Don't Order From Restaurant Flyers Slipped Under Your Hotel Door, Warns San Antonio Police

Police departments routinely issue PSAs, encouraging citizens to keep doors locked or check smoke detectors or report suspicious activity. But it's not entirely clear why delivery food is a matter of public safety for the San Antonio Police Department, which posted a warning to Facebook yesterday urging tourists "not [to] order from any of the restaurant flyers that are slid under your [hotel] doorways."

While there's a certain safety concern over non-hotel guests wandering through hallways slipping notes under doors, that doesn't appear to be SAPD's primary concern. No, they want to make sure visitors are eating the tastiest local cuisine, apparently: "Always ask the hotel concierge or staff where are the best places to eat in San Antonio to ensure you are getting the best quality food our city has to offer."

Again, not entirely sure how this is a matter of public safety. MySanAntonio.com fills in the gaps a bit, saying "Although the customers usually get the food they order, its quality is sub par or inedible in some cases. Oftentimes, the restaurants featured on the flyers are frequently cited for health violations." It's unclear whether this information came from the police department itself.

Now, I am all for tourists asking concierges for restaurant recommendations; San Antonio has some amazing Mexican food (pro tip: skip the Alamo, eat the tacos) and it would be a shame to order crummy delivery pizza instead. But it seems out of bounds to me that the police department would discourage visitors from ordering what they want, even if what they want ends up being lukewarm chow mein.