Food pickup and delivery were extremely popular during the confinement, as it was the only way for citizens to keep living as they used to. But some experts have started to show some concern about this method, and how Covid-19 spreads. But how significant is the risk of COVID-19 when handling pickup and delivery items?
While the chances of transmission via food courier are considered extremely low, experts say that taking precautions can really help minimize the risk of contracting the virus. In this article, you will know more about food pickup and delivery, and how the food is protected with custom-printed tape.
All the Steps Recommended to Be Protected
In order to continue pickups and deliveries during the pandemic, some measures have had to be respected In order to protect everyone:
For home delivery: For this type of delivery, proper distancing with the driver is highly recommended. Most of the time, the driver is asked to leave the food at the door. You have more chance to be infected by a person than a product. We all have to remember that the virus can still survive up to 24 hours on cardboard and other surfaces, like plastic (72 hours). Of course, there exists a very small possibility that the driver may have sneezed or coughed when taking care of your order, but the chances of him getting the virus on your food are really slim and are very unlikely. For more protection, wash your hands before and after handling the food, and throw away the packaging as soon as possible.
For pickup: There also exists a small possibility that the person who took care of your order may have sneezed or coughed while preparing it. But then again, the chances of contamination are slim to none. If you are very afraid of being contaminated, there are some steps you can follow as soon as you get home. For instance, you can heat the food or drink something, and make sure to wash your hands before and after handling the food. But most of the time, people handle the food for a very short period of time before giving it to you.
According to scientists, there is not really much evidence that people are getting sick that way. If it were the case, we would have seen more cases of contamination with food pickup and delivery during the pandemic.
Curbside Pickup: The Next Pick Up Habit
You may not know what it is, but it became extremely famous during the pandemic. When businesses offer curbside pickup, it means that they allow their customers to buy from them online and let them come to the business location (or “curb”) to pick up the order without leaving the car. It is known as the new drive-through. But why is it becoming so important?
Safety First: With curbside pickup, your order is given directly to you by restaurant employees and will be in a sealed tamper-proof package made with custom printed tape.
Less-Contact Solution: As difficult as it is, “no contact” has become our new normal. Now, we pay and order online, and then pick up the order later. This is why curbside is the best no-touch option available. You pay online and then you pick up the food while staying in your car. That way you minimize every contact.
Better Quality: With curbside, you have better quality than any other takeout. It’s hotter and fresher when you get it yourself, and it is also handled with more care in your car.
Convenience: With the no-touch curbside option, it goes fast since you have already paid online. If you are battling against the clock, what is better than going to your favorite restaurant and just picking food up in less than a minute following your order?
Brand Identity and Marketing: Curbside gives you the feeling that it is more personal than a small drive-through window. There’s something special about having an employee running out to your car and handing you a bag of your favorite restaurant food. Moreover, social marketing of curbside experiences will help drive-throughs grow, and will make them the top choice in the future.
The Use of Tamper-Proof Safety Tapes to Ensure Safety
For all the food companies, the safety and trust of their clients are very important. This is why some of them have found a way to prove that the food was handled correctly and safely at the curbside. For example, at Pizza Hut, you can now see tamper-proof safety tapes on the boxes. That way, the customers are sure that they are the first to touch their food after it was cooked. Also, Pizza Hut’s parent company, Yum! is doing the same thing with their products, in all their restaurants.
The use of custom printed tape is actually a very good idea. First, it ensures the brand’s distinctness and consciousness. Then, it displays your brand and offers the best first impression when your client picks up the product, which is very good advertisement when they talk about it to other people. And finally, they can carry important messages such as ‘Covid-19 seal’, ‘protected’, which is really important for the customer to know. Also, it is well known that it is impossible for someone else to tamper with the tape without leaving proof, which gives customers the certainty that the cook was the only one who touched the food.
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