Frictionless meal delivery gift for a sick co-worker?

March 29, 2023 1:03 PM

An office-mate will be wfh and mobility-challenged for a time, with a young family. The boss thought it would be nice to arrange for some meals, so we took up a modest collection. How can we handle the meal part, without just handing over cash (awkward) or adding a lot of trouble around getting co-worker's order, figuring their availability, etc., for each meal (also awkward)?

The ideal would be a giftcard to someplace like Schwan's, but they are not doing giftcards at the moment.

Meal prep/ ingredient services are out: must be fully prepared and reheatable. Many other meal delivery services seem to work subscription-style, which is also not great: we want them to be able to just get a few meals a la carte.

A Doordash or Uber Eats giftcard would be more versatile, but seems wasteful, since you're paying obscene delivery and restaurant markup every time. A grocery giftcard, or just a prepaid Visa, both feel weird and demeaning to a co-worker who supposedly makes enough to pay their own grocery bill. Nobody wants to just drive over a lasagna and make the co-worker invite us into their living room, ugh.

What other great options are we missing here?

posted by anonymous to Food & Drink (11 answers total)

Meal Train or just Uber Eats or GrubHub. People did it for me around my spouse’s end days and we did it for a friend around delivery of baby. Not awkward at all for me as recipient except I wrote Meal Train thank you posts and updates. People left things on my doorstep and I didn’t have to talk to them plus if I didn’t like what they left I could tip it in the trash without anyone seeing me do it :) honestly I know meal delivery service card is weird and expensive but it’s tailor made for such situations. I sent a friend a $50 card during an emergency and it was just the ticket.
posted by Peach at 1:21 PM on March 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

I am interested to read what others would do, but locally we have some restaurants that make family style meals meant to be reheated. Things like lasagna, quiche, casseroles. I'd order a few, pick them up and do a drop off. No need to be invited in. It's a drop and go.
posted by MadMadam at 1:21 PM on March 29, 2023 [2 favorites]

It might help to know roughly where you are—I've done this with Ipsa Provisions but they are greater NYC and Boston areas only.
posted by babelfish at 1:22 PM on March 29, 2023

I get why cash or a grocery store gift card might feel weird, but personally if I was in your co-worker's shoes, a card with a message along the lines of "We know the costs of having to eat prepared food only can really add up, so here you go!" would be well-received. I also wouldn't worry about the "waste" of Doordash, etc. I mean, if they can't cook, they'll likely be paying such service fees one way or the other.

Do you have any place nearby that's a deli of sorts? For example, there is a place near me that sells various Mediterranean/Middle Eastern salads and casseroles by the pound - if I couldn't cook, being able to get a few orders there would be great. Maybe you have something similar?
posted by coffeecat at 1:22 PM on March 29, 2023 [8 favorites]

The catering place that we used for our wedding also does a sort of family meal delivery service. It’s all fully prepared meals delivered to your house, but not random restaurant orders. I’d look I to if there are business near you working in a similar way. If not, a door dash gift card (ask local coworkers which is better doordash/grub hub/Uber eats near you as for whatever reason doordash is the cheapest and most places participating near me).
posted by raccoon409 at 2:05 PM on March 29, 2023

I've been in a similar situation recently and received Grubhub giftcards and it was a delight! You, the giver, don't have to worry about timing or dietary restrictions and the recipient has control over what and when and has a lot of places to choose from and can even order from more than one place.

Yes in theory we have the money to buy our own groceries and takeout, but it felt like a gift and really helped and we could use it in a pinch when the pinch arrived unpredictably.

Grubhub, Doordash, and UberEats giftcards are what I recommend, they were all easy to use.

Thanks for being a kind co-worker!
posted by Jenny'sCricket at 3:16 PM on March 29, 2023 [3 favorites]

If Territory is an option in your area, that’s what we’ve been doing for friends in this scenario. Their food is ready to reheat, nutrient dense, tasty, and lots of options for food restrictions.
posted by brilliantine at 6:38 PM on March 29, 2023

Let them enjoy the “extra” of delivery - it reflects the goodwill and make-it-easy that is at the heart of this. It’s lovely to not have to make a meal, and chef’s-kiss to have it delivered. Printout some logos or a menu page from places nearby that participate, especially if someone knows a place they like.
posted by childofTethys at 6:46 PM on March 29, 2023

Another recommendation for Meal Train.
posted by brainwane at 7:49 PM on March 29, 2023

We have a company called “Instead of Flowers” in my city. You can pick out full meals to be delivered, hot and ready to eat. It’s not cheap but I’ve used it a few times and have been told that the meals were delicious. You can choose what meal is delivered or you can send a gift card.
posted by pearlybob at 2:16 AM on March 30, 2023

Cash is the most useful thing you can give - you don’t know food restrictions for the family - so allow yourself to feel the awkwardness and just give the cash.
posted by Bottlecap at 8:17 AM on March 30, 2023