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Octopuses’ Take Out

Decisions, Decisions!!

Eat out or get take-out to bring home??

Drive-Through or Eat Out? How An Octopus Decides
In the late 1980s, a researcher named Jennifer A. Mather wondered about octopuses’ use of spatial memory. This researcher and some volunteers did some skin-diving near Bermuda and observed octopuses going out in search of food. They noticed that sometimes after catching a tasty bit of chow, the octopuses ate out, but sometimes they’d take their snack to go and eat at home. And not only that, but it turned out that there was a correlation between the decision to eat out and the distance from home. When they were farther away from home, they tended to eat out; when they were closer, then took the catch home.

So what? This finding suggests that octopuses have at least a crude mental map of the space surrounding their homes: that they know their location in the environment relative to home, and they use that information to make a decision about where to dine.

By, Jason G. Goldman

Make your next Take-Out decision easier with Take Out Time On Line!!

Remember, When You Don’t Want To Cook . . . It’s Take Out Time On Line!!

Go to www.TOTOL.biz. Home Delivery may also be available.

Ordering Take Out Food Online

Are You Ready To Order Your Take Out Food Orders Online Yet??

Here are some facts to help you make the transition to ordering take out food online.

“It’s Better To Order Food Online Rather Than Offline“
Online food ordering systems are making their marks in the restaurant industry. While they are being adopted by most of the restaurant owners, there are still some of the restaurateurs who are in a confusion of whether to go for online food ordering systems or stick to the conventional phone ordering system. The following facts clarify the misconception about online food ordering systems.

For the rest of the article, go here:

If your favorite take-out food restaurant doesn’t have online menu ordering, do as Neil Cavuto says, “Demand It”!!

Pizza Delivery: Words of Wisdom from a Pizza Girl

Interesting comments and a fun read from an experienced Pizza Delivery Driver.

“Required” reading for all Take Out Time On Line delivery drivers!!

People take us for granted.

It’s true. We bring you your food in a timely manner (unless you get a crappy driver), it’s nice and hot and fresh (again, unless you get a crappy driver), and we use our personal cars to bring your food to you. We have to put up with possible dog bites, crazy people, deer, the occassional already-dead skunk, lack of house numbers on mailboxes, dead zones, and really crappy weather. It is our job to make sure you get your food as swiftly as possible and that it is as fresh as can be. And yet, there are quite a number of people who treat us like crap.

I mean, seriously, we brought you din-din. Why are you griping?

I’ve been delivering pizzas for a year and a half. I enjoy delivering pizzas, mostly because I can’t be in one place for too long, else I go stir crazy. I love reading the maps to find places I don’t know about, and finding faster ways to get everywhere. It’s pure ecstasy to me to be able to meet new people, see new houses, entertain kids when they come to answer the door for Mommy and Daddy.

Go to  Kika’s “Words Of Wisdom From A Pizza Girl” to read the whole blog.

To Tip Or Not To Tip

What do you think??

What is your view on tipping for take-out food that you pick up or food that you have delivered?

Let us know here at Take Out Time On Line

or cast your vote and join the debate at the link below.

SlashFood

Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods

From the United States Department of Agriculture  TAKE-OUT AND DELIVERED FOODS Holiday Meals, Picnics, Tailgate Parties, or Just a Busy Day In today’s busy world, take-out and delivered foods are experiencing runaway popularity. Some foods are hot and some are cold when purchased. Foods from fast food restaurants are most often consumed immediately. Take-out foods may be purchased in advance for eating at a later time, such as a party platter or a cooked holiday meal. No matter what the occasion, more and more people are relying on others to prepare their food. Perishable foods can cause illness when mishandled. Proper handling of the food and the leftovers is essential to ensure the food is safe for you to eat. 2-Hour Rule To keep hot foods safe, keep them at 140 °F or above. Cold foods must be kept at 40 °F or below. Bacteria grow rapidly between 40 and 140 °F. Discard all perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and casseroles, left at room temperature longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F. Keep HOT Food HOT! Keep COLD Food COLD! If you are not eating the take-out or delivered food immediately, follow these guidelines to make sure the food remains safe for you to eat at a later time. Hot Take-Out or Delivered Food Once food is cooked, it should be held hot, at an internal temperature of 140 °F or above. Just keeping food warm (between 40 and 140 °F) is not safe. Use a food thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the food. A preheated oven, chafing dishes, preheated warming trays, or slow cookers may be used. If you plan to eat at a later time, take-out or delivered food should be divided into smaller portions or pieces, placed in shallow containers, and refrigerated. Cold/Refrigerated Take-Out or Delivered Food Cold foods should be kept at 40 °F or below. Refrigerate perishable foods as soon as possible, always within 2 hours after purchase or delivery. If the food is in air temperatures above 90 °F, refrigerate within 1 hour. Keep foods cold on the buffet table by nesting serving dishes of food in bowls of ice. Use small platters and replace them with fresh refrigerated platters of food often, rather than adding fresh food to a serving dish already on the table. When take-out or delivered food is purchased cold for an outdoor event—like a picnic, sporting event, or outdoor buffet—a cooler with ice is a practical alternative to a refrigerator. The cooler should be packed with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs. Keep the cooler in the shade when possible. Remember the 2-hour rule when food is removed from the cooler. Discard all perishable foods that have been left out of the coolers longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in air temperatures above 90 °F. Leftovers? Discard all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs, and casseroles, left at room temperature longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in air temperatures above 90 °F. This includes leftovers taken home from a restaurant. Some exceptions to this rule are foods such as cookies, crackers, bread, and whole fruits. Whole roasts, hams, and turkeys should be sliced or cut into smaller pieces or portions before storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Turkey legs, wings, and thighs may be left whole. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in shallow containers. Wrap or cover the food. Refrigerator Storage at 40 °F or Below Cooked meat or poultry 3 to 4 days Pizza 3 to 4 days Luncheon meats 3 to 5 days Egg, tuna, and macaroni salads 3 to 5 days Foods stored longer may begin to spoil or become unsafe to eat. Do not taste. Freezer Storage at 0 °F or Below Cooked meat or poultry 2 to 6 months Pizza 1 to 2 months Luncheon meats 1 to 2 months Salads made with mayonnaise do not freeze well. Foods kept frozen longer than recommended storage times are safe but may be drier and not taste as good. WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!

FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES FOR COOKED, REFRIGERATED, OR FROZEN TAKE-OUT AND DELIVERED MEALSThawing Meals Thaw the wrapped, cooked meat or poultry on a tray in the refrigerator. Allow about 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Small packages of cooked stuffing, gravy, potatoes, etc., will take less time to thaw and can be taken out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator at a later time.Once the cooked meat or poultry and side dishes thaw, plan to eat them within 3 to 4 days.The food may be eaten cold or reheated.Frozen food can be put directly into the oven without thawing.Look for the USDA or State Mark of Inspection The inspection mark on the packaging tells you the product was prepared in a USDA or State-inspected plant under controlled conditions. Follow the package directions for thawing, reheating, and storing.Reheating Meals Reheat foods containing meat or poultry to an internal temperature of at least 165 °F. Always use a food thermometer to verify the internal temperature of the food. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. If reheating in the oven, set oven temperature no lower than 325 °F. Reheating in slow cookers and chafing dishes is NOT recommended because foods may stay in the “Danger Zone” (between 40 and 140 °F) too long. When reheating food in the microwave oven, cover and rotate food for even heating. Always allow standing time before checking the internal temperature of the food. Consult your microwave oven owner’s manual for recommended times and power levels.

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