The Order Can’t Be Late If It Was Never Made

(I just moved, so I do a Google search for nearby takeout and see an Indian place that has a good review. I place an order online, and the confirmation says my food will be ready in 15 minutes, so I get in my car and head to the restaurant after a few minutes. Before I arrive, my phone rings.)

Me: “Hello?”

Caller: “Hi, I am calling from [Third Party that handles online orders]. We just got a call from [Restaurant] that they are extremely busy and your food will take an hour. Do you want to cancel your order?”

Me: “No, I will just kill some time and pick it up in an hour. Thanks for calling.”

Caller: “Okay, I’ll let the restaurant know.”

(I spend some time familiarizing myself with the area and do a couple of errands, then head to the restaurant. I arrive about an hour and ten minutes after making the original order. The restaurant is completely empty except for a young man at the counter.)

Me: “Hi, I’m here to pick up my carry out order.”

Young Man: “I don’t have anything ready for carry out. I said it would take longer.”

Me: “Yeah, the guy from [Third Party] said an hour, so I waited before coming in.”

Young Man: “Well, I don’t have your food. It’ll take another hour, maybe.”

Me: “What?”

Young Man: “When I gave your order to the cook, he tore it up and said he was too busy. I can ask him to make it now, but I don’t know if he will.”

Me: “So, it hasn’t been started yet?”

Young Man: “No, and I can’t be sure he will make it at all.”

Me: “But I ordered and already paid for it.”

Young Man: “I can’t ask him again; he’ll yell at me. He says he is too busy.”

Me: “Okay. Cancel my order, then, I guess.”

Young Man: “So, you don’t want to wait?”

Me: “How long would I be waiting?”

Young Man: “I don’t know, but if you’re waiting, the cook might make your food.”

Me: “That’s okay, then. Just cancel my order.”

Young Man: “I don’t have to cancel it; I never put it in.”