Last Christmas season, I discovered the world of party trays. I helped plan bridal showers, family reunions, birthdays and Christmas parties. In the sea of all the details that needed to be attended to, food was top priority. I found out that I didn’t have to contact a big shot caterer or pay for servers if a party only consisted of about ten people. I could just get food delivered in big party trays.
While I did find several good ones, I made it my mission to look for more this year in anticipation of the balikbayans that are set to visit. I was delighted to know there are many more out there aside from the top fast food chains.
Personally, I believe a good delivery service is good based on the following:
- Affordability
- Quality of food
- Customer service (responsive, courteous, fast, accessible)
- Portion sizerelative to price
- Flexibility (variety of food choices in menu, location, hours)
As fate would have it, I stumbled upon Big5. During one of the Sundays that I was on duty to support the live production at church, one volunteer was celebrating his birthday. Of course, there was food. I was surprised to hear the words “pancit sisig” floating around in the sea of people flocking to the area where the free food was. Did I hear it right? I did! When I finally got the chance to look at the table, indeed it was pancit sisig.
Pancit sisig – Medium (Good for 8-10 pax) – P750
Upon my first forkful, I kid you not – I was surprised and my eyes grew large (according to my hubby) in amazement. It was delicious. The box was devoured in less than fifteen minutes. Needless to say, I asked who brought it, how much it was, and if I could get their contact details. Is my search over?
I messaged their Facebook page to place an order and was happy that they responded right away. I asked if I could go interview the brains behind the group, as well, and they happily obliged.
The delivery came in these boxes – delivery was faster than I expected!
I got to interview three of the partners – Billy, John and Ivan. There are two more in the team (hence, the name). It was really great to get into their minds and know more about the brand. Here’s a quick recap on the highlights of that interview:
Question: Why establish Big5?
Answer: Big5 was established because we saw a niche that needed to be filled in the food delivery business. We wanted to provide working professionals and families with an alternative choice by serving comfort Filipino Chinese food for both intimate and big gatherings. All 5 partners of Big 5 share the same passion and mindset when it comes to business and good food. Our entrepreneurial background in the F&B, financial, and advertsiing industries was key in establishing Big5.
Sweet longganisa parcel – Medium (Good for 8 to 10 pax) – P390
I scheduled my Big5 delivery for a Friday night when my friends would come over. Naturally, most of them thought it would be the typical Chinese dishes but were surprised to find the pancit sisig and was intrigued by the longganisa parcel – which both turned out to be unanimously the group’s favorite. We were also amazed with how large the serving sizes were at such low prices.
I think it’s worthwhile to mention that my husband is not a fan of sweet viands but (honestly, to my shock) found the sweet longganisa parcel really delicious.
The other dishes were really wonderful, too. We loved mixing the crispy bihon supreme noodles with their special sauce and finding that the flavor just got better over the hours. We also loved munching on the flavored butchi and discovering what flavor is inside while having coffee and tea.
So, there you have it. Big5 came and Big5 delivered. Billy said they want two phrases to be associated with them: “super sarap” and “super yummy.” My friends and I think they will not have a difficult time in accomplishing that.
Crispy bihon supreme – Medium (Good for 8 to 10 pax) – P750
What I think sets Big5 apart from all the food delivery services out there is that it’s very personal to the owners – all recipes were handed down. They call them “family heirloom recipes.” While many food delivery services seem to just want to earn the most profit the fastest and easiest way, I felt that Big5 still takes time to put heart and thought into every dish they offer and the service they provide. They want to keep improving. I felt the warmth as I interacted with them online, when the delivery staff came by, when I dropped by their shop to say hello, and when I interviewed them.
This whole search for new choices for food delivery for gatherings has re-affirmed my belief that anything you do with love translates well. You may not get it perfect all the time but when you do things with love, that’s okay because you love it enough to keep working at it. The recipient of whatever you’re doing experiences the love, too. Even if Big5 just started out, I believe that their passion for food, for their family’s recipes and for their friendship will get them through the valleys.
I can’t wait for the next gathering that I have to help plan. For sure, there will be pancit sisig.
Big5
623-5555
https://www.facebook.com/big5delivery
