SOUTH PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- When it's cold out and there's a snowstorm, it seems most of us want to order-in the same food.
The man behind a locally owned and operated online order and delivery service in South Portland says his business set new records over the last week, and he’s surprised by one thing everyone’s ordering when snow is in the forecast.
“Last night we had an order for a business, they were doing a late meeting and they ordered I think from four separate restaurants because they had like thirty employees, all bickering 'what should we order'.”
Thirty orders, from four different restaurants, delivered to one address. That’s the convenience of 2 Dine In, an online order and delivery service catering to South Portland, Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and parts of Scarborough and Falmouth since 2008.
“It just kind of gained steam, adding restaurants here and there.”
Michael Bolduc is the owner. He bought the business from his brother when he was still in college.
“Driving around with the food, that was torture sometimes. At the time I was 21, 22, and even though I’m the owner of the business, it was so small at that time I couldn't even afford to get food out for myself.”
His brother is still close by, working next door running another business for men’s skin care products.
They started with 10 orders a night.
“And that’s a busy night.”
A decade later, sales are up. Way up from just the last year alone.
“We’ve been setting some records the past couple nights doing 300 orders in the evening.”
Now Bolduc employs more than fifty-five part-time drivers and over sixty-five restaurants participate.
In a snowstorm there’s one thing customers want.
“Spicier foods, things that are keeping them a little bit warmer.”
Like Pad Thai, for example.
One snow-related trend of late however, surprised Bolduc.
“Ice cream and gelato. Specifically, from Gorgeous Gelato. We’ve been selling a ton of that lately people don’t mind getting the cold food if they don’t have to go out in the cold weather and the snow and kind of brave those elements.”
As for a fee to use this service? It's $4.99 for deliveries to Portland and South Portland.
For all other areas it’s $6.49. They take that increase fee and give it right to the delivery driver for gas.