Kitchen

[Tantallum]

That is a great idea.  I am often tempted by some of the food items, but I never want to spend $60-80 for pounds and pounds of something that I've never tried.  A sample/trial box would be a great way to try things before taking the plunge on a large order. 

[Mustang Shar]

Count me in on this! Brilliant idea!

[Nuttmeg]

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@Karnerblue wrote:

It's a good idea it might be difficult to assemble due to product availability.

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The Q could offer a one per customer trial size of certain food items.

[chickenbutt]

While I totally understand the desire for this type of  purchase, it's hard to see it as a possibility from a practical standpoint..

First of all, it would be impossible to ship a conglomeration of different items configured as one order because these perishable food products are drop-shipped from several different companies.  

You could do a sample order of products from the same retailer, which they actually do sometimes but I haven't seen lately.

Secondly, the cost would have to be even higher for smaller quantities if you were doing a sample size order of one given product.  There is still the expense of the dry ice, the styro chests, and the 2day air shipping.    That, alone, would make it impossible unless people are willing to pay much more (comparatively speaking) for a sample-size order.

[beckyb1012]

Great ideal!!  From appetizers on down the list for one night of eating.  Still would probably cost a fortune, even if samples.  Still it would be nice to try one and they could do a different one every month or so featuring different vendors in the menu.

[ULY]

Since logistics prevent a sampler pack of multiple items from different manufacturers, why not just offer a smaller option of certain individual food items? Rather than making someone spend a large sum of money for a large pack of crab cakes, steak, chicken breasts, offer something smaller in a four pack perhaps.

[chickenbutt]

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ULY wrote:

Since logistics prevent a sampler pack of multiple items from different manufacturers, why not just offer a smaller option of certain individual food items? Rather than making someone spend a large sum of money for a large pack of crab cakes, steak, chicken breasts, offer something smaller in a four pack perhaps.

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They could certainly do that but it would still cost considerably more, comparatively speaking.      There is a lot of cost built in for dry ice, the containers, and the 2 day air shipping that is necessary.    Anytime you are going with something that is expensive to process, you are going to have to charge almost as much for a smaller quantity as for a larger quantity.

[Campion]

I was just thinking along those lines: Love to have a meatball, an apple and a few things to try. Box would have to have a nut-free option.  Doesn't have to be "never saw a nut" but no nuts on anything or I can't eat it. There are a lot of us nut-free nuts.

Also, Q might do well with a food subscription service. Servings, recipes from David, but it would be a full time enterprise for a team. 

For the record, I just tried Blue Apron. I'm very fussy about cuisine, having had lessons and having been all over the world. (My brother and sister are similarly educated and parents were excellent cooks.)

I was REALLY impressed. First, I get the ease of not shopping after work. Second the recipes are well-thought-out. And it's portion control as well.

I made the first two recipes (a chicken in a red curry sauce--you can eat the sauce on its own, really good) and salmon crusted with spices with oven sweet potato fries. 

Both were relatively calorie controlled and could be amended (ie, the sauce had a tbs of creme fraiche but you could have put in evap skim or yogurt if you really were worried about fat.) 

I had a serving I could save to make again or make and keep as leftovers. Since I buy my lunch at work, this works for dinner and then lunch the day after. 

Very happy. I think QVC could have a similar service and really clean up.