In my last workplace, ordering food for the group was always a dreaded task. Regardless of how much you enjoy the company of your colleagues, there’s always someone with a nut allergy, someone who wants their dressing on the side and someone who is quite simply, a pain in the butt. Best known for its web-to-door food delivery service, DiningIn just launched a group ordering feature. Rather than having to painstakingly record your staff’s food preferences, users create an Evite-like invitation and give others carte blanche to fuss over their orders.
DiningIn’s guest service is available in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia and Denver. The company offers users a chance to create an event and set a delivery time at least 90 minutes in advance of an order. Hosts then choose menus from local restaurants and national chains including California Pizza Kitchen and The Cheesecake Factory. One of the unique features of the site includes the ability to set a spending limit on a per guest basis or a “guests pay” option on individual meals. After the parameters of the event have been set, guest receive their invitations with the terms of payment built directly into the invite.
Although the dining selections for this service are currently limited, the convenience and flow of this site is phenomenal. In addition to the group ordering feature, DiningIn offers users online catering, a la carte orders and a meal concierge dial-in service for corporate customers. While companies like GrubHub and Foodler offer similar delivery services, only DiningIn allows users to avoid the order-by-committee scenario. To test the service visit Diningin.com.
