The Delivery Bag

Every Thursday, a different SeamlessWeb customer tells us about how he or she orders from the site. This week, we’re doing something a little different. First of all, it’s Friday. Second of all, our customer is also client. We’d like to introduce you to Abraham Merchant.

Name: Abraham Merchant

Occupation: President and CEO of Merchants Hospitality, a restaurant company with five restaurants on SeamlessWeb (SouthWest NY, Merchants NY Café, Merchants NY East, Pound & Pence, Oaxaca Mexican Grill)

How did you get started in the restaurant industry? As a dishwasher for Roy Rogers, before moving up the ranks at Red Lobster, Houlihan’s, T.G.I. Friday’s and so on…

What is one thing that would most surprise readers about running a restaurant? How easy it really is and how it is the only job where having fun is part of the job. (Ed: We probably wouldn’t say the only job…but any job that’s fun is a good one!)

What are your favorite/least favorite things about the restaurant business? My favorite thing is tasting all the foods and interacting with guests. Dealing with administrative tasks, on the other hand, is not so much fun. (Ed: Good thing you have SeamlessWeb to help you out!)

How and when did you first hear about SeamlessWeb? SeamlessWeb approached us about six years ago. I didn’t know much about the company, but the account manager did a great job of explaining what the company did and how it worked.

How has SW changed your business and how is it different from receiving phone orders? SW has revolutionized our delivery business. We are far more efficient taking orders online, not to mention the fact that the technology SW provides for corporations seems to be, well, seamless. We now discourage phone orders since they take about five minutes per order and are prone to mistakes. SW orders are processed in 30 seconds with no mistakes.

What are the differences between preparing a dish for takeout/delivery vs. preparing it for someone who is dining in? Preparation is essentially the same. However, we are mindful of the fact that the food will continue to cook while it’s traveling, specifically food that retains heat. For example, if we are delivering an order for a well-done steak or burger, we’ll cook it medium well, so that it continues to cook to the proper temperature during delivery. Also, sauces are generally delivered on the side.

What’s your favorite thing on your menu? Depends which restaurant we’re talking about. At SouthWest NY, it’s the Pulled Pork Sandwich. At Pound & Pence, the Chicken Pot Pie. Merchants NY Café? The Flatiron Steak. Finally at Oaxaca Mexican Grill, it’s the Lo-Carb Burrito with Grilled Filet Mignon AKA The Bowl!

What’s your favorite restaurant to order from on SW (besides your own)? Landmarc. I love their Steak Tartare!

E-mail us at myseamlessweb@seamlessweb.com if you’d like to be the next Webber of the Week or if you’d like to suggest a friend!

Every Thursday, a different SeamlessWeb customer tells us about how he or she orders from the site. This week, British expat Chris tells us about the one downside of that charming accent:

Name: Chris (@ckorhonen)

Age: 27

Occupation: Web developer/designer/geek for Animoto, a sexy online video creation platform (well, as sexy as video creation platforms get!)

How and When Did You Discover SeamlessWeb? When I first moved to New York from London two years ago. Not knowing the city very well I was looking for somewhere to order food from on a rainy day, I wanted some variety, and I wasn’t going to go outside for it! My good friend Google made the introduction and since then I haven’t looked back.

Where Do You Use SW? Usually at home, however I’ve been known to order my food using the iPhone site when I’m about to leave the office or a bar. I have to say, the sheer variety that SW offers tends to be the main cause of arguments between my wife and I – we can never choose from all the places to order from!

Favorite Kind of Food: That’s a tough one – I do like to try everything, whether cuisines from all around the world, or just parts of animals that are uncommonly eaten (mmm…Black Pudding).  If I had to pick one, I would have to go for Indian food – so many different flavors. (Ed: Note to readers, black pudding might not be exactly what you’re imagining it is. On the other hand, maybe it is.)

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Like I say, I like to try everything. Unfortunately it means I’ve been burned a few times over the world. Two things spring to mind…Intestine (incredibly chewy and not much else, save some money and just eat a rubber glove instead) and anything claiming to be “The hottest curry in the world” served up by a nightclub DJ in a bizarre alcohol-fueled eating contest (a certain Johnny Cash song comes to mind). (Ed: Have you tried Haggis?)

Favorite Place(s) to Order From on SW? At the moment I’ve been quite fond of Taj Tribeca – very nice tasting Indian food with some great dinner specials. I also find that Harry’s Italian is a great place to order pizza in the financial district. I only wish Shake Shack would get on the SW bandwagon, then I would be in heaven!

Least Favorite Thing About Calling Restaurants? Whilst my British accent may be very good at attracting the ladies, I might as well be speaking French when it comes to ordering food over the phone. The best example was the mystery ‘maybe-meat’ which arrived when I tried to order sweet and sour chicken from a Chinese restaurant, actually no, come to think if it that might just have been the restaurant…

Ordering online also helps me discover new things since I have the entire menu in front of me – no need to resort to ordering the same thing each time.

Closest Previous Brush with Internet Fame? I was actually interviewed on Adobe TV a few years back, unfortunately I think I rambled and/or swore a bit too much so I looked like I was drunk and slurring my speech on the heavily edited version which made it onto the web! (Ed: Good thing I cut out all the swear words from this post!)

Favorite Celebrity Chef? Even though someone picked him the other week, I’m going to have to go with a fellow Brit – Gordon Ramsay. He is the most entertaining to watch and he actually knows how to run a business at the same time as serving up delicious food. Plus he swears a lot. I’d highly recommend readers check out the British versions of his shows on BBC America – much more entertaining.

Favorite Cartoon Growing Up? Count Duckula (no relation to Count Chocula) (Ed: It’s a little strange to me how popular duck cartoon shows were in the late 80s and early 90s. Not to say I didn’t love it…)

What Superpower Do You Wish You Had? SeamlessWeb has already made it so easy to stay in my apartment whenever a blizzard hits, but it would be useful to be able get things from the fridge without getting up, so I’m going to have to say telekinesis.

In the Past Year, What’s the Latest You’ve Stayed Up and Why? Until around 3 p.m. the next day due to weather-related travel delays. From now on I’m having SeamlessWeb deliver foreign culture to my door!

Plans for Tonight? Some drinks after work with colleagues in Greenwich Village, then over to the Lower East Side for dinner at the Clerkenwell, a gig at the Bowery Ballroom, and then off to 2A to finish off the night.

E-mail us at myseamlessweb@seamlessweb.com if you’d like to be the next Webber of the Week or if you’d like to suggest a friend!