“It makes sense. We’ve got everything from fine dining to casual dining, and everything in between,” he said. “And we bring it all to you.”
BY DANIEL BROCK
WEST HAWAII TODAY
dbrock@westhawaiitoday.com
Scott Krueger just wanted a choice.
When the Texas native moved to the Big Island in April 2007, he quickly found food delivery options in the area to be, well, let’s say, limited.
“I mean I could get pizza” Krueger, 33, said. “But that’s about it. I was like, come on.”
After a couple of months of tossing around ideas — and eating a lot of pies — Krueger, along with his girlfriend, Richelle Anderson, decided to start a delivery program with the idea of “Bringing the best of Kona’s dining directly to you.” And thus was born Doorstep Dining, the west side’s first multibusiness food delivery service.
“I mean it’s really a convenience,” Krueger said. “People get home from work and they’re tired, and they don’t feel like taking a shower and going back out. And sometimes people just want to eat in. It’s convenient option.”
Doorstep Dining began operations on Jan. 7, offering delivery from five restaurants — Bitchin’ Burritos, Oceans Sports Bar and Grill, Kona Brew Pub, Rio’s and Subway — and has expanded to 20 merchants in less than six months.
“It’s going well,” said Anderson, who is also a bar manager at Oceans. “At first, some of the businesses turned us down, but later they came on board. We got all the original places we were hoping for, and now we’re looking for more opportunities.”
Quinn’s, Pancho and Lefty’s Cantina & Restaurante and Island Bean Espresso recently signed up for the service, which is per-transaction charge, as opposed to a monthly fee.
“It’s been great,” said Tracy Gatewood, the owner of Tracy’s Tasteeze, one of Doorstep Dining’s clients. “I was going to do deliveries on my own, but this worked out. It’s saving me money, and delivery business is picking up.”
Putting in work
The distinctive Toyota Matrix bearing the Doorstep Delivery logo and sign and plastered in member restaurant’s decals is usually piloted by Krueger, the company’s primary driver.
“It’s the best advertising tool we have,” Krueger said. “I can’t tell you how many people have said they’ve called because they saw the car.
Krueger and Anderson said, combined, they put well over 100 hours a week into the business, which includes seven 11-hour driving shifts. Doorstep Dining is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week.
But, Krueger added, that his entrepreneurial spirit allows him to enjoy the work.
“With the cost of living and everything, if you can do it here, you can do it anywhere,” Krueger said. “I mean, we’re trying to build up trust with the local people, because so many businesses just come and go.”
It’s not always easy, of course. And Krueger is quick to remind everyone that tips aren’t included.
“I had one woman showing me her $20,000 paintings,” Krueger said. “And then she didn’t give me a tip.”
Coming to you
Last Thursday, Krueger made back-to-back deliveries to Kona International Airport and a house in Keauhou, traversing almost the entire Doorstep Dining coverage zone in the process.
“The rising price of oil is a concern,” Krueger said, sitting in traffic on Queen Kaahumanu Highway. “We’re hoping to get another car, probably a hybrid, but it would be nice if they finished this road work too.”
Doorstep Dining’s original delivery area was mainly Kailua Village, but Krueger now makes trips to Holualoa and Kona Palisades. The minimum order requirement for long-distance delivery is $30, as opposed to $20 in town. A $5.99 delivery charge is added to every order.
“We do the order minimum because anything below would make it financially difficult to operate the company,” Krueger said.
From the restaurant to its final destination, all the food delivered by Doorstep Dining is stored in state-of-the-art food containment systems.
“Our bags are heated to 160 degrees, so your food’s not going to be cold,” Krueger said. “They also release moisture, so you won’t have a soggy product.”
Krueger, who hopes to add more drivers soon, said the business continues to grow as more people are made aware of its existence.
“It makes sense. We’ve got everything from fine dining to casual dining, and everything in between,” he said. “And we bring it all to you.”