings on it, delivery pizza can be good. If you want sublime pizza, don't get it delivered. If you need something quick and inoffensive, find a place that knows how to produce a good delivery pizza.

And I agree that Asian food is easier to make delivery-friendly.

[Anna N]

. . .

I think the only way delivery pizza could be really good is if there were roving vans with pizza ovens in them -- then, when you ordered, they could pop the pizza in the oven and start driving. It'd cook on the way and be handed to you straight out of the mobile oven. That would be worth ordering.

. . .

←

I recently read about just such a van! I wish I could remember where! I believe it was a new business started by two guys and they had a pizza oven in the truck!

Edited to add: Here's the story.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Anna N (log)

[GordonCooks]

Who can eat pizza right out of the oven? The delivery I get from my local favorite is as good as when I pick up a pie or grab a slice on the fly.

Edit - I should remember how bad the pizza is at some places and the majority of high quality, independent pizzerias I have within a 5 mile radius. I don't consider Domino's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, etc.."pizza" more like fast food resembling pizza.

Edited February 8, 2008 by GordonCooks (log)

[annecros]

It's also interesting that a successful marketing campaign, "It's Not Delivery, It's DiGiorno" uses delivery pizza as the hallmark of quality.

Back when I had teenagers in the house, I used it maybe twice a week, usually when hubby and I were going out on our own, or there was a sleepover.

Now, we order baked pasta from a local place instead of ordering pizza. Much more suitable for the delivery process.

[Lilija]

In our area, there's a mom & pop joint on every corner, literally. Easily 40 pizzarias that deliver to my neighborhood, not including any chains.

We have such a range to choose from, there's no excuse for second rate delivered pie. Bad pizza just wouldn't survive here, I don't think.

The place we've been calling for the past few years is outstanding, the crust, sauce and cheese are exactly what we look for in a take-out pie. Thin, blistery, crispy, chewy crust, fresh light sauce adorned with fresh whole basil, high quality cheese and toppings. I seriously can't imagine it getting any better. The service takes a little long, it takes us average 45-50 minutes to get our order, but they make up for it with the food.

Again, I'm blessed pizza-wise, where I live. As far as I've seen, NY has nothing on good NJ pizza.

[Peter the eater]

My pizza joint doesn't deliver.

Fortunately, they are only a few hundred metres away. The idea is for people to call in orders on the way home from work. It has become very popular since opening a year or so ago. We don't have the urban benefits of density and choice but I don't mind since our local pizza is quite good for what it is. When they first opened I told him the sauce was a little on the sweet side. Never tell an Italian-born pizza maker that his sauce is a little on the sweet side.

[jvalentino]

My first job was at a pizza place, and the smell of steamed cardboard boxes from putting a hot pizza in it is one I won't forget.

I haven't had a pizza delivered in years, mostly because of a lack of anything resembling a good pie around here.

[JimH]

I live in a vast wasteland of bad pizza. Recently a chain opened here boasting N.E. style pizza (name with held to protect the innocent), the pies taste good but they are the greasiest I've ever eaten.

[john b]

Someone needs to invent a container or process which, once a take out pizza is boxed, would allow steam to escape yet still keep the pizza hot. I'm sure it's possible, but probably not economically practical.

[Fat Guy]

I think there tends to be an inverse relationship between pizza quality and deliverability. For pizza to deliver well you pretty much have to design it for that sort of stability, and that means sacrificing many of pizza's desirable traits. Most of the best pizzerias around here don't deliver, and when you find the occasional good pizzeria that does deliver you get a badly degraded pizza showing up at your home. There are some exceptions, for example Chicago-style deep-dish pizza can be both delicious and durable. Or, if you happen to live so close to a good pizzeria that bringing the pizza to your home is about the same as bringing it to a table in the pizzeria, that can work.

[Rebecca263]

A good Sicilian style pizza, or Grandma style, is supposed to have a chewy crust- we order those and love them.

We're not much for those round delivery pizzas, unless it's a VERY thing crust with a good char.

There's actually a pizzeria locally that makes THAT kind of pizza, it's, of all things, a kosher pizzeria! But, they only deliver for big orders.

We usually make pizza at home, it's really a no brainer, but when I'm not up to it and we're hungry for a pie, we order.

I will readily say this- it is EASY to find great pizza here in the boonies of NJ, where we live. The best pizza is eaten at the pizzerias, but a Sicilian with extra tomatoes is just fine here at home! Yay, NJ!

edited by me, THAT/TAT... ratatat- TAT!

Edited February 10, 2008 by Rebecca263 (log)

[tsquare]

I would not order a crisp crust or VPN pizza from a delivery place, but a chewy crust style one can be delivered hot and good. Why do we get delivered pizza? Because it is wet and miserable outside, nothing in the house (or at least that sounds good) and we are hungry. Plus, if most of the pizza ends up as leftovers for breakfast or lunch, the quality of the pizza is more of an issue than the arrival perfection. I like this place for those reasons, and they have a fun website:

All Purpose Pizza

It helps that they not a chain and that we are in their limited delivery area.

[CaliPoutine]

I can walk out my front door and take maybe 20 steps and be at a pizza place. Unfortunatly, its HORRIBLE. I think it might be one of the worse pizza's I've ever had. Personaly, I think it really depends on the pizza place. If you have great pizza, having it delivered won't make it suck. If it sucks in the first place, its always going to suck.

The next time I go to Florida, I'm buying 3 large NY style cheese pizza's. I'm going to wrap and freeze each slice and bring it back in my checked luggage.

[tino27]

I can walk out my front door and take maybe 20 steps and be at a pizza place.  Unfortunatly, its HORRIBLE.  I think it might be one of the worse pizza's I've ever had.  Personaly, I think it really depends on the pizza place.  If you have great pizza, having it delivered won't make it suck.  If it sucks in the first place, its always going to suck.

The next time I go to Florida, I'm buying 3 large NY style cheese pizza's.  I'm going to wrap and freeze each slice and bring it back in my checked luggage.

←

CaliPoutine -- I think it may actually be less than 20.

And you're right ... it is pretty forgettable pizza.

[Beth Wilson]

It would be nice to have the option of a pizza place that delivers or not. Consider yourselves lucky to have the option.

I was visiting my sister in her small town and her local pizza place was also the gas station. I can't recall if it was any good so I think it was not memorable.

You get a funny feeling about picking up dinner at the gas station. Enough said.

[JAZ]

Why do we get delivered pizza? Because it is wet and miserable outside, nothing in the house (or at least that sounds good) and we are hungry.

←

You'll get no argument from me that there are times when delivery is the only appealing option. What I find curious is that pizza became the delivery food of choice, when there are other foods that travel better. Chinese food, in my opinion, works much better as a delivery food. I used to order from an Indian place, and almost everything on that menu was great when delivered (no surprise, probably, that naan was the least appealing delivery menu item for me). Roasted chicken would be a good delivery option -- why doesn't anyone offer that?

Why pizza?

[Anna N]

. . .

Why pizza?

←

I can only answer for me and my local options:

Chinese is simply too expensive when ordering for only 2.

Chicken delivery (Swiss Chalet etc.) has only recently become available and hasn't caught on with us.

Hubby doesn't like Indian and I haven't seen any evidence of a delivery service.

So - pizza it is.

[Fat Guy]

What I find curious is that pizza became the delivery food of choice, when there are other foods that travel better.

←

That's framing the question from a foodie perspective, but we don't live in a nation of foodies. Most people are totally happy with the pizza they get delivered. They don't care that other foods travel better, because they don't recognize the existence of a problem in the first place.