There are few Americans who wouldn’t recognize that the insulated carrying case shown here is for pizza delivery.

Of course, pizza is easier to deliver than an entire meal. Yet I just read a story in the New York Times that claimed currently, “Almost three of every four restaurant orders weren’t eaten in a restaurant . . .” And it reported that a National Restaurant Association survey from last year found that half of American adults ordered restaurant deliveries at least once a week.

The numbers of delivered meals may have grown, but the custom is far from new in this country.

Take a look at “They delivered,” a post I wrote a few years ago. You may be surprised.