Takeout Food: What Travels Well And Tastes Great

When it comes to takeout, some foods are better suited for the journey than others. While French fries, soups, and melted cheese are risky choices, there are several dishes that consistently make the grade for delivery.

Pizza is the original delivery food. It travels well, can be eaten at any temperature, and comes in packaging designed to retain heat. Similarly, flatbreads, breakfast pizzas, and flammkuchen are also solid choices. Burgers and sandwiches from places like Chick-fil-A, Culver's, and In-N-Out also travel well due to sturdy construction and tight packaging. Deli subs, especially cold ones, are another good option, though excessive sauce can be a pitfall.

For those craving something more exotic, Chinese stir-fries, Vietnamese banh mi, and Indian curries are excellent choices. Noodle-based dishes like ramen, pad Thai, and Chinese chow fun are also good picks, as are bowls featuring protein, fresh greens, and grains like brown rice or quinoa. Salads are a fresh and crispy option, so long as the dressing is kept separate.

If you're in the mood for comfort food, chicken curry, chicken noodle soup, fried rice, and pasta are all excellent choices that reheat well. Sweet tooth? Doughnuts, chocolate chip cookies, and Venezuelan arepas are all delicious and durable delivery options.

Packaging and temperature control

The key to successful takeout and delivery is to ensure that food arrives at the desired temperature and remains fresh and tasty. Here are some tips to achieve this:

Separate Hot and Cold Foods

Keep hot and cold items in separate containers and bags to maintain their respective temperatures. For example, separate sushi and miso soup or a burger and a cold drink. This prevents the food from affecting each other's temperatures and ensures that hot food doesn't become cold and cold food doesn't spoil.

Choose the Right Packaging

Invest in proper packaging that seals well and insulates the food. Look for containers that are microwavable if reheating is needed and breathable if steam is an issue. For instance, pierce a small hole in the container for dishes like fries, rice dishes, or crispy chicken tenders to let steam escape and maintain their texture. Use compartments or separate containers for dishes with multiple elements to keep them separate until consumption.

Sauce on the Side

Package sauces, dressings, and other moist condiments separately to prevent sogginess. This allows customers to add the desired amount without compromising the texture of the food.

Temperature Control

Maintain temperature control by keeping the delivery radius small. Ensure that food doesn't remain in transit for longer than an hour to prevent it from entering the "danger zone" of 40° F to 140° F, which can lead to food safety issues.

Reheating Instructions

Provide reheating instructions for dishes that are best enjoyed warm. This can be included on receipts, a note with the order, or as part of the packaging. For instance, deep-fried items like mozzarella sticks can lose their crunch if packed warm, so instruct customers to reheat them quickly in a pan or oven to restore crispness.

Delivery-Specific Menu

Create a delivery-specific menu with dishes that travel well. Avoid items that are prone to sogginess or don't hold up during transit, such as fries, soups, and salads with dressing. Instead, opt for dishes like grilled meats, curries, pasta, and flatbreads, which tend to hold up better.

Sauces and condiments

• Leave the sauce on the side: This is a simple but effective strategy. By providing sauces and condiments in separate containers, you allow your customers to add as much or as little as they want. This prevents mess during transport and keeps the food from getting soggy.
• Pierce containers with a small hole: If you're sending hot food, consider piercing a small hole in the container to let steam escape. This helps maintain the crispness of dishes like fries, rice, paninis, or crispy chicken tenders. However, avoid doing this with items that can spill, like soup or saucy pasta.
• Separate hot and cold sauces: Keep hot and cold sauces and condiments in separate bags, especially when dealing with items that can quickly spoil, like sushi and miso soup. This prevents them from coming into prolonged contact if your delivery driver gets lost or stuck in traffic.
• Provide reheating instructions: Some sauces and condiments, like hollandaise, are best enjoyed warm. Include instructions for reheating these items to ensure your customers can enjoy them at their best.
• Use containers with compartments: If you have multiple sauces or condiments, consider using containers with compartments to keep them separate and prevent sogginess.
• Choose the right packaging: Invest in packaging that seals properly and is suitable for the type of sauce or condiment you're providing. For example, consider microwavable containers if reheating is needed.
• Keep your delivery radius reasonable: To ensure your sauces and condiments arrive in the best condition, keep your delivery area small. This helps prevent the food from sitting in transit for too long, reducing the risk of spoilage or sogginess.

