Did you ever wish your favorite restaurant would deliver to your house?
That dream may now be a reality courtesy of Blue Water Food Express.
The three-month old business is making people's, breakfast, lunch and dinner dreams come true, promising hot food to their homes in an hour (or less.)
Different from other restaurant delivery options, Blue Water Food Express lets the customer choose from a variety of restaurants located not only in Port Huron, but stretching from Fort Gratiot to Marysville.
Using either the website,
https://www.bluewater.express/, or the Android or iPhone app on their smartphones, customers may choose from a list of over 25 restaurants to place an order.
They then place the order, pay for the order, and wait for the delivery person to arrive--just like a regular online order.
The difference is that someone living in Kimball without access to a nearby Mexican restaurant may be able to order food from Tio Gordos Cocina in downtown Port Huron, and have it within an hour.
“It fills a need for the area,” says co-owner Jason Stoltz. “It gives people more than just a pizza option.”
Since opening in May of this year, the service has placed over 1,000 orders, and momentum is building.
“We have 8 drivers right now,” says Stoltz. “But we are currently hiring more. And we have 27 restaurants, but are negotiating with more.”
One of those drivers is Robert Jacobsen, a self-described “lifer” in the Port Huron area who drove a cab for 19 years and thought this would be perfect for him.
“This is something that has never been done before,” says Jacobsen. “I love seeing people’s eyes light up. They are so happy to get Chinese, when there aren’t many other options. It’s a whole new world for them.”
The cost of the service includes menu pricing, a $5 fee for which $4 goes to the driver, and $1 goes to the dispatch crew, and then a percentage-based service fee as well, which is how the business makes a profit.
Jacobsen says it is something everyone is enjoying and that could work for everyone.
“We deliver from Fort Gratiot south to Marysville. People in the factories love it--it’s a great thing for everyone.”
Blue Water Food Express usually quotes that food will arrive within an hour.
“We keep it within an hour, but usually it’s about 32 minutes,” says Stoltz.
“Karlie was an amazing driver,” says customer Renee Nicole Conger. “My food was still hot, and it all arrived under the time they estimated.”
Stoltz and his family thought of the concept and operate Blue Water Food Express together. While Stoltz has a background in hospitality, he now works for Detroit Edison and helps run the service. He says everyone in the family has a different job and they pull together to make it work.
“I’m a foodie at heart,” says Stoltz. “I wanted to let people get restaurant-quality food delivered. It’s a model that could work. It’s our baby, our pet.”
Some of the restaurants on the list include Junction Buoy in Marysville, Great Lakes Italian Restaurant in Fort Gratiot, and Kate’s Downtown Café in Port Huron.
Stoltz hopes to expand as far south as St. Clair and possibly beyond, but for now they are taking it one step at a time. “We’ve had not too many problems,” he says. “And lots of positive feedback.”
“I definitely will be using this service again,” says Conger. “This town really needed something like this!”
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