Pizzas were one of the first products to be home delivered but now quick service and casual dining restaurants have also started to do the same as a way to increase revenue. Food delivery for most of the sector is still evolving and restaurants that undertake food delivery must be doubly cautious that food does not get contaminated either in the restaurant or during transit.
Reliability
Restaurants need to be careful about food safety and have in place reliable systems to ensure food is safe during packaging as well as transit. It can also be challenging to maintain the
- flavor and taste of the delivered food
- appearance and consistency of foods so they do not become soggy
- optimum temperature as recommended for food safety
- hygienic handling so food is safe for consumption
It is, therefore, important for restaurants to be careful about the items they include on the menu for home delivery. Reheating of the delivered food must not cause any changes or packaging must be such so food does not require reheating.
Packaging
Another important factor to keep in mind is the packaging material. Packaging material must be food grade quality and it must not leach chemicals into hot foods. You would also need
- separate packaging for delivery of hot and cold foods
- containers that are fully covered to keep out dust, flies, and insects
- insulated boxes for chilled items to maintain temperatures
Selecting the right packaging material that will not cause deterioration in food safety and quality is a primary responsibility of delivery restaurants. Compromising on the use of packaging that is unable to withstand temperatures or weight of specific foods might not go down well with consumers. Since food safety is important delivery restaurants must not use
- substandard packaging containers
- containers that cause toxicity
- cheap plastics that leach chemicals
Personnel
If you wish to build your reputation as a good delivery restaurant then you need to ensure that your delivery staff is trained to maintain personal hygiene. Not maintaining personal hygiene could cause contamination of delivery foods and lead to foodborne diseases. It is equally important to ensure that the clothing of food delivery personnel is neat and clean so there is no risk of contamination and food safety is fully maintained. Food handlers like delivery food packers, need to be
- trained in hygiene and sanitation
- aware of a proper way to pack items in bags or boxes
Food items must not be placed in a way that causes packaging to leak foods into others as that could pose food safety or allergen hazards risk.
Transit
When in transit cold and hot foods must not be in close proximity in order to maintain their temperature or that could cause food safety issues. Setting a time period for food delivery ensures that the food is delivered hot or chilled as required and ready to consume on arrival. That way the food remains fresh and chances of microbiological contamination can be ruled out.
