Munchies mayhem: Late night takeout that leaves you wanting less
Being the only major player in the game, Munchies should have an easy time with midnight deliveries. However, ordering from the platform was one of my worst takeout experiences in a long time
With the T20 Cricket World Cup having recently concluded and the UEFA Euros and Copa America 2024 reaching their climax, sports fans have 10 more days to enjoy late-night sports and snacks.
Sports viewership and takeout orders often go hand in hand. In the US, it is well-known that restaurants experience their busiest days on Super Bowl Sunday, with pizza shops typically seeing a 30% increase in sales and delivering over 12.5 million pizzas nationwide on that single day.
While these numbers might not apply here, we too have night owl foodies passionate about football.
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In Dhaka, late-night delivery options are limited, mostly to specific restaurants and their own delivery services. Among them, Munchies BD stands out as a well-known and long-established provider.
You might think being the only major player in the game, Munchies would have an easy time, like scoring a goal in an open net. However, my week-long experience ordering from Munchies at various times during the night felt like they were missing that open goal, making it one of my worst food experiences in a long time.
Before discussing the food, here are some pros and cons.
One positive aspect of Munchies is the lack of a fixed delivery radius, unlike other food delivery apps. You can order from across the city, which is a welcome feature. However, this comes with the downside of slow deliveries. For example, it took about 90 minutes to get my orders from Gulshan to Dhanmondi, even after midnight when traffic is minimal.
Another drawback, which is not entirely Munchies' fault, is the lack of quality restaurants open late at night. Most of the good options close around midnight, making late-night ordering a less satisfying experience.
On the positive side, the Munchies app is well-designed and aesthetically pleasing. They call to confirm orders, allowing for one-on-one interaction if you need to make changes or additions, which is friendlier compared to other delivery apps that lack direct communication with the delivery hub.
Additionally, riders contact you via WhatsApp, which is helpful in navigating Dhaka's complex streets that even Google Maps cannot always decipher. This direct communication with the rider ensures a more streamlined and efficient delivery process.
Dirty Dog (Couch Potato Dhaka)
No sports party or junk food fest is complete without a few hot dogs. That is why I decided to try the 'Dirty Dog' from Couch Potato, who proudly dub themselves "gourmet hotdog pioneers" on Instagram.
The Dirty Dog features a hefty chicken frank, which is a decent chunk of meat to sink your teeth into. But let's talk about the rest. By the time it reached me, the bun had turned into a soggy mess that definitely did not scream "gourmet." The toppings, which included shredded cheddar, some sauce, and a sprinkle of scallions, were scattered all over the place.
Was it the best hot dog I have had in Dhaka? Absolutely not. The worst? Not really. The Dirty Dog was just painfully average.
Price: Tk350
Double Cheeseburger (Couch Potato Dhaka)
Sadly, the double cheeseburger did not do Couch Potato any favours either. To sum it up in one word: underwhelming. As I chewed, I was just eager to be done with it because I did not want any more of that atrocity near my taste buds.
One of my biggest pet peeves with food, especially anything with bread, buns, or dough, is the quality of the bread used. Again, there was nothing "gourmet" about this burger. The cheese and mayo-ish mess tasted rubbery, and the patty seemed undercooked in some spots. This might have been a delivery issue rather than a restaurant one, but the entire experience was unforgettable — in the worst way.
Price: Tk550
Classic Bolognese Pizza (Fat Boy Pies)
Things just kept going from bad to worse. Just when I thought there was no way a reputed restaurant could mess up something as basic as a Bolognese pizza, they proved me wrong. Here, the blame falls on both parties — the restaurant for the awful taste and the delivery platform (and rider) for the dreadful state in which I received the pizza box.
When I opened it, half of the toppings and cheese were stuck to the top of the box, with the rest scattered all over. The ragu, or Bolognese part of the topping, tasted stale. Whether this was due to the 90-minute delay or something else is up for debate. I would go as far as to say that more than bolognese, it was a prison pizza because no free man under the sun should ever be subjected to such an abomination.
Price: Tk360 (8 inch)
Thai Chilli Lime Wings ( Fat Boy Pies)
Tasting the Thai Chili Lime Wings was a refreshing change. By then, I had drastically lowered my expectations, so anything that did not taste or smell like a disaster would have impressed me.
But these wings actually delivered. They were generously portioned and, shockingly, did not taste stale. The lime and chilli gave them a tangy aftertaste that was quite enjoyable.
Price: Tk350
Munchies Store
Munchies boasts about their pseudo-department store, claiming to deliver packaged goods and snacks to your doorstep anytime during the night. However, in my experience, the store was quite buggy, with the menu refreshing and changing items every 10 minutes.
Despite this, I was delighted to find a couple of potato chip flavours not commonly available in street shops or department stores — specifically, Lay's India's Magic Masala and Cheetos Flamin Hot Crunchy.
Sure, they came at a hefty, inflated price, but that is acceptable for hard-to-find goods. The "blue Lay's" tasted like childhood nostalgia, although the Tk140 price tag left me wishing for a few more chips in the bag.
The Cheetos Flamin Hot Crunchy tasted just as I remembered. And the best part? The cheese-flavoured sprinkles left on your fingertips, perfect for licking off and enjoying that unmistakable Cheetos aftertaste at Tk840.
