How to order a meal

Community FAQs
1

Necessary background information

  • Rations: meals come packaged in rations. A ration is a set of two meals: one dinner plus the following day’s lunch.

  • When to order: you can order rations today before 5:00 pm, for delivery tomorrow between 5:30 and 7:30 PM (our drivers will pick them up btween 5:00 and 5:30 PM tomorrow). Therefore, an order today after 5:00 PM will be delivered the day after tomorrow (we schedule drivers and plan drivers’ routes the night before).

  • Price: a ration costs $10, plus tax, which you must pay on the phone when you order.

  • Choice: there generally are two choices for rations: a vegetarian ration, and a normal ration. A normal ration will generally have sources of protein that are not derived from vegetables (they may be fish). However, some of our restaurant partners only provide one of these two choices: the list will indicate when that is the case.

  • Allergies: we have absolutely no way to know what foods are in the rations. The restaurant from which you order has full control of the menus. It is critical that you do your due diligence with them, before you order.

How to order rations

  1. Make sure that the address and phone number you entered at registration are accurate, and that the address can be entered as is into Google Maps. We will always call you at the number you have on record with us, and drive your delivery to the address you have on record with us, regardless of the information you give the restaurant.

  2. Consult the list of our wonderful restaurant partners (you will be able to access it here a few hours after you indicate to us that you need meals delivered). Decide where you will order today (before 5:00 PM) for delivery tomorrow (between 5:30 and 7:30 PM).

  3. Call your selected restaurant partner (you cannot order online, as these are meals exclusively for order by phone for HelpBerkeley members).

  4. If you have allergies, you MUST do your due diligence with the restaurant at this time.

  5. Tell the restaurant partner that you would like to order HelpBerkeley rations (these very specific words are critical to use), and ask for the type of rations (normal or veggie) and the number of rations you need for delivery tomorrow. Remember: you must use the words HelpBerkeley rations.

  6. Give your name and phone number to our restaurant partner. You do not need to give them your address because we will automatically look up your address from your name and phone number. This means that you must always give the same phone number (and name too, by the way), which is stored in our database. If you do not give the restaurant the same phone number as the one in our database (that you gave at registration), we cannot deliver to you because we don’t know who you are and where you live.

  7. Pay for the rations ($10 plus tax per ration). Some of our restaurant partners may forget to ask for your credit card at order time: be sure to remind them if that is the case.

  8. The next evening, some time between 5:30 and 7:30pm, a volunteer driver will deliver your meal on your porch, knock on your door, and call your number to let you know it has been delivered.

  9. Immediately empty the delivery containers into your own, discard bag and containers, wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, and refrigerate the food that you will not eat immediately.

  10. Enjoy your dinner!

  11. Repeat!

Please note, you do NOT need to let us know that you are ordering a meal. The restaurant will tell us!

2

Item 11 says I don’t need to tell you when I’m ordering again, I guess after the first time I order. Does that mean I don’t need to click on ‘I need a meal’ after this first order?

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@Pamelajs that is correct!

In fact, the only time you need to tell us is when you register. Once we have promoted you to consumer you are free and clear: the restaurants will tell us :slight_smile:

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