Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250054
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA CURTIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Well, you've got it.
Gourmet Taxi, a Christiansburg delivery service that started taking orders in March, is rapidly becoming the newest solution for hungry area residents who aren't interested in breaking out the pots and pans.
"A husband and wife who both work want to kick back," Gourmet Taxi part-owner Bill Reid said. "Both of them are tired, but don't want to settle for pizza."
Reid said he and his partner, Wayne Webb, base their success on that fact.
"People want a decent meal, but don't want to get back into the rat race to get it," Reid said.
Similar to the national franchise, Take-out Taxi, Gourmet Taxi customers can order food from the menus of eight different local restaurants. Meals are delivered to the customer's door, usually within 45 minutes.
The tuxedo-clad delivery person will even serve the meal at your dinner table.
"We don't stop at the front door like a pizza delivery person would," Reid said. "It's designed to be a step above. We want it to be a little bit classier."
People seem to like that extra touch.
Reid said that, since he opened in the spring, he has been "extremely busy," especially when Virginia Tech was still in session.
"When [the students] left, we saw some drop-off," he said, "but the locals seem to have discovered us now and business has been coming back strong."
The restaurants included in the menu pay Gourmet Taxi a commission for delivering their food. They include Hunan House, Bogen's, Western Sizzlin Steak and More Restaurant, Lynn's Delicatessen, Sal's Italian Restaurant and Pizza, El Puerto Mexican Restaurant, Vietnamese Tea House and Sharkey's. This month Pk's, Brooklyn Bagel, and Famous BBQ will be added to the menu.
Customers pay a service charge of $3 on all orders. If a customer orders food from more than one restaurant, a charge of $2 per restaurant is added to the bill. A minimum of $10 of food must be ordered.
Now that Virginia Tech has reopened, Reid said he expects his business to make "all-time records" and it will stay open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday for students with late-night munchies.
Gourmet Taxi's delivery area includes Blacksburg, Christiansburg and the areas in between. Monday through Friday lunch delivery is available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner delivery starts at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Gourmet Taxi opens at 11:30 a.m.
Webb said the phone operators are up front with customers and will let them know how long an order will take. Deliveries usually arrive at the customer's door anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour after the order is placed.
"The food is not sitting in a restaurant waiting," Webb said. "As soon as it's ready, we're there to pick it up - fresh, hot and ready to go."
To reach the Gourmet Taxi, call 381-4922.
by CNB