Food Safety During COVID-19: Some Tips
This article will discuss the topic of food safety during covid-19 and provide some tips as to how to ensure food is delivered safely. During the coronavirus pandemic, social distancing measures are in place and restaurants are closing. Businesses are doing all that they can in order to adapt to these extreme challenges. For most, this has meant switching their focus to the online ordering side of the business. Alternatively, even launching an online ordering service from scratch. The good news is that online ordering and delivery services can still operate.
However, restaurants still need to be cautious as human contact remains a major concern. If you are providing delivery services you must remain vigilant.
Bearing that in mind, here is a guide on the key steps and measures you should follow. This will help you ensure that the process is safe. Not to mention, in line with the current climate we are living in. Ensure your staff follow these steps so they can help to prevent the virus spreading.
Food Safety During Covid-19: Social Distancing
You need to ensure your drivers are practicing social distancing when on the job by offering contactless delivery. This is essential for delivery drivers to follow. Ask your drivers to remain two metres apart from other people. This applies to all stages of the process. In other words, from waiting to collect an order to delivering an order and the time in between orders.
Pick-up and delivery services must be contact-free. This means delivery drivers should not come into direct contact with customers, kitchen staff or anyone else. The process of delivering to the customer must be modified. For example, place the food outside their door or an agreed spot in a thermal bag.
Ensure your drivers call customers to let them know their delivery has arrived. Then get them to ask the customer where they would like it dropped off. In addition, ask them to stand back in relatively close proximity as the customer collects their food.
Food Safety During Covid-19: Eliminate Cash Transactions
Cut out cash transactions and have a card payment only policy at your establishment. Provide the option to pay securely by card when your customers are ordering online. This is another step toward eliminating physical interactions between delivery staff and customers which helps your staff maintain social distancing.
The best approach is to avoid cash payments wherever possible or reduce them to minimal levels. Customers can use card payments to purchase their food online. Alternatively, they can provide their payment details to the cashier over the phone when placing their order.
If you do not already take online orders on your website or on your own mobile app, MENUU can get you started. Online ordering is absolutely essential for a restaurant’s survival during these times.
Food Safety During Covid-19: Encourage Recommended Hygiene Practices
Urge your delivery staff to follow the recommended virus hygiene measures that apply to the general public. Urge them to be extra careful and cautious of this whilst they are working. Ask them to wash their hands, frequently and thoroughly to ensure they kill any germs or viruses.
Remind them to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. Another big consideration is respiratory hygiene. Ask them to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. In addition, ask them to correctly dispose of any used tissues immediately.
Ensure delivery staff wear face masks and gloves, particularly where concerns about maintaining physical distance persist. It may sound silly to mention all of this to your staff. However, it is vital in this time to remind your workers of the measures. Therefore, this is what will help prevent the virus spreading.
Conclusion
This article discussed the topic of food safety during covid-19. If you follow these steps and implement some changes to your usual procedure, you can continue to provide delivery to your customers safely during this current climate. Therefore, as a food businesses owner, you have a social responsibility to be cautious in this regard. This guide will help you to keep your existing customers during this time and hopefully gain some new ones too.
