Stand-up comedian and, judging from what he’s wearing in a recent viral clip, healthcare worker Sam Mamaghani (@samamaghani) recently posted a viral TikTok where he aired his gripes about ordering takeout. He called the entire process needlessly inconvenient.
In his diatribe, which he records from inside his car, Mamaghani blasts mobile applications designed just for a single restaurant, along with eateries that refuse to take phone call orders. He criticizes clunky user interfaces that leave diners frustrated more often than not as they scour through a digital menu looking for their favorite item.
He also takes aim at tipping workers in situations where he is often the one doing all of the work to process the order in the first place. He mentions keying his order in on an iPad and even joking that when he’s putting in his own order in situations like this he’s tempted to flip the tablet around and ask the employee for a tip.
@samamaghani I’d rather make everything from scratch
♬ original sound – samamaghani
He begins his video by asking, “Restaurants, why are you making it so inconvenient to order with you?”
Mamaghani says it’s often difficult when he’s on the road and finds a phone number to call only for the restaurant to have a message stating their hours of operation and address.
“I’m gonna use your address to drive my car through your restaurant,” he says. “Because I know the hours of operation and the address. I found it next to where I found your phone number to give you a call.”
He calls out having to download an app just to order from the restaurant. “I’m spending, I’m driving and I’m looking up tuna crispy rice for 45 minutes trying to find it cause you guys put it under a side?” he rants.
The TikToker also pointed out how these decisions are ultimately harming businesses, speculating that there are probably throngs of customers who would rather rage quit and not deal with a business instead of struggling to navigate an online menu or app.
He says that making shoppers jump through hoops is just a way for folks to torpedo their own profit-earning potential, something he just can’t wrap his head around.
“Don’t you want the money? Don’t you want to make it as convenient as possible?” he asks.
It seems that other viewers were shocked at just how poorly designed various apps and ordering structures are now.
“Everything in life is now inconvenient,” one wrote. “I find myself constantly frustrated.”
Someone else said how upset they get that many restaurants or cafes will force many customers to create an account just to put in for a mobile order.
“Don’t get me started on having to create an account to order,” they said.
Another wrote how many of the apps they come across seem to be finding new ways to try and extricate money from customers.
“OR WHEN THEY CHARGE A SERVICE FEE FOR ONLINE ORDERS FROM THEIR OWN PLATFORMMMMM,” one said.
According to another TikToker, there was one particular online ordering flaw that really upset them, sharing, “I hate having to ‘start an order’ just to look at the menu. I’m NOT ordering right now, let me look at the menu.”
Online ordering often can’t account for specific customizations as this TikTok user pointed out: “And what if I don’t want onions??! and there is no option to put no onions!”
Being fed up with online ordering doesn’t just affect customers, either—food service employees have jumped online to share their disdain as well.
A Redditor posted in the site’s r/antiwork blog that “mobile ordering is slowly killing” workers and that they often needlessly waste time. Other customers have said they’ve completely sworn off using them after being burned too many times by delivery drivers/eateries on these apps.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Mamaghani via Instagram direct message for further comment.
