Getting food delivered to your homes has become the norm in the Philippines. Ever since WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, food deliver services have proliferated in the country. So it should not come as a surprise that Christmas food delivery in the Philippines will be quite popular this year.
Until recently, only a handful of food businesses offer delivery service. Pizza joints like Pizza Hut, Shakeys and local favorite Alberto’s led the delivery game. Then Food Panda came and stole the show. Other delivery services followed suit and today, delivery guys on motorcycles dominate the streets in most Philippine cities.
So how do you get Christmas food delivery in the Philippines? It’s very easy! You either use their mobile applications or just give them a ring! This article lists some of the best food delivery services you might use for a hassle-free Christmas feast.
Benefits of Using Food Delivery Services
During this time of the pandemic, doctors and authorities encourage people to stay at home. As the virus spreads by droplets in the air, people catch it by close contact with the infected. When the government implemented different levels of quarantine, we worried that we won’t enjoy the food we love anymore. But as food delivery services ramped up marketing and we kept seeing ads on social media, we warmed up to the idea.
I love to cook and I am a great cook. But there just some days that I do not have the time or energy to work in the kitchen. I also run out of dessert ideas once in a while. I find it very convenient that our favorite foods are just a tap away.
Having food delivered to our home eliminates the risk of exposing ourselves to other people. Since most of these services offer no-contact transactions, riders can simply leave our orders at the gate. No contact means no exposure.
Food delivery services have also provided employment to displaced workers. Businesses have had to lay-off their workers but these delivery services paved the way for a steady income for these people. As long as you have a means to travel quickly (mostly by motorcycle), you can be a rider.
Best Food Delivery Services
Food Panda Philippines
Food Panda is the top food delivery service in the world. Based in Berlin, Germany, it has reached more than 40 countries in 5 continents. The food delivery giant entered the Philippine market in 2014 but only gained traction in recent years. Today, they have over 1000 partner restaurants and businesses all over the Philippines.
It is very easy to get food delivered by Food Panda. In fact, even my 9-year-old has done it several times. Just the other day, the Food Panda guy surprised me with milk tea orders. As it turned out, Adie ordered it using the app on my phone.
Food Panda’s app is quite straightforward. They list restaurants in the home page and you can also search for any kind of food. They employ geo-location services so they can present restaurants within your vicinity. We live 5 minutes away from two major malls so Adie’s options are almost endless. ????
Food Panda also offers plenty of promos and discounts. Recently, they’ve added shops that sell everything from thermal paper to special variety rice to their menu. Curbside pickup is also available if you want to save on the delivery fees. Food Panda operates 24/7.
GrabFood Philippines
Grab Food is another popular food delivery service in the Philippines. The mother company, Grab, started as a ride service and has now expanded to food delivery, courier, and even electronic payment services. Grab Food has a good number of partner restaurants including popular fast food chains like McDonald’s, Jollibee and Chowking. They also offer vouchers and reduced delivery fees to attract more customers.
I’ve only used GrabFood once but their service was excellent. I use GrabExpress courier service for my small business. Grab Drivers also shuttled me from home to Adie’s school when the husband wasn’t around. This Southeast Asian company has a reputation for great service.
Grab Food is under the Grab app. To use it, you need to enter a phone number for an OTP, and then your name and email address. They also use geolocation to list nearby restaurants. You may also book rides, door-to-door delivery, personal shopping services through the Grab app. Other offerings include prepaid load, gift cards and electronic payment services through GrabPay. Grabfood caters to cravings 24/7 as well.
LalaFood
Metro Manila, being the center of commerce in the Philippines, has plenty of homegrown delivery services. One of them is Lalafood. The company started as a door-to-door courier service and has since expanded to food delivery services. Lalamove only operates in Metro Manila daily from 7AM to 10PM.
Keeping Your Food Safe
Getting food delivered instead of dining out does not totally eliminate the risk of contracting SARS-Cov2. The virus may have landed on the food while it was being prepared or while in transit. Here are some tips on how to keep your food safe:
- Use contactless delivery. Most food delivery services accept credit and debit cards, electronic payments through GCash and Paymaya, and cash-on-delivery. If opting for COD, provide the exact amount to avoid touching currency from the rider.
- Re-heat the food. Since you cannot spray disinfectant on the food containers, you need to sanitize the food itself. A few minutes in the microwave should do the trick.
- Wash you hands before and after receiving the food. I can’t stress this enough; in fact, I’ve become quite annoying about this. Washing for at least 20 seconds is very important.
Getting Christmas food delivery in the Philippines this year can be very convenient. For one thing, there is no need to go shopping and join the holiday rush. And there’s no need to slave in the kitchen for another. I’ve already started making a list of food we’d have on Noche Buena and Media Noche. Have you made yours, too?
