Switching To Touch Less Delivery Or Take-out? Some Things You Should Know.

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The following is a list of some suggested best practices which may help provide a safer and seamless experience for your curbside pickup or delivery guest.

While the list below is not part of the official United States CDC guidelines nor is it meant to be, it is a summary of some of the examples we have seen. Please follow the CDC, OSHA, NIH, and other authorities' requirements. We are not responsible for illness, death, or any harm incurred by any person due to the use or the following of these guidelines.

1. Technology and Social distancing with your customers:

a. Use pickup/delivery applications that track the customers location relative to your premises. When the client is in range or arriving prepare to place their order in their trunk only.
b. Make sure full payment is fulfilled on-line. (No-pens or guest checks should be handed to your guests for signature.)
c. Minimize the number of phone calls required to confirm an order by connecting your order platform to your POS or delivery platform.
d. Limit the variety of items available for carry out or delivery.
e. Offer beer, or wine (where legal) for carry out or delivery. (Make sure to verify identification and comply with legal age for service/sales and or delivery of any and all alcoholic beverage requirements in your area).
f. Automated thank you messages should be sent to the guests' device of choice. Promotional coupons, delivery offers, etc. can be sent in this fashion as well.

2. In House best practices.

a. Disinfect all working areas, doorknobs, phones, charge card readers, keypads (anything handled by your team or customers,) at opening, during service and at closing.
b. Pay particular attention to floors. (COVID-19 persists on floors, handles, and other surfaces. Check CDC guidelines for more information.) Workers should be sanitizing shoe soles and the shoes for use at your premises only. They should not be bringing in home shoes or other home items such as cups, plates, boxes etc. into your business. If legal, now would be a great time to establish a no smoking at anytime policy for your employees). 
c. Set working areas for packing, prepping and cooking to maintain CDC social distancing guidelines.
d. Guests should not come in to the establishment. Some jurisdictions are requiring guests and employees to wear masks.

3. Personnel Health

a. Upon arrival, you and your employees should remove outdoor garments and segregate them from the work environment.
b. If legal, check the temperature of your employee(s) at the beginning and the end of the shift. (Use no touch thermometers and sanitize according to CDC specifications). 
c. Interview your workforce and ask them if they have a cough, fever, headache or other symptoms, or if they have been in contact with or exposed to anyone with COVID-19. Check with your Health, Employment and other authorities for specific liabilities. All these guideline apply to you as well.
d. Hands should be washed following CDC guidelines. Hand sanitizer should be used regularly.
e. Personal cell phones/devices should always be sanitized and not used during the shift.
f. Only sanitized, employee-specific-and-appropriate face, hand, and garment protection should be used. (Follow CDC and Health Department guidelines).

4. Touchless order fulfillment
a. A clearly visible order number should be on the guests' items for them to give you a thumbs up from inside their vehicle.
b. If guests are on foot, they should be standing in a clearly marked cue maintaining CDC social-separation guidelines. Signs should be posted to require your customers' social distancing as well. No-one should be granted access to the interior of your premises.
c. The customers' orders should be placed in the trunk of the guests' vehicles and minimum conversation between your staff and the customers should take place.
d. Orders should not be handed through the driver or passengers door!!!
e. Handle any order mistakes, concerns, compliments, or complaints from your establishment's phones.

5. Delivery Driver Suggestions

If legal: All of the above information should apply to delivery personnel. In addition, all delivery drivers should:

a. Sanitize their vehicles, including the front dash board, steering wheel, inner and outer door handles, touch screens, consoles, trunk, and the floor mats. (Before first delivery, during delivery cycle and after delivery). (Again, this is neither a comprehensive nor official list)
b. The driver should leave the package(s) at the customer designated location. There should be no customer interaction with the driver. (Your restaurant order-taker or app should confirm receipt with the customer via phone or via app.) Gratuities should be handled on-line.

We can never say, nor guarantee or claim that the aforementioned information is the legal or prescribed official list for the safest, touch less customer experience. It does highlight some ideas to help you navigate through our new customer fulfillment realities.

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