In praise of printed takeaway menus

It’s got so easy to order food online – although my parents’ generation don’t get it at all, in fact find it a bit disgraceful. Circling things on a menu with a biro and then phoning through an order might not be as quick and easy, but it’s a much nicer experience. It’s partly the excitement of being able to use one of the flyers that come through the door among all kinds of bumph, but also because you get to see the way a restaurant has presented itself through fonts and wording and style, none of which you get online. And then you get to speak to someone working there. All this makes me feel closer to the food.
Have you noticed that some restaurants bring you a printed menu with your delivery, even if you’ve ordered online? It feels like a sweet attempt to make a connection they couldn’t make through an online order.
So next time you’re gearing up for a takeaway, pause before punching an order through to Hungry House or wherever, and take a little time to peruse the takeaway menus stuffed in your kitchen drawer. They add that most nebulous of MC sensations to the takeaway experience: authenticity.