If you work in foodservice, you have been impacted, for better or worse, by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Fortunately, some of you have managed to survive the pandemic and are operating or perhaps even thriving despite the restrictions on restaurant operations and social gatherings. However, one constant unites you all: Whether you are offering takeout for the first time, operating out of a pre-existing ghost kitchen, or have transformed your brick-and-mortar eatery into a remote restaurant, the name of the new game in the industry is: Safe food delivery.
Contactless Delivery: The New Golden Standard
With social distancing regulations still in full force to slow the spread of the pandemic, restaurateurs have admirably risen to the occasion, finding creative ways to deliver their customers’ favorite dishes and cater to their needs despite the trying circumstances. Some of you are offering to-go-only menu selections; others are investing in curbside pickup; perhaps you are taking care of delivery independently; or perhaps you are partnering with third-party delivery services who specialize in door-to-door service. Any way you slice it, the new protocols that quickly took shape are taking root as the new norm. What was once considered a matter of convenience or an elite luxury has become the golden standard of the restaurant business.
In the Age of Corona, What Exactly is Safe Food Delivery?
If a diverse menu of delivery options is part of the recipe for restaurant success during corona, how can your food or beverage business break away from the competitive pack and rise to the top of the ‘food safety’ charts? Moreover, what exactly is safe or contactless delivery anyway? Is it as simple as its sounds?
In this guide, we’ll reveal the ingredients you need and the steps you are mandated to take in order to comply with local health regulations. We will also share some tips and tricks taken from actual corona restaurant success stories.
Can Corona Be Transmitted Through Food?
First, some basics: According to both the FDA and the CDC, there is no evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted via food or food packaging. This is particularly true for cooked foods. In general, if food is handled properly, there is little chance of an issue.
What is Contactless Delivery?
The greatest risk of transmitting the coronavirus is through direct contact with someone who is infected, be it a customer, store owner, or delivery person. Hence, safe food delivery during corona manifests in contactless pick-ups and drop-offs. For example, most professional services such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash, Postmates, and Instacart have made contactless drop-off the default choice. Customers can choose from various options including meeting their delivery driver at the door; pre-arranged curbside drop-off and pick-up; and non-contact deliveries left at the door.
Best Practices for Safe Food Preparation, Pick-Up, and Delivery
The following guidelines on safe cooking, takeout, carry-out, and delivery during the corona pandemic come from expert Mandy Sedlak, the food safety and public health manager for Ecolab’s Ecosure division.
- Foundational food safety practices in the cooking space must be strictly followed. This includes keeping raw and cooked foods separate (hence the need for ample food preparation space), cooking foods to their proper temperature, and eliminating bare hands contact
- One person trained in food safety should be on your premises at all times (the FDA, CDC, and USDA have published guides on food safety amidst COVID-19)
- Prioritize sanitation: All your employees, drivers included, should be trained in proper hand washing procedures and personal hygiene. (According to the CDC, hand washing is among the top ways to prevent the spread of viruses)
- Supply hand sanitizers, hand wipes, and face masks to all personnel
- Limit the amount of people who come in direct contact with food, including those who prepare it, box it, and deliver it
- If customers are arriving for pickups, limit the number of people in line or inside your store to a handful at a time while maintaining physical social distancing of a minimum of six feet between individuals
- Arrange for payments to be hands-free or with minimal interaction
- Increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces areas
Hone Your Food Packaging Skills
Now is the time you can become an expert at food packaging: invest in high-quality materials that prevent leaks, spills, breaks, and soggy messes. Use sturdy containers that come with tamper-resistant seals or adhesive bands across the tops of lids and cups.
You can also train your staff on how to properly package food (with the goal of orders arriving in optimal condition). Here are some tips you can follow:
- Takeout bags should be doubled and closed securely
- Food packaging should be able to maintain food quality, including maintaining hot and cold temperatures during transport
- Package hot and cold foods separately. Hold hot food at 135° F or higher, cold food at 41° F or lower
In addition to putting a high priority on proper food packaging, you should set an upper time limit for food delivery to a maximum of two hours; and encourage consumption of food shortly after delivery. Best practices also include labeling each item clearly, including the time and date of pick up and expiration or “best before” dates.
In these days of increased interest in safety, provide customers with practical instructions, such as how to store, heat, and reheat foods. For example, leftovers should be refrigerated and eaten within two days or less. Foods served hot should be heated to a temperature of 165°F; once reheated, they should not be cooled and reheated a second time.
Safe Curbside Pickup
If you are providing curbside pick-up, encourage your customers to call when they are en route or pre-arrange a time so that their food is packaged and ready to be brought out to them or left on the side of the road. These actions limit the number of people that come into contact with your restaurant and your staff. Likewise, instruct employees who deliver food to avoid hand-to-hand contact, if possible, and to wash their hands immediately after each exchange.
Employee Health
Straight Up: Nobody who is sick or who has symptoms can work – period. The latter includes fever, sore throat, respiratory illness, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice. Recovering employees returning to work must be cleared by the health department or their doctor.
Handling Food Safely – What Consumers Want
Now that we know what the pros recommend, let’s take a look at what consumers (i.e. your customers!) are saying about what measures they want to know your restaurant is taking to handle food safely. According to survey results from Datassential, the leading provider of data, intelligence, and market research for the foodservice industry, here are the stats:
Sending sick staff home: 62%
Requiring kitchen staff to wear protective equipment: 61%
Requiring delivery personnel to wear protective equipment: 54%
Tamper-proof seals on food packages: 46%
Contactless food delivery: 44%
Fewer staff in the kitchen: 43%
Posted signs regarding food safety/sanitation procedures: 40%
Food packaged in wipeable/cleanable containers: 39%
Disinfectant wipes included with each order: 37%
Individually wrapped order items: 31%
Additional Services You Can Bring to the Table
Finally, here is some great news for restaurateurs. If you are among those for whom takeout and delivery is not a viable option, take inspiration from some innovative thinkers in the ‘biz: Survive the on-going corona pandemic by becoming a small grocer! With customer demand for groceries high and supply low, you can play a pivotal part in helping the industry. In the words of the president of the National Grocers Association Greg Ferrara: “Independent grocers are helping larger chains meet demand during this time as grocery stores are being restocked at unprecedented speeds.”
Good Health and Good Luck!