Just like a billion other restaurants, my restaurant offered takeout at the start of the pandemic. As with most places it was do or die and everyone was doing everything they could until things got better.

I didn’t work there then, so I don’t know how long it went on, but it didn’t last long. Our food is not conducive to a cardboard box. It does not travel well.

By the time PPP loans came along, and things started to open up, take out was a thing of the past.

We still get calls for take out.

Our standard answer is that we don’t do take out.

However, we still get people who insist that when they called last time we did it.

We did not. Unless they last called in April of 2020.

Over the weekend a guy called for takeout. I answered and shared that we don’t do takeout.

He insisted we used to.

I explained that that was 2 years ago.

He then asked if he could come in, sit at a table and ask for his food to go.

I explained that no he could not, because we don’t do take out.

He huffed and puffed.

Then hung up.

Here’s a fun fact about take out.

Most.

Most, but not all upscale restaurants don’t do takeout.

Why you ask?

Because the presentation of the food is as important as the taste. Does anything look appetizing after being in a box for 25 minutes?

Also it slows the kitchen down.

Unless take out is part of your business model I’ve yet to see a kitchen that handles take out well.

Last summer my other restaurant did a lot of takeout. And everyone in the kitchen hated it. Where are the lids to the ramekins? Did no one stock take out utensils? What do you mean they want one of each of our dressings for their salad? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. That was supposed to be a grilled chicken sandwich mayo on the side not a fried fish sandwich.

And inevitably the runner who put the order together would mix things up.

And I’d get yelled at on the phone.

So.

We don’t do take out.

Sorry.