Matt Weir / The Collegian

Food delivery service, Munchies on Wheels, caters to customers

Picture this: its Saturday, 2:27 a.m. Despite leaving your car at the bar, catching a taxi home and not closing out your tab, there is only one thing on your mind.

Your craving (no, not a booty call, get your mind out of the gutter) a double-double with french fries and a chocolate shake from In-N-Out Burger.

Munchies on Wheels, a food delivery service started in September 2009, aims to appeal to the large number of late night workers, college students, the inebriated and even the just plain lazy. Fresno’s one of a kind delivery service carries an assortment of convenient store snacks, drinks and smokes or any food an empty stomach desires.

Munchies on Wheels founders Veronica Hernandez, 26, and Ryan Metzdorff, 27, lives changed the moment they were licensed to satisfy late-night hunger.

Q&A

What is Munchies on Wheels?

Veronica: Munchies on Wheels is a new delivery service. We provide convenient store snacks and fast food delivery to night owls, like ourselves.

Ryan: That’s kind of how we got the idea. We stay up ‘till the sun comes up.

How did Munchies on Wheels get started?

Veronica: A lot of people have this superstition that we were at home, drunk, not able to drive and that’s pretty close. However, the truth is that we were just being lazy. We thought it would be really awesome if someone delivered snacks. I wanted chips and a soda and I thought ‘people deliver pizza, why not other stuff.’ It was a whimsical statement made in passing but the next day we woke up and it was still a pretty good idea.

Ryan: Plus it’s hard to find work. So we said to ourselves, we better just do it and start a business.

Veronica: From there, we had to get a tobacco license, a sales permit and a business license. Once we registered our business name we realized Munchies on Wheels is really going to happen.

How did you become business partners?

Veronica: We are friends. Sometimes, I guess. I’m just kidding are married.

Ryan: We both went to Roosevelt High School. That’s where we met. We’ve been together ever since.

What are the hours of operation?

Ryan: Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday through Sunday 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.

What are the busiest hours?

Veronica: Midnight. That’s when everybody gets hungry, I guess. People are coming home from the bars and everything just seems to happen. People think weekends must be great for us, but it’s a Tuesday and people are partying. It’s a Wednesday and people are partying. People are drinking and want goodies brought to them.

Ryan: We have regulars too. One lady who can’t drive calls us every two weeks. She orders about $25 worth of food, stocks up and she’s good to go until the next time.

What locations are within your delivery area?

Veronica: We deliver to all of Fresno and Clovis. Some pizza places do a three mile radius. However, we’re not limited. We really can’t afford to be.

Ryan: We have gone to Fowler and Nees and out by the Cherry Avenue Auction in the Easton area.

There is a story about the Cherry Avenue Auction delivery. Can you tell me about it?

Ryan: A customer wanted Dog House Grill actually. So, we came all the way out to the Cherry Auction, got the food and went back. It was the furthest mileage and the biggest charge. The total came out to $121.

Have you ever been tipped?

Veronica: Drunk people are very friendly.

Ryan: Yeah, surprisingly. I’ve never had a job where I’ve been tipped, so at first I was really confused.

What is the most popular request?

Veronica: Other than beer, which we don’t deliver, Taco Bell.

Ryan: People want late-night fast food deliveries. A lot of Taco Bell, McDonald’s and Robertito’s orders.

What is the most obscure request?

Veronica: ‘If I pay you will you take me to my friend’s house?’ I’m like, ‘call a taxi.’ We deliver food. You know, I’m not really sure what you want me to do?

Ryan: Lipstick, false eyelashes and grocery shopping.

So you didn’t make the delivery?

Veronica: One instance we did. It was a random request. A customer wanted two gallons of ice cream. We helped them out but only because they were a regular customer and we weren’t busy. It keeps them happy and then they tell their friends. That’s what it’s all about, serving you, our customers. We want people to trust us.

How does the process work?

Veronica: People can call or text in an order or visit our Web site and order online. We accept credit cards and cash. Our policy for cash is to pick up the money before going to the restaurant; however, if the customer is paying with a card, we can go directly to the restaurant. We are not charging the customer from where we are. We are charging the customer from where their home is, to wherever it is they want to eat and back, that is delivery for fast food.

Ryan: There is a $5 fee to call us out for fast food delivery and 50 cents for every mile over three. It’s a $3 delivery charge to order from our menu, if the order is over $10 then its free.

Any skeptics?

Veronica: The main thing is with food runs is that we have to pick up the cash first. A lot of people are uncomfortable with handing over the money. For all they know we are just going to run off with it. Some people are skeptical. Not believing this is actually what we do or that this is a legitimate service.

Ryan: People don’t have to get in the car and waste time and money. They can just be sitting at home playing games and well just bring food to them.

Veronica: One guy put it best, ‘I’d rather pay an $8 delivery fee than $5,000 for a DUI,’ and I’m like, well yeah that makes since to me.