10 most-ordered takeout foods in Columbia

I think it’s safe to say one of the best feelings in the world is getting food delivered – especially with so many new restaurants in Cola we want to try… but sometimes can’t get to after a long day of #adulting. Local food delivery companies like Bite Squad (in partnership with 256ToGo), Eat24 and GrubHub make the snacking-at-home possibilities pretty much endless, and we are thankful.

Here are the top 10 most-ordered takeout foods in Columbia from the experts at Bite Squad:

🍞 Naan | Naan (i.e. warm + puffy pieces of bread) is usually served with Indian dishes – like tikka masala or palak paneer – to soak up every last bit of your food. Add it to your order at restaurants like 2 Gingers ($1.99), Saffron ($1.79), + Delhi Palace ($1.95).

🧀 Chips + Queso | Y’all, don’t even get me started on chips and queso, because I would literally type a five paragraph essay. Get it delivered to your couch from Publico ($4.49, or $10.49 if you want to try their Queso Quatro), to Sure Fire Tacos ($7.99) + even Casa Linda ($4.00).

Chips and queso from Publico | Photo by @eatinsc

🥕 Spring Rolls | Trying to be somewhat healthy… while sedentary? Spring rolls are filled with vegetables. They’re basically salad. My personal favorite come from M Vista ($2.95), but Bite Squad also delivers from places like Grilled Teriyaki ($4 for 2) + Pho Viet ($3.99).

🍜 Miso Soup | The perfect sushi-side-dish. Try the Hon-Dashi style (with scallions, tofu + mushrooms) from SakiTumi Grill ($3.00), or check out the classic tofu + seaweed version from Kaboto Express ($1.85). Add it to your sushi order from Sushi & Hibachi To-Go ($1.50), and you’ve got the perfect meal.

🥘 Chicken Tikka Masala | Last year my friend forced me to migrate away from my usual, freshman-year dinner of a Cookout tray... and try tikka masala. It was one of the best things I’ve ever had. Oven roasted chicken in a buttery, tomato cream sauce. Uh, yes please. Try it from 2 Gingers ($11.99), Saffron ($9.99) + Delhi Palace ($12.95).

🍣 Spicy Tuna Roll | If you’re craving sushi, look no further than sashimi-grade tuna, spicy mayo + seaweed. M Vista ($10.95), Sushi & Hibachi ToGo ($6.95) or Hibachi Express ($6.00) has just that – and so much more.

Sushi from M Vista | Photo by @etenfoodblog

🍟 French Fries | Fries over guys, am I right ladies? Just kidding (except not really). If you have no time to think during your Netflix binge, Bite Squad can grab you fries from a regular fast food joint like McDonalds ($1.59-1.89), or a local place like Steve’s Deli ($2.99)

🍤 Shrimp Fried Rice | Get your traditional shrimp fried rice (or beef, or chicken, or even all three) from New Bangkok ($10.25). For you out-of-the-box thinkers, try the ham fried rice from Jin Jin Chinese ($7.95). If those aren’t enough options to strike your fancy, China Wing Basket ($7.95) has eight different fried rice dishes. 😍

🍛 General Tso’s Chicken | This classic Chinese dish (with rice, onions + bell peppers) is a crowd favorite. Try it from Hibachi Express ($8.75), Teapot Chinese Restaurant ($6.50) or China Wing Basket ($10.95).

🥗 Salad | TBH, who doesn’t love a good, chunky salad? (Besides Leslie Knope.) The ingredient possibilities are endless and it’s a healthy choice, so it’s basically a win-win. Columbia has so many salad options through Bite Squad. Go for DiPrato’s ($8.95) for a classic Chef salad, Pita’s for Greek salad ($6.95), or Za’s on Devine for their big salads like salmon + orzo or chicken BLT ($13-14).

Salad from DiPrato’s | Photo by @thelazycollegegirldiet

What’s your favorite local dish to order-in when the #showhole gets too deep? Let us know so we can add it to (personal) bucket lists.

Other delivery services not currently in Cola (that we probably need because we want it all):

Postmates: $3.99 delivery fee that changes by city. Postmates gives customers the option to pay a yearly fee for deliveries + get free delivery credits.
DoorDash: Gives updates on how busy restaurants are so you’ll know how long your food will take. Like Bite Squad, DoorDash delivers alcohol, just not to customers in S.C.
UberEats: Like Uber, UberEats lets you track your driver, get delivery time estimates + has surge charges for when drivers are busiest.

Before this semester I had never even heard of Bite Squad, but take it from me; this service saves my life when it comes to late night study sessions where I can’t leave the library, or those times when I’m too lazy to get off the couch during a Netflix binge. (We’ve all been there.)

And what’s better than trying all the foods Cola has to offer without even having to leave your house? 😋 (We heard they just added The Southern Belly and Black Market Tavern to their restaurant pickups, so, hello, Monday dinner.)
–Nicole