From the era of the ancient Roman Thermopolium stores to the advent of online ordering restaurants, food delivery services have undergone a long journey of development. Today, food delivery, or "shipper," has become a hot profession chosen by many young people as a part-time job. However, few people know the origins of this profession or the interesting stories that have unfolded throughout its history.

The concept of "fast food service" emerged in ancient Rome between approximately 753 BC and 476 AD, arguably laying the foundation for the development of the profession.shipperIt dates back 2,774 years. Back then, there were Thermopolium restaurants, which in Greek means "place of hot food." They sold and served piping hot meals in large earthenware pots on a food counter – this sounds familiar, as it's not much different from how we sell fast food today. There were no delivery drivers or online food ordering websites at that time, but most Romans chose to buy food from Thermopolium restaurants and take it away, as cramped living conditions made home cooking very difficult. Therefore, the Thermopolium can be considered an early version of the modern-day fast food restaurant.

Fast forward to the 18th century, the time when the concept of "food delivery" began to develop and become widely known. The first recorded food delivery was naengmyeon (cold noodles) in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In his book, scholar Hwang Yun-seok (1729-1791) also recorded that he ordered naengmyeon for lunch with his colleagues after the gwageo examination (a civil service examination during the Joseon Dynasty), on a day in July 1768.

It seems that naengmyun, a delicacy favored in the royal court, became popular among the nobility, leading to the emergence of delivery services. According to Lee Yu-won's book, King Sunjo (1800-1834) often ordered his servants to buy cold noodles and bring them back to the palace to enjoy while moon-gazing with officials during the early years of his reign. Haejang-guk soup was also prepared and delivered to the nobles of the Two Branches during the 1800s. Over time, by the 1930s, food delivery had expanded to include various soups and noodles, becoming a popular service. Advertisements for food delivery and service began appearing in newspapers in 1906. There was even an article describing a day in the life of a food delivery person published in a Korean newspaper. The golden age of food delivery services in Korea began in the 1990s with the emergence of fried chicken and pizza brands, and the delivery market has grown exponentially ever since.

Food delivery services also appeared in Japan during the mid-Edo period, around the 1700s. Feudal lords would send servants to restaurants to convey their master's orders, and then restaurant staff would deliver the food to the lord's residence. This form of delivery was called demae (literally meaning "going ahead").

Over time, demae has evolved into a popular service enjoyed by people of all ages, from students to office workers. In the pre-telephone era, soba noodle delivery drivers used a special technique to stack bowls of noodles or other food into a tall tower, carrying it on their shoulders and then cycling to various locations, such as universities, to sell to regular customers. Many soba noodle shops from this period are still open, with Honke Owariya being the oldest operating today. Located in Tokyo, Japan, it was founded in 1465 and is currently owned by Ariko Inaoke, the 16th-generation descendant of the family.

Meanwhile, in 1785, milk delivery services began to take shape in the United States. At that time, fresh milk was a luxury that everyone desired. Gradually, as industrialization progressed, cities sprang up, and people became busier, they began buying milk from local farms, leading to the birth of home milk delivery services. The first milk "order" is believed to have come from a family with a newborn baby who lacked breast milk, in 1785 in rural Vermont, USA. The profession of milk delivery "shipper" became popular and quickly spread throughout the world.

Another well-known "mega order" was the food delivery request from Queen Margherita of Savoy, consort of King Umberto I. During her visit to Naples, Italy in June 1889, the Queen wanted to sample the local cuisine – pizza. The renowned pizza maker of the time, Raffaele Esposito, selected the freshest and most characteristic Italian ingredients: tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves, representing the Italian flag with its three colors: red, white, and green. Legend says the Queen loved this pizza so much that she wrote a personal letter to him expressing her gratitude. Raffaele then proudly named his creation after the Queen in her honor, thus creating the world-famous Margherita pizza.

Nearly 125 years ago, at the end of the 19th century, when India was still under British rule, the workforce in India's urban areas grew rapidly, paving the way for the development of food delivery services to meet the needs of this labor force. These delivery people were called Dabbawalas, literally meaning "box bearers." Dabbawalas had a single task: to deliver hot lunches to their "customers," mostly in densely populated urban areas (like Mumbai). The Dabbawalas system still exists today, and Indians are familiar with the sight of these "shippers" carrying food boxes on motorcycles or trains.

During World War II, many high-ranking officials needed shelter from the constant threat of bombing. Therefore, governments began recruiting chefs and volunteers to deliver food to their homes. This is the typical form of food delivery we see today. This method was particularly popular in London (England) and even helped veterans recover. Later, both Australia and the United States adopted this approach, and gradually, home delivery services appeared all over the world.

As you may already know, food delivery drivers don't just ride bicycles, motorbikes, or walk; sometimes they drive trucks too. The idea of ​​food trucks first emerged in 1960, aiming to provide meals for workers at their workplaces. Initially, these trucks presented hygiene issues, but that quickly improved, and today, using trucks to deliver fast food remains a common practice in most countries.

Finally, with the development of science and technology and the widespread availability of electronic devices, we can easily order a delicious meal from the comfort of our homes – by ordering food online. From 2004 to the present, online food ordering has boomed and become the pinnacle of food delivery services. Numerous food company websites and ordering apps have sprung up, providing unlimited access to every food brand.