THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 1, 1996 TAG: 9602010484
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 159 lines
NOT SO LONG AGO, it was all pizza.
But now, mom-and-pop eateries, established restaurants and fast-food chains have gotten in on the act.
Instead of dining out or pushing buttons on the microwave, more and more people are opting for the buttons on their telephone. In Norfolk - and across the nation - the food delivery business is booming.
``We deliver our whole menu,'' said Elliot Juren, owner of Elliot's Restaurant at 1421 Colley Ave. ``Tuna Dijon, or penne pasta with roasted peppers and eggplant, we'll bring anything the customer wants. We felt the kitchen was being under-utilized, so we started offering delivery around three years ago.''
The home-delivery trend began taking off about 1990, and winter is the rush season for many establishments. When the cold bites and the rain or snow falls, the telephone rings.
``It's noticeably busier in the winter, and when it rains it's really busy,'' said Donna Tomko, manager of Bamboo Hut at 7450 Tidewater Drive, which offers Chinese, Italian and chicken dishes. ``Delivery has really picked up over the last several years. It makes up about 80 percent of our sales. More people are working and busier. When they come home they don't want to mess with cooking.''
The delivery boom isn't limited to households. Ordering out at the workplace also has increased. In the heart of the business district, the Downtowner Restaurant at 209 Granby St. began its delivery service seven years ago. The eatery offers a full breakfast and lunch menu, with traditional American fare of bacon and eggs, soup, sandwiches, salads and chicken. Because of downtown's high density, meals are brought mainly by foot.
``The delivery business is increasing regularly,'' said Janet Nagy, The Downtowner's manager. ``A lot more people are eating at their desk. They have limited time.''
Restaurateurs point to several reasons for the growth.
``Many families have both parents working now, and they don't have the time to cook,'' said Nicholas Seretis, owner of the Orapax Inn at 1300 Redgate Ave., which began delivering nine years ago. ``We serve to a lot of families. In some cases it's cheaper to get delivery than to cook a whole meal.''
Orapax offers its entire menu, largely made up of pizza, Greek salads, steaks and seafood. Delivery has risen steadily and now accounts for about 25 percent of sales. Seretis said that more restaurants are providing the service because of both a competitive marketplace and greater demand.
``It's tight out there, and people are looking for extra money,'' Seretis explained. ``And when you see all the pizza places, you know there's a market.''
Jay Wornom of Lafayette Shores orders from Orapax and Szechuan Garden Restaurant downtown.
``I get delivery at home and at my newsstand in Waterside,'' Wornom said. ``I work seven days, and I'm too tired to deal with cooking. My wife works, too. The older we get, the lazier we get, and the more we order.''
Norfolk attorney Martha Poindexter also orders out frequently.
``It's about time and convenience,'' Poindexter said. ``Usually when I get home from the office it's too late to cook.''
Some fast-food corporations also have gotten on the delivery train. Nancy Roberts, assistant unit manager of the Kentucky Fried Chicken at 8012 Hampton Blvd., said the company started delivering in the Hampton Roads area about five years ago.
``Before, there wasn't that much demand, but home delivery is the wave of the future,'' Roberts said.
Pizza, however, still remains king of home delivery and seems to be sitting firmly on its throne. Greg Towle is assistant manager for Chanello's Pizza at 1355 DeBree Ave., and says that there has been about a 45 percent surge in volume over the five years he has been there.
``There's been an increase in business even though there's more competition,'' Towle said. ``I think the reason is that it's not only convenient, but it's inexpensive compared to going out.''
Although delivery is convenient for the customer, it is hard work for the restaurant.
``It's like another business inside of a business,'' Seretis said. ``You have to be very accurate in delivery. It's not like you can walk over and get someone a Coke. There's a lot of pressure, especially serving full menus. It has to be right. If you've forgotten the onions, you have to drive back.
``Plus, you've got to be properly staffed. You have to have enough people when it gets busy. There are lots of variables.''
Coordination is a big challenge, Nagy said.
``You have to budget and coordinate everything,'' she explained. ``The amount of time to cook and deliver it, and run a full restaurant at the same time . . . it can get complicated.''
Except for pizza establishments, some of which may deliver as late as 3 a.m. on weekends, most restaurants offer delivery service from about noon to 10 p.m. A five-mile radius is about average. Companies with several sites divide their territories. Although many eateries don't have a minimum dollar order, others do. Kentucky Fried Chicken, for example, requires a purchase of at least of $7.50; Elliot's requires $10.
Although there are inherent dangers for delivery drivers, meeting people and being on the road are among the job's favored aspects.
``The thing I like best is all the different and interesting people I get to meet,'' said Michael Patterson, who works for Pastavita Italian Restaurant at 6400 E. Virginia Beach Blvd. ``I don't think it's that dangerous.''
David Fincham has worked at the Chanello's at 3201 E. Ocean View Ave. for a year and a half.
``The tips are pretty good,'' Fincham said. ``I average about $20 a night. But you're pretty much free to do what you want when you're on the road. . . . You do get paid every night, and you can meet some nice people.''
For restaurants that want to provide delivery service but don't want the hassle, a relatively new industry has developed. For a cut of the food price and a delivery charge, third-party delivery companies will assume the operation. The Takeout Taxi franchise in Virginia Beach provides delivery service to 50 restaurants in the resort city and Chesapeake and soon may come to Norfolk.
``We normally deliver for a lot of the upscale restaurants that have a big, in-house business and don't want to bother with it,'' said Felicity Leonard, Takeout Taxi's manager.
The third-party delivery industry has grown from about six or seven companies in 1986 to more than 1,000 nationwide in 1995, according to Peter Hetherington, publisher of Meal Delivery Digest in Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Still, other restaurants - from fast food to fancy - do not deliver.
``We've considered delivery, but the driver liability insurance can be high, and we'd have to set up in another site to keep from interfering with our nostalgic appeal,'' said Randy Windley, manager at Doumar's Cones & Barbecue at 20th Street and Monticello Avenue.
Ruth Tavss, co-owner of La Galleria Ristorante at 120 College Place, says she thinks delivery would compromise the taste of the cuisine.
``The food here is all made to order, and if it had to sit in a truck or container it just wouldn't be the same,'' she explained.
Although delivery can't create the atmosphere or supply the table service of dining out - and is work intensive by nature - those in the business expect the boom to continue and are happy to be on board for the ride.
``It is a lot of work, but it's absolutely worth it,'' Seretis emphasized. ``Delivery will continue to grow. People don't have as much time as they used to, and they aren't cooking as much.''
Despite increasing competition, Towle sees no downturn in the demand for pizza. He thinks of the business as a national attitude:
``Watching the game and getting delivery, it's an Americana thing.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MOTOYA NAKAMURA
Aileen Sokolowski of Chanello's Pizza gets ready to load her car for
a delivery trip.
David Lang makes a delivery on foot from the Downtowner Restaurant
on Granby Street.
Doug Carlin handles a large takeout order from Bamboo Hut on
Tidewater Drive.
Ken Bower is ready to hit the road for Orapax Inn on Redgate
Avenue.
Graphic
ON THE COVER
Illustration by staff artist John Earle.
by CNB