7 Restaurant Dishes You Should Never Order for Delivery and Why

Some dishes simply aren’t built for travel—even when the restaurant is excellent. Steam, temperature changes, and delicate textures can completely ruin certain foods before they reach your doorstep. Here’s what professional chefs say you should never order for delivery, and why each dish falls apart along the way.

French Fries

French fries are infamous for turning soggy in delivery containers because trapped steam destroys any crispness. Even double-frying can’t stop them from becoming limp after just a few minutes. Chef Marcus Hale says, “Fries are meant to be eaten immediately—once they’re boxed, the battle is already lost.”
—Chef Marcus Hale, Executive Chef & Culinary Consultant

Sushi with Delicate Fish

Sashimi and high-quality fish don’t travel well because even slight temperature shifts can change the texture and compromise food safety. The gentle chill that keeps fish perfect in the restaurant disappears quickly in transit. “Delicate fish loses its integrity fast—if it’s not eaten fresh, it’s not worth ordering,” explains Chef Aiko Tanaka.
—Chef Aiko Tanaka, Sushi Chef & Japanese Cuisine Specialist

Ramen and Brothy Noodles

Broth continues to cook noodles in the container, making them soft, swollen, and far from their intended springy bite. Even when packaged separately, they never reassemble exactly right. “Ramen is engineered to be eaten the moment the noodles hit the broth,” says Chef Kenji Morita.
—Chef Kenji Morita, Ramen Master & Noodle House Owner

Fried Chicken

Crispy fried chicken can’t survive the humidity inside a closed box—the moisture turns the crust soggy and causes the coating to separate from the meat. Chef Lila Norman notes, “Fried chicken starts declining the second it leaves the fryer; delivery steals the crunch entirely.”
—Chef Lila Norman, Southern Chef & Culinary Instructor

Eggs Benedict

Hollandaise sauce is extremely temperature-sensitive and breaks easily when exposed to heat fluctuations in transit. Poached eggs also continue cooking in the container, ruining the desired runny yolk. “It’s one of the most delicate brunch dishes—never meant to be boxed,” says Chef Daniel Reeve.
—Chef Daniel Reeve, Brunch Specialist & Restaurant Owner

Ice Cream Desserts

Even with insulated packaging, ice cream melts, refreezes, or becomes grainy during delivery. Toppings slide off and textures deteriorate quickly. “Frozen desserts are too volatile—five minutes too long and the whole dish collapses,” warns Chef Maria Santos.
—Chef Maria Santos, Pastry Chef & Dessert Innovator

Nachos

Nachos become soggy almost instantly as chips absorb moisture from hot toppings and steam inside the container. Unless components are boxed separately (which is rare), you’ll end up with mush. “Nachos can’t beat physics—crunch and steam don’t mix,” says Chef Tony Velasquez.
—Chef Tony Velasquez, Tex-Mex Chef & Culinary Judge

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