India, May 8 -- In 79 CE, the Mount Vesuvius eruption froze street-food counters mid-service.

When archaeologists uncovered these thermopolia (literally, "hot shops"), they found them covered with paintings advertising the fare: chicken and upside-down mallard ducks (alongside a naked nereid riding a seahorse, presumably to liven things up). There was even community feedback: Cinaede Cacator (Shameless Shitter), says one scrawl.

Through the ages, we have sought to satisfy our cravings with minimal effort. Today's food delivery apps are merely the latest phase in a project as old as life itself: removing friction from eating.

Convenient food often began as a way to cater to travelling traders, yes, but also to anyone who did not have th...