[PLUG-TALK] [PLUG] Proposal: grocery delivery hub software project

[Tessa L. H. Lovelace]

> 
>> Can we use software and the internet to convert those idle 
>> restaurants
>> (with their kitchens, refrigerators, tables, parking lots, and
>> food-permit-trained staffs) into expansion hubs for home delivery of
>> groceries and sundries to homebound customers? Real Soon Now?
> 
> Where will you source the groceries and have them transported to the
> restaurant hubs that sign up?
> 

Grocery stores know where to source more of their stock, one would hope.
And a cheeseburger place can tap their logistics network for ground 
beef, and a sushi shop can source fish.

Aligning existing logistics ability with emerging need seems the core 
goal here,
which this programmer would absolutely contribute to,
were this sort of a project made open source.

The source can specify what they offer (eg, a menu of items for 
delivery) would be flexible enough for most needs (if entire sections 
of a city were using it, for example), and the possibility of allowing 
requests for "extras", or stretch goals would nearly solve the desired 
use case.

eg:
"Please deliver my order_from_your_menu, and if there's a convenience 
store near your delivery route, my neighbor needs laundry soap."


This would make it easy to expand to non-food deliverables, and would 
allow individuals who live near existing hubs (eg WinCo or Lowes) to 
offer delivery services in their neighborhood (or beyond) if (when?) 
the distribution networks grind to a halt, however briefly.


Anyone have a preferred online project collaboration platform?