Food types to avoid

When ordering takeout, it's best to avoid dishes that don't travel well and tend to get soggy, lose their crispness, or become unappetizing during delivery. Here are some food types that generally don't fare well during transport:

• French fries and other fried items: onion rings, tempura, and breaded cutlets tend to lose their crispness and become soggy, especially if they are not packaged properly.
• Tacos: While tacos are delicious, they often fall apart or become messy during transport, unless they are tacos canasta, where the tortillas have been first dipped in oil.
• Salads with dressing: It is best to request dressings on the side to avoid sogginess. Avoid salads with mayonnaise or raw/partially cooked fish.
• Hamburgers: Medium-rare hamburgers can become unappetizing as they reach room temperature, with the pink in the middle turning brownish.
• Sushi: Sushi has a very short shelf life and tends to get worse rapidly if not consumed soon after preparation.
• French toast and milkshakes/malts: These items are best enjoyed fresh and don't travel well.
• Steak: A steak takeout from a steakhouse is absurd. It is better to cook a good steak yourself!
• Paella: Paella is best enjoyed fresh and doesn't travel well.
• Grilled/Roasted meats: While grilled meats can be great for delivery if they are packaged properly, they may not fare well if they are not kept hot during transport.

When ordering takeout, it's essential to consider the travel time and the potential impact on the quality of the food. Some dishes are more delicate and require special packaging to maintain their integrity.

Best takeout foods

When it comes to takeout, some foods are better suited for the journey than others. Here are some of the best foods that travel well and will arrive at your door as fresh as possible:

Pizza

Pizza is one of the most popular delivery foods, especially in North America. It travels well due to its sturdy structure and packaging, which is designed to keep it hot and fresh. Pizza is also one of the few dishes that can be enjoyed at any temperature, making it a safe choice for delivery.

Chinese Food

Chinese takeout has a long history of being packaged brilliantly to keep the food hot and fresh. Noodles, stir-fries, and grilled meats and vegetables are ideal choices as they retain their firmness during transit. Stews and soups are also good options as they tend to improve with age and are easy to reheat.

Pasta

Pasta is a great choice for takeout as it is relatively unfussy and can be quickly reheated if it arrives slightly cold. Be sure to pack any sauces separately to prevent the pasta from getting soggy.

Salads

Salads are a healthy and fresh option for takeout, but it's important to request dressings on the side. This ensures that the salad stays crisp and doesn't get soggy during transport.

Burritos and Bowls

Burritos and bowls are well-suited for takeout as they can be easily wrapped and sealed, keeping the ingredients contained. Opt for protein-rich bowls with chicken, meat, or beans, and fill them with fresh greens, rice, or quinoa.

Chicken Curry

A comforting and homey dish, chicken curry is perfect for cozy nights in. It travels well and can be paired with rice or naan for a filling meal. The spices used in chicken curry, such as coriander, cumin, and turmeric, also add to its flavour and make it a tasty option for delivery.

Sushi

Sushi is a dependable choice for takeout as it is designed to be fast food. While the freshness of the fish and the delicacy of its preparation may vary, sushi is generally a good option as it can be enjoyed at room temperature.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Sandwiches and wraps are well-suited for takeout due to their tight packaging, which keeps the ingredients contained. Avoid sandwiches with excessive sauces or wet ingredients that can make the bread soggy.

Fried Chicken

While fried chicken can be tricky to keep crispy, some restaurants, like Pelicana in LA, have designed specific vented paper boxes to allow for the proper transport of their saucy, spicy fried chicken.

Doughnuts

Doughnuts are a simple yet delicious choice for takeout. As long as you don't squish the box, they will arrive at their destination intact and fresh.

Other Options

Other foods that travel well include grilled meats, barbecue meats (such as pork ribs, beef brisket, and chicken wings), fried rice, biryani, and desserts like cakes, brownies, and cookies.

Reheating instructions

Pizza

If your pizza arrives cold, simply pop it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to reheat it.

Pasta

Pasta might arrive a bit cold, but it can be quickly microwaved for about 30 seconds to get it to the perfect temperature.

Salads

Salads will remain fresh and crispy as long as you request the dressing to come on the side.

Ramen

Ramen can be reheated quickly without affecting the integrity of the dish.

Chicken Curry

Chicken curry can be reheated in a microwave.

Sushi

Sushi is always pretty good, and it doesn't really matter if it gets to you cold.

Shawarma and Falafel

Shawarma and falafel can be reheated in a pan, oven, or toaster oven.

Fried Rice, Pulao, Paella, or Biryani

Rice dishes generally keep well in transit and can be easily reheated in a microwave.

Tacos

Taco fillings can be reheated in a pan, oven, or microwave.

Gyros

Gyro fillings can be reheated and assembled by the customer.

Grilled Meats and Vegetables

Grilled meats and vegetables can be reheated in a microwave or oven.

Chinese Noodles, Stir-Fries, and Bing

Chinese noodles and stir-fries can be reheated in a pan or microwave.

Banh Mi

Banh mi can be enjoyed at room temperature or reheated in a toaster oven.

Burritos and Enchiladas

Burritos and enchiladas can be reheated in a microwave or oven.

Fried Chicken

Fried chicken can be reheated in a pan or oven to restore its crispness.

Doughnuts

Doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh, but they can be reheated in a toaster oven if desired.

Calzone

Calzones can be reheated in the oven to restore their heat and crispness.

Frequently asked questions