Dining-in made easy with meal delivery service

Patterson steps up economic push
August 1, 2012
Allen Paul Adams
August 1, 2012
Patterson steps up economic push
August 1, 2012
Allen Paul Adams
August 1, 2012

Going out to eat is not always easy or convenient for everyone. Chad Allen recognized that fact and has developed it into a business venture.


After high school, the Houma native bounced from job to job before enlisting in the Army at the age of 23. He served a four-year stint before coming home in 2008 and joining the Louisiana National Guard, where he works as a supply clerk. He also recognized the need for a specific service and began thinking long-term regarding business opportunities for his future.


So, on April 1 he launched Serving Houma, a meal-delivery operation that links local eateries with consumers throughout the Terrebonne Parish. During the past three months, his business has been well-received, and he is already looking at expanding into Lafourche Parish.

“I served my country for four years,” Allen said. “I have been serving the state for four years. I just decided it was time to serve other people and I saw a need for it. I do it by myself right now, but, in time, I’ll probably hire some independent contractors.”


Allen said he had acquaintances in other parts of the country involved in food delivery services and recognized an opportunity for the business to work in his hometown as well.


“I had a buddy starting a delivery service in Florida and we have kind of piggybacked with each other to get started,” Allen said. “I’ve already signed 10 contracts so far with 10 local restaurants to exclusively deliver their food for them.”

Customers can go to Allen’s website, www.servinghouma.com, where they make selections from posted restaurant menus, then submit their order online. Allen makes the pickup and adds on charges for his service. He does require that orders be at least $15.


“I’ve got all the menus of the restaurants I’ve contracted with on the website. I accept all major credit cards,” he said. The meal deliveryman said consumers can also call him on the telephone and he will place the order for them.


Having a house account with the restaurant allows this entrepreneur a route by which he can manage his resources. He pays the restaurants used each week for the previous week’s food sales.

With varying contracts among restaurants, Allen chose not to reveal his gross margin or how much, beyond gasoline reimbursement, he is able to make per delivery. The Serving Houma owner said it is also difficult to determine a number of regular customers, but added that his client base is growing.


Serving Houma has more residential customers overall than commercial, although businesses by far outnumber residential activity in lunchtime orders.


Residential customers offer a good demographic mix, but Allen admits that younger customers tend to be more computer savvy in terms of knowing their way around the Internet and websites.

“I do have several customers that live out of the area, or even out of state, that order meals for their elderly parents or disabled family members,” he said.

“The restaurants benefit from this because I am literally driving them more business,” Allen said. “For the customer, it is convenience. One of the reasons I wanted to offer this service is for people in parts of the parish unable to get to restaurants.”

Lunch Basket owner Bob Dungan said he appreciates the Serving Houma service. “It’s doing good,” he said. “Overall, he is on time and I haven’t gotten any complaints from customers.”

Dungan said Serving Houma offers him an additional way to get his product to customers.

“I think it is a great concept,” Demitasse Café owner Debbie Heard said. “We deliver to businesses, but have to have a minimum order. [Allen] can get our food into residential areas, because he will deliver one sandwich at a time.”

Serving Houma is focused on restaurant delivery at this time, but Allen said he would like to branch out into grocery delivery. “I want to provide other services as well,” he said.

Allen does not deliver alcoholic beverages, more because of legal concerns than personal conviction, and he also sells soft drinks to go with meals that do not offer drinks as part of a meal special. A Louisiana Package-to-Go law, which permits florists to deliver alcohol as part of an arrangement, might be applied to businesses like Serving Houma, according to the business owner. “My question is, ‘What constitutes a package,’” he said.

Houma is not entirely new to restaurant delivery services. One that operated, about five years ago, folded after being caught allegedly practicing questionable business policies.

“I’ve had to deal with that and show that I am not the same business,” Allen said.

The Serving Houma owner said he does not intend to be caught offering less than top-level performance for his customers and contract eateries. His goal is to make dining in the best thing since going out for dinner.

Serving Houma owner Chad Allen prepares to pick up a meal order for delivery. Having begun his business in April as a second job, the National Guard supply clerk is taking steps to eventually make his commercial service a full-time enterprise.

MIKE NIXON | TRI-PARISH TIMES