The Merrill area now has a host of new options for food delivery, thanks to the new Dine 1-1 of Merrill service.
Dine 1-1 of Merrill started Feb. 1, 2013, providing delivery service for nine Merrill restaurants that did not previously offer delivery.
Restaurants participating in Dine 1-1 of Merrill include Victory Lane, Schult’s Country Inn, Rookies, 3s Company, Champ’s, Chip’s, Subway/Mama DeLuca’s, Les & Jim’s and Big Hass BBQ. To use the Dine-1-1 service, customers place their orders by calling 715-218-8900 or via email at [email protected]. Dine 1-1 of Merrill dispatch relays the order to the appropriate restaurant, and a delivery driver picks up the order at the restaurant and delivers it to the customer.
A flat rate of $2.50 is charged for deliveries within a five-mile radius of the city’s center. A small additional fee is added for longer treks.
“We’ve never charged anybody more than $4, and we’ve gone quite a ways for delivery,” said Dennis Fick, a partner in Dine 1-1 of Merrill. “It’s not a major expense on top of your food bill; it’s a convenience fee.”
Dine 1-1 of Merrill takes cash, checks and all major credit cards. Delivery time is dependent on the restaurants, but is generally within 30-45 minutes. Drivers are equipped with hot boxes to ensure orders are delivered hot to the customer. Dine 1-1 of Merrill also offers delivery of large orders for parties.
Customers are encouraged to tip their drivers. A gratuity is added to larger orders. Dine-11 has created four part-time jobs for delivery drivers in Merrill.
The idea for Dine-11 came from a service that previously operated in Florida. This is the first such service to be operated in the Merrill area.
Prior to Dine 1-1 of Merrill coming to town, there were only two Merrill restaurants offering delivery. Adding nine more restaurants is a significant increase. With the variety of restaurants now involved with Dine 1-1 of Merrill, just about any type of cuisine is now available for home delivery in the Merrill area, Fick added.
Dine 1-1 of Merrill services are currently available from 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Plans for later this spring will expand evening hours to 2:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Expanding hours will also include breakfast on Saturday and Sunday starting at 9:30 a.m. as of April 1.
Feedback has been very positive, Fick said. The service has developed a following among families, seniors and customers who don’t feel like leaving home for a meal.
“This is for anyone in the community who wants to stay in and stay warm,” Fick said.
The service has also been well-received by restaurants who can add delivery without adding employees.
“We’re able to keep the initial expense down for the restaurants,” Fick said. “We’re not trying to take away from their dine-in or take-out orders, but bringing them extra customers.”
Dine 1-1 of Merrill uses its Facebook page to announce daily specials of reduced or free deliveries.
The second edition of the Dine 1-1 of Merrill menu will be available by mid-April. Dine1-1 of Merrill will be mailing out 2-3,000 menus. The first edition of 1,000 menus was hand delivered.
“We’re staying pretty busy, considering we only put out 1,000 menus,” Fick said.
Menus and regular updates are available online at www.dine-11.com.