New Book Examines Miami's Food-Delivery and Tipping Habits and More

Have you ever wondered what it's like to deliver 1,000 meals to hungry Miamians via services like Uber Eats and DoorDash? If so, just ask author Charles St. Anthony.

After chronicling his gig-economy journeys in Beverly Hills, California, and Oklahoma City, the author recently wrapped a cross-country trip to the Magic City to discuss this very topic. If that sounds interesting, his latest book, Meet Me in Miami, is now available in e-book and paperback forms.

"As I've learned here, Miami has one of the most diverse food scenes in the United States," St. Anthony tells New Times. "Thirteen percent of my deliveries were from various Latin American restaurants in Miami, whereas less than one percent were to this type of restaurant elsewhere. There is a ton of data in this book to dig into."

A native of Kansas City, St. Anthony lived in Japan for 12 years after he graduated college. Upon returning to the U.S. in 2011, he bounced between jobs before landing on gig work. After months of part-time delivery driving, he turned his food-delivery side work into data-driven experiments.

"Everyone has heard of these cities I've covered, but they don't know the particulars outside of what the media shows us," he says. "The book offers a real insight into how people are living and eating. I hope people get a few laughs, and certainly an inside look at some of the shenanigans."

Throughout the book, St. Anthony shares classic "Florida Man" encounters that include a drugged-out dude on South Beach and an ex-con "Florida Woman."

On the data front, the book is loaded with snapshots of what Miamians like to order for delivery fare, how they tip, how often they tip, and more.

For example, the top three establishment categories include pizza, burgers, and Japanese restaurants. St. Anthony’s data shows that Miamians tip 58 percent of the time, with an average tip of $2.45 per order. Comparatively, his data from the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area show locals tip just 54 percent of the time with a $2.23 average. Oklahoma City folks are apparently more generous, tipping 75 percent of the time with an average of $3.41 per transaction.

Through his 1,000-plus Miami deliveries, St. Anthony says he traveled 1,177 miles, took 18 trips to liquor stores, and delivered 54 orders of French fries. Along the way, he discovered some favorite eats of his own, with his go-to spots being MiMo favorite Blue Collar for its jalapeño cornbread and Mi Colombia Cafeteria in Miami Beach for its friendly service.

He also found love in Miami and resides with his partner in the 305 while teaching in Brickell as well as at Miami Dade College.

As for his next city to chronicle, St. Anthony says, "I have a few candidates in mind. I'm looking for somewhere off the beaten path, and a place with history...a place that people know and want to know more."

Meet Me in Miami. By Charles St. Anthony. Self-published. 2023. 76 pages. Paperback, $14.