
“Dear PoPville,
I talked to the owners. Apparently he loves to carry bags.
This is on N Street by the Surfside down there.”

“Dear PoPville,
I talked to the owners. Apparently he loves to carry bags.
This is on N Street by the Surfside down there.”

“Dear PoPville,
From the edge of Garfield Park – interesting to see that the operator was wearing a helmet, so maybe this is categorized as a bike, at least for their internal compliance needs? But otherwise I have so many questions about how they decided to roll these out.”
On May 11th we shared the news that “DDOT Launches MicroFreight DC Pilot Program to Bring Quiet, Safe E-Cargo Bike Deliveries to DC Neighborhoods”
Ed. Note: To stay up to date and not be help prisoner to the whims of social media algorithms I urge all to please sign up for our free daily email summaries here and never miss a post again.
ICYMI: About those E-Cargo Bikes: (more…)

“Example of an e-cargo bike on its way to a delivery. Image courtesy of Amazon.”
From DDOT:
“Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), along with Amazon, announce the launch of a new pilot project to support package delivery in the District. As e-commerce continues to grow, DDOT is taking a proactive step to ensure the resulting delivery solutions work for District residents.
During the ten-month pilot, (more…)

photo by Ryan Maxwell
“Dear PoPville,
I was wondering if you can throw out a question about what restaurants in Takoma Park / Silver Spring / very NE DC have their own delivery? I read a horrible thread about doordash/uber eat’s practices and want to quit delivery apps. Realistically I don’t think I’d go pick up food, as when I use the apps it’s for convenience. So, would love any recommendations of restaurants that manage it themselves. I’ll throw one that I recently found out that does it themselves, la casita pupusería!”
Recommendation from a reader: “Cocineros (near Home Depot on East West Highway) and its sibling restaurant San Alejo (New Hampshire Ave) both offer their own delivery. “

map via AG Brian Schwalb
From the DC Office of the Attorney General:
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today sued Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon) for deceiving District residents into paying for Prime delivery benefits they are not receiving, in violation of District consumer protection law. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) alleges that since 2022, Amazon has secretly excluded two ZIP codes east of the Anacostia River from its advertised fastest delivery service while continuing to charge approximately 48,000 Prime members living there the full Prime subscription price.
Amazon consistently and prominently promotes its same-day, one-day, and two-day delivery speeds in its advertising for Prime and throughout the Prime membership signup process. However, (more…)

photo by brunofish
Today’s question comes from Matt: “What do you think is the correct amount to tip a driver for food delivery?”
Is it a percentage? 10%,15%, other?
A fixed price – $5, $10, other?
Does it depend on the delivery?

“Dear PoPville,
I was wondering if anyone has experienced in the last few months food delivery drivers (Ubereats/postmates/doordash) having the app say a woman is coming to deliver -complete with her picture and name -and in reality a man shows up? (more…)

“Dear PoPville,
I’ve been seeing these ads plastered all over Columbia Heights and Mt Pleasant. I’m curious but can’t figure out a contact from these signs. Does anyone know how to contact them? I’d love to get more information!”

924 5th Street, NW
Thanks to EP for sending:
“Back in the day this was “High G Paint Co.” selling Duron paints, but they’ve went out of business long ago and the store has been vacant for over 15 years. It looks like it’s gonna be a Papa Johns based on the new sign that just went up.”

photos courtesy Spicebird
From a press release:
“Spicebird, a new ghost kitchen concept from the team behind local Malaysian restaurant Makan and neighborhood sports bar The Thirsty Crow launched on February 2nd, 2023 for carryout and delivery service. The ghost kitchen will serve Southeast Asian inspired roast chicken with a variety of sides and sauces influenced by Chef James Wozniuk’s travels through southeastern Asia and his love for the region’s diverse culinary practices. In times of economic uncertainty, Spicebird aims to serve a delicious, approachable and affordable menu, and carryout orders can be placed for pickup at Makan or delivery through third party vendors. (more…)