I've recently moved to Seattle, and am impressed by how well the water is used. Much commuting is done by ferry and sail boats and motor boats are everywhere. I've also learned that some waterfront restaurants feature buoys to tie your boat to - kind of like a boat parking lot for the weekend sailer. Of course the problem is the effort involved in tying up, hopping on a raft or small boat to get to shore, securing this, and then reversing the process once dining is concluded. With living in the world we do, who has time for such inconveniences?
I propose a float-thru window for taking food to go. The window itself will look similar to a drive-thru window, only it will be attached to a small floating room. This room is attached to a sheltered gangway so that it can raise and lower with the tides. When a boater is in the area and is a bit hungry they can just radio in their order, than when the meal is prepared a server walks down the gangplank, and exchanges money for food with the sailor.
The only real issue I can see with this service is dealing with pirates. Perhaps only credit cards will be accepted, therefore avoiding the dilemma of having too many gold doubloons on hand.-- Worldgineer, Aug 12 2003 Floating hot dog cart http://slog.thestra...oating-hot-dog-cart [Worldgineer, Aug 16 2012] I eat pirates for breakfast.-- DeathNinja, Aug 12 2003 I was thinking more of a lunch or dinner place. Besides, we don't serve pirates. Are you paying attention?-- Worldgineer, Aug 12 2003 I thought maybe you would trap pirates in large nets and then boil them and serve buttered with rap-scallions.-- DeathNinja, Aug 12 2003 nice idea. what kind of food though? posh nosh in a box?-- po, Aug 12 2003 I was thinking something up-scale. Since you'd be able to radio it in it wouldn't have to be fast food. Besides, if you can afford your own yacht you can probably afford it.-- Worldgineer, Aug 12 2003 I wish I had a boat.-- DeathNinja, Aug 12 2003 [DN] Same here.-- Worldgineer, Aug 12 2003 this one has shrunk in the last few days.
can I have soup for starters? then go for a little twirl round the harbour and I will be back for the main course-- po, Aug 18 2003 <soup nazi>No soup for you!</soup nazi>-- Worldgineer, Aug 18 2003 oooh I love a bossy waiter.-- po, Aug 18 2003 I know you're just trying to sweet-talk your way into some soup. Well, ok - as long as you promise you're not a pirate.-- Worldgineer, Aug 18 2003 Across the bay from my Mom's summer bungalow in New Jersey is a sandbar where people park their boats and hang out in the water on hot days. There used to be a fellow who outfitted a boat with a cooler and such and marked it "Snack Barge". He'd pull up next to them and sell drinks and snacks out of a window on the side of the boat. Very popular with the spend-all-day-out-on-the-Ski-Doo types, but apparently not popular enough to stay in business permanently.-- krelnik, Aug 18 2003 I hesitated about mentioning a service that was somewhat similar to [krelnik]'s in Marina Del Rey during the late '60s and early '70s. My friends Dick and Trudy Stickel ran a boat-based business called "Water Waiter". Like [krelnik]'s Snack Barge, chilled drinks, cigarettes, gum and snack fare were kept on hand in refrigerated chests at all times for the impulse purchaser. But, the interesting twist to their service was that they cut a delivery service deal with many of the better restaurants that surrrounded the Marina. Shipboard customers could either radio their order directly to Water Waiter, who would in turn radio it to the restaurant, pick it up, and deliver it to your boat anywhere in the harbor for a small delivery charge; or customers could call the Restaurant directly, and the restaurant would then contact Water Waiter for delivery. They managed to keep a couple of small fast skiffs pretty busy for several years.-- jurist, Aug 18 2003 I've seen similar things in parts of Asia. In Thailand, there's a floating market in the canals where you can buy fruit and fish and stuff. I've never seen it because it's over before I wake up. In Hong Kong, you used to (maybe still can) get seafood delivered to your junk by little ol' ladies in sampans.
No Pizza though.-- FloridaManatee, Aug 18 2003 Reminds me of something in the movie, The Fifth Element.-- whippinggas, Apr 06 2005 How so? (sorry, did I doze off there? hope I wasn't asleep long)-- Worldgineer, Feb 17 2012 Nine years later, and it's baked. Or roasted. Right here in Seattle. [link]-- Worldgineer, Aug 16 2012 random, halfbakery