5 Cheap Eats to Order for Delivery

By Elise Nelson on December 10, 2017

When you think about ordering food for delivery, what categories come to mind? A few years ago, your go-to options were probably just Chinese food or pizza. Not much else was available for delivery.

Today, however, thanks to apps like Postmates or GrubHub, you have the ability to browse menus from local restaurants and order online from your phone. Someone will then pick up your food and deliver it right to your door.

You can satisfy pretty much any craving without leaving your home. If you’re indecisive this might not be a good thing. To help you out, here are the 5 best cheap eats to order for delivery.

1. Pizza

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Pizza is one of the most common food delivery options, especially among college students. A 2014 USDA study revealed that college-aged people have the highest reported percentages of pizza consumption in America.

Pizza pies are perfect for any college activity, from binge-watching to partying to studying. They’re easy to order, vegetarian-friendly, and come in reasonable portions for low prices. Plus, pizza shops are often found near any college campus, resulting in faster delivery times.

You also have options when it comes to where you buy your pizza from. Chain restaurants like Dominos or Pizza Hut have longer delivery hours, allowing you to conquer your late-night pizza cravings. But, there are also mom-and-pop pizzerias to give you that classic Italian cheesy goodness.

“I prefer smaller pizza shops because the pizza is usually better, but chain restaurants are more convenient for deals and delivery times. Personally, my favorite chain restaurant is Dominos because they always have a great coupon for large pizzas,” said Albright College senior Tristan Ellis.

2. Sandwiches

This is a broad category, but that’s not a bad thing! Whether they’re hot or cold, filled with veggies or lunchmeat, sandwiches are found on most restaurant menus. They’re also easily customizable, so you don’t have to pick off anything you don’t like when it gets delivered.

In some restaurants, toppings don’t cost any extra or cost very little so you can add as much as you want to make your perfect sandwich. You can get as picky as you want. Sandwiches are also usually pretty filling, so if they’re big enough you can always save half of it for later.

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3. Chicken

Chicken is a popular take-out dish because it comes in so many forms. You can have your chicken breaded and fried, or grilled as a healthier alternative. There are chicken patties, chicken tenders, chicken fingers, popcorn chicken, chicken fries, chicken wings, chicken nuggets… You can even have chicken shaped like dinosaurs.

30 percent of all 50 states in America prefer to order chicken for delivery, according to a 2016 survey conducted by Eater. Because chicken is so affordable and versatile, you can find it on most restaurant menus, whether it’s served on its own or incorporated into another dish.

4. Chinese food

Any dish from a Chinese food restaurant is a good choice for delivery. According to Woman’s Day, some popular Chinese meals, like beef and pea pods with black bean sauce, are more expensive to make at home than to order. There are several ingredients, most of which tend to be pricey and hard to find. Your best bet is to have the meal pre-made.

The Eater survey found that Asian food is the top choice for delivery in 13 states. In fact, Chinese food delivery dates back to the 1920s. Chinese food containers used to be called oyster pails, carrying any dish you can imagine.

“The cartons of folded cardboard, coated on the inside, with the wire handles, veritable icons of economy, ingenuity, and simplicity, can hold everything from mu shu pork to wonton soup, retaining the dish’s heat while releasing steam,” said a New York Times article in 1997.

The best part about Chinese food is the quantity you get for such low prices. “It’s cheap, so you can get a lot of food and have enough leftovers for the next couple of days,” said Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick, a senior at Albright College.

5. Tacos

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GrubHub and DoorDash are incredibly useful for delivering your favorite Mexican food to your doorstep. Tacos make excellent comfort food, and now you don’t have to put any effort into getting them. Alternatively, burritos are great for delivery as well, and like Chinese food, these dishes are cheaper to order rather than to make yourself.

The Taco Bell Tex-Mex lovers out there are in luck. Taco Bell now partners with DoorDash to deliver the ever-cheap, ever-tasty food to customers. Right now, the delivery service is only in a few areas. Are you one of the lucky ones?

Have you decided which of these cheap eats you’re going to order for dinner? Now, here are 50 things to do while you wait for your food to be delivered.

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