Food delivery has come a long way in recent years. Before, the options were basically pizza and, if you were lucky, a local Chinese restaurant. Food delivery services in Chicago, especially, have evolved spectacularly in a short time, driven first by convenience and now by safety and social distancing concerns.
When it comes to apartment building food delivery, the first thought is a hot meal delivered by the restaurant that made it. However, if you’d rather make the food yourself, write a list and let a grocery delivery service do the shopping; or better yet let a cook-at-home company send you complete meals ready to be prepared.
Hot Meals
These days, the best way to support your local favorite is to order delivery directly from the restaurant — their staff will bring the meals to you. However, where that isn’t an option, here’s a rundown of companies that provide meal delivery in Chicago:
- Caviar: Pricey, but in addition to standard fare, this app offers exclusive access to upscale operations such as Duck Duck Goat, Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Mott St.
- DoorDash: If there has been a winner in the pandemic, it is DoorDash, which with its subsidiaries earned 45% of all US meal delivery sales in April. While its customer service record can be spotty, DoorDash essentially brings every restaurant in the city to your door by not limiting orders to a specific radius.
- GrubHub: Founded and headquartered in Chicago, GrubHub has many options and is easily navigated. It, along with subsidiaries including Seamless and Eat24, had 23% of US sales in April.
- Postmates: With an unlimited option for a yearly flat fee, Postmates is great for frequent users — and since their promise is “anything from anywhere,” including medicine, booze and groceries — you might become one of those users.
- Uber Eats: Fast, with a wider radius than most and in-app tipping.
Grocery Delivery
Perhaps you’re not particularly close to one of the many grocery stores in Chicago. Maybe you’re after something a little different. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of grocery delivery options available:
- Amazon Prime Now: If you’re a Prime member, they offer free, same-day delivery of groceries from Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, plus Amazon’s marketplace.
- Imperfect Foods: Offering up to 30% savings over typical retailers, Imperfect pulls from food rejected by those stores (e.g., surplus or blemished produce) and delivers weekly bundles based on customers’ answers to an enrollment questionnaire.
- Instacart: This service includes all the big grocers, plus options such as Petco, CVS and Binny’s. It mostly charges retail prices plus a $4-$8 delivery fee.
- Shipt: An annual fee, yes, but no delivery charges for orders over $35 — and whose grocery bill is less than that? Plus, Shipt promises hand-selected items and offers an in-app messaging service to put you in touch with the shopper.
Cook-at-Home Options
Vegetarian? Pescatarian? Keto? Paleo? Maybe you’re just tired of the five recipes you know? Meal kits could be your salvation, and, luckily, there are dozens available. Here are some standbys:
- Blue Apron: Weekly deliveries provide everything you need for at least two meals for two, or a family of four. Customized to your dietary preferences, recipes are lean on seasonal and hard-to-find ingredients. Plus, add wine or kitchen tools to any order.
- EveryPlate: Easy-to-follow recipes for two to four people, these meals require minimal tools and about 30 minutes to cook.
- Freshly: Delivering prepared dishes that are ready to eat in three minutes, this subscription service starts at a minimum order of four meals per week at $50.
- Gobble: Super easy (everything comes peeled, chopped and marinated), super-fast (15 minutes) and available in two- or four-person plans.
- Hungryroot: Plant-based Hungryroot takes pains to personalize its weekly deliveries, covering all meals and snacks. Ingredients come pre-chopped. Sauces are made. Meals take about 10 minutes to assemble.
- Sun Basket: With an emphasis on healthy and sustainable options, Sun Basket will cater to just about any dietary restriction, with hormone-free meats and wild-caught seafood.
We’ll Deliver, Too
Face it — you can get just about anything delivered to your door. All those great meals should be enjoyed in an equally great place. Downtown Apartment Collective will help you find the perfect home to savor that dish. Check out our listings today.
