This Is Why Your Chinese Food Order Shows Up So Quickly

It seems as if every town in America, be it a major city or a rural backwater, has at least one Chinese takeout joint. While they may vary greatly in quality, they're all shockingly consistent. Seemingly every restaurant can be depended upon to have the expected selection of Chinese-American staples, and your order always seems to arrive at your door at a supernatural speed. So why exactly does your Chinese food order show up so quickly?

If you're wondering how on earth your sesame chicken took just 10 minutes to reach your door from the moment you hung up the phone, it's because aside from a handful of dishes like roast duck, most Chinese takeout dishes take no longer than five minutes to make. For sesame chicken, for example, the chicken is seasoned and battered, deep-fried, moved to a different wok, tossed with sauce and broccoli, and transferred to the container. From there it's handed off to a waiting delivery man, who drives it to your door in no time flat.

Thank goodness for neighborhood Chinese spots! To learn which 30 Chinese restaurants are America's best, click here.