Restaurants, bars, and food stores across the country – from New York to Los Angeles – have been closed until further notice, due to the coronavirus outbreak. Both the CDC and the White House have sent out guidelines detailing why large gatherings and social contact are not a good idea at this moment, so having a barbecue or lunch in the park with your friends is out of the question too.
That means, to slow down the spreading of COVID-19, the authorities are recommending that people distance themselves from others and stay quarantined for the following few weeks. That also means, with social gatherings out of the picture, the only way to have a decent meal is to stay home, turn on your favorite show, and enjoy the food in peace.
But, it’s not a hopeless situation! This map from Kinsa Insights shows that, while there are various hotspots across the nation, it does seem that social distancing is having a positive effect on flattening the curve.
With that being said, what’s the best way to keep yourself safe, sane, and away from eating rice and beans for days on end from your emergency stash?
Luckily, we’ve got the answers!
Food Delivery as the Best Option
For many Americans, good meals are a reality thanks to numerous meal delivery services out there. Of course, when the well-being of your family is on the line, being somewhat skeptical is perfectly normal. Most people have two questions concerning food delivery services:
Are meal delivery services safe to use?
Are delivery people at risk of catching the coronavirus?
Let’s answer the first question right away. While some people are afraid of having others handle their food, in reality, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Most experts – including Martin Wiedmann from Cornell University – tend to agree that the chance of contracting the coronavirus through food or its packaging is basically non-existent.
The answer to the second question is a bit more complicated. The job of a food delivery person comes with certain risks, even when we’re not facing a worldwide virus outbreak. However, you have to keep in mind that the gig economy is suffering tremendously. Not ordering food from these services would leave the industry workers hurting.
In short, delivery services are medically safe and morally right, so there’s no good reason not to use them. When ordering meals during a pandemic, you should also try to lower the risk of contracting the virus for both you and the meal delivery workers.
Using Food Delivery Services Responsibly
As an American citizen, you not only have a responsibility to yourself but your family and your fellow citizens to make sure you’re being as safe as possible when using meal delivery. Here are a few things you should do when ordering food during the quarantine:
1. Research the Service Before Ordering
The first thing you need to realize is that people are a much bigger problem than food. When using a meal delivery service, you need to make sure that you’re working with a group of reputable people. A quick Google search will help find out more about the business you’re dealing with. You should avoid using their services if they have a low rating or if their social networks are full of negative comments. Working with organizations that support your local community can have a serious impact on small businesses and non-profits right now, as they’re likely experiencing a sharp drop in the revenue that keeps them operational. Not only that, but their employees are your neighbors, so helping them help the less-fortunate causes a positive ripple effect in our community!
2. Support Your Local Businesses
We can’t stress enough just how much your local businesses need your help. Quarantine measures will most likely hit them the hardest, so sparing a few dollars for them can mean a whole lot. But that’s not the only reason why you should use a local business. For starters, you can check up on local businesses much easier and find out more about them. Furthermore, people who only work within your community come in touch with fewer people and have less of a chance of contracting the coronavirus than others.
3. Always Keep Your Hands Clean
Keeping your hands clean is the most important thing you can do during the COVID-19 outbreak. After touching a potentially contaminated surface, you need to go and wash your hands with hot water and soap immediately. The process should last between 20 and 60 seconds. You should use a hand sanitizer if you don’t have any soap at the moment. You should do this even before opening the door to pick up your food. After you pick it up, you should throw the package in the garbage and clean your hands again.
4. Try to Minimize Human Contact
Practicing social distancing should be at the top of everyone’s priority list. As we established, people are the biggest problem during this outbreak. You need to minimize contact with your delivery person as much as possible if you don’t want to be a part of the problem. Most of you know that the CDC recommends people stay six-feet apart at all times to avoid contracting the virus. For that reason, the person delivering your food should leave it in front of your door and you should leave their money there as well, to avoid contact.
5. Be Sure to Leave a Good Tip
As we mentioned, these workers are going through a hard period right now. Independent services need your help now. The gig economy is rough: people who stay home to rest aren’t getting paid. Furthermore, since the delivery person is risking their health by doing their job correctly, you should make sure to give a generous tip every time. A standard 15% tip would mean a lot to someone and likely won’t break the bank.
Final Thoughts of Food Delivery Services
All in all, using meal delivery services is the safest way to keep a healthy diet, stay quarantined, and away from potentially infected people. Not only that, but your cash will help keep independent operators working during these hard times and allow them to keep their workers employed.
These people need an infusion of cash more than ever to stay afloat. The government is doing their part to help keep the American Dream alive for so many small business owners and entrepreneurs…and so you should you. Once the epidemic is over and everything goes back to normal, the economy and millions of workers will be more than thankful.
Looking for some yummy takeaway for tonight’s quarantine and Netflix? Check out our partners on the Drover Rideshare Food Delivery pages.
