More and more people are ordering food instead of preparing meals at home. It brings certain benefits but also raises various doubts in those, who have never tried it. What are the typical questions a consumer might ask and what effect ordering food can have on the family’s finances and health?

Health

Fast food is considered unhealthy, whether it’s mass-produced burgers, cheese-topped pizza or large amounts of ice-cream. There have been numerous instances of research focusing on the impact food to order could have on the health of people in South Africa and across the world. The findings leave no room for doubt – consuming too much-saturated fat and sugar does have a direct impact on the body by causing such civilizational diseases as diabetes, cancers, and coronary issues.

Doctors recommend patients should eat wholesome meals as often as possible, especially in the case of children, the elderly and pregnant women. At the same time, dieticians claim that having a cheat day can be beneficial in maintaining the healthy regime. Ordering food that is tasty but has been prepared by someone else can have a ‘get it out of your system’ effect – going back to a healthy diet is easier and seems more reasonable.

Another way for the damaging effect of such food to be minimized is by ordering fresh or lightly cooked vegetables instead of deep-fried onion rings or chips. This way, the customer gets the best of two things – great taste and tons of vitamins.

Money

One of the biggest fears people have before ordering food online is its cost. One meal coming from a restaurant certainly is more expensive than a home-made dinner, however, there are some strategies that can be used in order to save as much money as possible. One of them is not getting any extras. Upon deciding what kind of food is to be ordered, the customer service assistant often recommends some additional products from the menu. By simply refusing to buy any additional items, some amount stays with the customer. Sticking to the initial choice is, therefore, one of the ways not to spend too much cash at once.

Another thing worth remembering that can save one’s finances are rebates and discounts from companies that deliver food. It takes the effort off the customer’s shoulder and saves money at the same time. If the customer decides to use UberEATS promo codes available on Picodi South Africa, they can receive R50 less on two  meals. Companies like Mr D Food or OrderIn can bring plenty of discount codes to one’s favorite restaurants.

Purchasing take-away dishes is becoming more popular with businesses which order their employees’ work meals this way. If an employee has not got any food with them at work, a possibility to order it online and receive it within thirty minutes is much more convenient and cheaper than going to the restaurant.

On a larger scale, the takeaway industry is booming and in the UK’s North East, for example, it was worth over 350 m of GBP in 2015. People’s ability to spend more money on goods and services can lead to the assumption that they feel more comfortable with their financial situation. It may only be presumed that even if the amounts of money people spend on take-outs are not going to be as high anytime soon, South Africans are beginning to embrace new technologies in e-commerce.

With all of the above in mind, there seems to be one thing to consider. How does one know that food ordered online is actually good quality? It seems that the only way to check it is to order from places which have earned plenty of recommendations and good reviews. This way, it’s good both for the bank account and for the health as well.