They say variety is the spice of life, and delivery from Domino's can only offer so much. But a new service called Takeout Taxi may ease the pain of repetitive dining by making a greater selection of cuisines available for delivery.
By picking up the phone or logging onto the company's Web site, anything from Mediterranean fare to Subway can be delivered.
"For students, it's a very convenient service. We sometimes give student discounts for larger orders," said Felix Pollack, owner of Takeout Taxi. "We have many different restaurants that aren't expensive. If there are a few guys in a room, it's cheap, and they get food from good restaurants."
Takeout Taxi, a national franchise, started in 1988 and made its Buffalo debut in 1991 when Pollack opened his branch.
"I'd order stuff from there. It's not too expensive. And how often do you get to eat steak around here anyway?" said Ryan McKernan, a sophomore business major.
According to Pollack, customers need not limit their delivery to Chinese food and pizza because the service will pick up food from a variety of restaurants and is trying to add locations to its list.
"We have kosher, Italian, Greek, Indian, and we're trying to arrange for some Japanese restaurants. One goal of ours is to have a variety for people to choose each night," said Pollack.
"We have deals with restaurants for discounted food. We have to bargain with restaurants, because we work on a percentage," he said. "Some restaurants, like Chili's, call us even before they start building in Buffalo (to work out a deal)."
According to Takeout Taxi's booklet of menus, there is one delivery charge per restaurant: $3.99 for the first restaurant and $2 for each additional restaurant. A $10 minimum food order is required for the residence halls and South Campus. Orders delivered south of Hertel Avenue require a $35 minimum order.
"If my whole house wanted to do it, then I would. But I wouldn't place an order just for myself. I feel like it pays off if it's a big group," said junior Matt Schweitzer, a marketing major.
In addition to offering a larger selection than typical delivery, Takeout Taxi serves as an alternative to on-campus food.
"The food in the Commons is good . but if you're watching a football game or something, Subway would be a good idea instead of the normal order of wings, you know?" said McKernan.
Before calling in an order to Takeout Taxi, visit the Web site at http://www.chooseNorder.com. After entering a name, phone number and address, a list of restaurants will pop up for perusal. The order can be placed online or via phone at 631-2222.
The list divides the restaurants by style and includes additional information, such as whether the restaurant is open, accompanied by a brief description. Once a restaurant is selected, a menu with all of the take-out items becomes available.
Orders can be placed by clicking on items, which prompts yet another menu offering extras, and a space for "special instructions" (such as extra refried beans on your salad from Pizza Plant).
After making a selection, the order can be reviewed and the Web site will suggest how much to include for a tip.
For more information, call Takeout Taxi at 631-2222.
by Brian Weinstein, Staff Writer
