What term refers to the delivery of food and perishables to a restaurant?

The term that refers to the delivery of food and perishables to a restaurant is most accurately represented by the word "vendor." A vendor is a business or individual that supplies goods or services, particularly in the context of food service establishments. In this scenario, vendors specialize in supplying food products, including perishables, directly to restaurants and other food service operations.

Vendors establish relationships with restaurants to provide consistent access to raw ingredients and other necessary food items, ensuring that kitchens have what they need to operate efficiently and meet customer demands. They might differ in the scale of operations, from small local farms to larger food manufacturers, but the key aspect is that they are primarily focused on selling products directly to the restaurant level.

While a supplier is also involved in providing goods, the term is broader and can refer to a company that provides a wide range of products, not limited to food. A distributor typically refers to an intermediary that helps transport goods from producers to vendors or retailers, rather than delivering directly to restaurants. A retailer is a business that sells products directly to consumers, which does not align with the concept of a supplier of perishables to restaurants.