Meal Home Delivery Kits

Discussion in 'Food & Drinks' started by Beth Gallagher, Mar 31, 2021.

  1. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,315
    I mentioned a while ago in the "What's for Supper" thread that my daughter sent us a gift card for a meal delivery service called Blue Apron. Has anyone used one of these services? Apparently you select meal kits that are delivered weekly and they include all ingredients to cook the meals at home.

    So here has been my experience so far. :mad::mad: I went to the Blue Apron website, expecting I could order using the gift card, one and done. Well... no. I had to sign up for an ongoing subscription in order to order ANYTHING, and they would not refund the $$ to my daughter. :mad: So I dutifully signed up, then tried to navigate the choices for weekly meals, which is totally confusing. Finally made selections by clicking the "what I DON'T want" boxes (lamb, etc.) so have no idea what I'll get.

    I contacted them about canceling the "subscription" because I have no intention of continuing the "what the hell am I buying" game, plus I want to see the quality of the crap before making such a commitment. I would NOT enter my phone number or any credit card information on their website, though I was cautioned that if I didn't cancel before my next ship date I would be charged for the next order.... WHAT?

    So I got on "chat" with one of their customer reps and raised my blood pressure several more points. Apparently I need to know when my first order ships and then jump in there and cancel before they commit me to the next week's order. :mad::mad: So I have had to watch their stupid website like a hawk, something I just hadn't planned for in my busy day.

    I see that they shipped the order for April 2 today, so I promptly canceled that subscription and will never go back there, even if the food (that I have to cook myself) is fabulous. I don't like the tactics they use and I wonder how they would hold me to any commitment since they have no credit card on file to diddle with.

    Anyway, all this to say I DO NOT RECOMMEND "Blue Apron" and I'm hoping one of those retail bots skimming SOF will find my review.
     
    #1
  2. Al Amoling

    Al Amoling Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2016
    Messages:
    4,555
    Likes Received:
    8,377
    Just aside along the same line. You can get a free trial but have to supply a credit card for when the trial period is over because their dumb IT people could be bothered to write code that terminates your fee trial. I wanted to look at something on Fox Nation but had to supply a credit card for payment after free trial. I told hem exactly what they were for asking...THIEVES I used to work for a company that had developed a piece of software which offered a free trial and the softeware self-destructed if you went past the free trial period.
     
    #2
  3. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2018
    Messages:
    11,068
    Likes Received:
    20,463
    Free trials are one thing, but ANYTHING that requires a subscription to order, or to order at a discount price, is a sign that the vendor does not have confidence in their product and needs a "con" to get people to order. The best thing to look for is a discount price on a first order with no obligation and no subscription that needs to be cancelled. I have seen reviews about those survival meals with 25-year shelf life. Since they don't expect repeat customers, they will market all kinds of low-quality crap in those cans. Reviewer said it is best to order things like Mountain House, who expect repeat purchases thus marketing quality, good tasting food.
     
    #3
    Tony Page, Faye Fox and John Brunner like this.
  4. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    22,682
    Likes Received:
    32,175
    @Beth Gallagher That sucks that a gift card is basically someone giving Blue Apron money to force their friend to buy stuff.

    And I agree with @Don Alaska . I spent a good part of my career in Purchasing, having had similar conversations with many vendors explaining exactly what their warranty terms said about their confidence in their own products. (And I have a couple of cases of Mountain House stuff on hand. The survival forums state just what Don said regarding quality.)
     
    #4
    Tony Page, Faye Fox and Don Alaska like this.
  5. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,315
    The sad part is, my sweet daughter was so excited to gift this, thinking it would be a help to me. I don't want to hurt her feelings, so I'll have to figure out how to tell her to not do this again. :D
     
    #5
  6. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    22,682
    Likes Received:
    32,175
    Yeh, now there's ANOTHER reason to be pissed at Blue Apron. I bet those "gift cards" put lots of people in the same spot...AND the gifter has wasted their money.

    Maybe you could just tell her the truth and then give her their phone number so she can make the call while the pain is still fresh. She gets to expunge her anger, and they pay the price for their deceitfulness.
     
    #6
    Tony Page, Faye Fox and Don Alaska like this.
  7. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,315
    Nah. I'll just see how the food is and tell her we enjoyed it. That's what mothers do. :D
     
    #7
  8. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,630
    We've used several of them, including Blue Apron. Unfortunately, I don't know which of them I am eating so I can't determine which is best, but I know my wife likes using these kits because they are convenient, and they give her ideas that she wouldn't have come across otherwise, I think. Although there was at least one that she didn't like much at all (perhaps it was Blue Apron), most of them have been very good, and not at all impractical for two people.

    I know that she switches between several of them so either they don't require a subscription or she has found the subscriptions to be easy to get out of. A lot of companies require a credit card for a free sample, hoping that you will forget to cancel after your free sample, which was sort of the same business model that Columbia Records used to use, although every kid I knew ripped them off regularly. With credit cards, the ripping off can go in the other direction.
     
    #8
  9. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2017
    Messages:
    8,797
    Likes Received:
    15,381
    I have heard of Blue Apron, but know nothing about them...except now I know.....skip them. @Beth Gallagher tell her next time maybe a card frim a place you know and like..even if you have to pick it up.
     
    #9
  10. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,630
    HelloFresh was the first one she tried, and I know we've used them more than a few times so I'd guess that was one of the better ones.
     
    #10
  11. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,315
    Yeah... like a restaurant so I don't have to cook. HAHA
     
    #11
    Don Alaska and Hedi Mitchell like this.
  12. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,315
    Well; here's what's coming in the box on Saturday...

    Creamy Chipotle Chicken...

    [​IMG]

    Korean Pork and Rice Cakes...

    [​IMG]

    Garlic Caper Chicken with Fettuccine and Zuchinni

    [​IMG]
     
    #12
  13. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    22,682
    Likes Received:
    32,175
    That looks good. I can see this as a decent way for folks to cook at home and try new things without having to plan or shop.

    I eagerly await your reviews.
     
    #13
    Don Alaska likes this.
  14. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,315
    I'm already sulky because what if I don't feel like cooking?? I'll pretty much be locked in or the stuff will go bad. I guess I'm just not cut out for this meal delivery thing.
     
    #14
    Don Alaska and Hoot Crawford like this.
  15. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    22,682
    Likes Received:
    32,175
    LOL!!!!!!

    Yay, control issues!!!!!!
    We must be related!

    Actually, that raises a good point. I've mentioned before that I have so many raw meats (beef/chicken/pork/seafood), prepared main courses and prepared side dishes in my vacuum seal bags that I never plan dinner. I decide what I feel like an hour or so before dinnertime, knowing I can defrost anything I need to in no time flat by putting the airtight/watertight bags in a bowl of water. It's literally "what I feel like having" in that moment. I can't imagine there being a box on my doorstep with a note "You're having this for dinner!" I think I would sulk, too.
     
    #15
    Beth Gallagher likes this.

Share This Page