Would you still get a take away?

[Bridgeofpies]

Obviously all local restaurants have closed now (and rightly so). DH and I sometimes get a take away from our local Thai which is amazing and he really wants to get one tonight. They are still open for take away and you can pick it up direct contact free.

If we sanitise our hands after touching the bags / containers and don’t wait inside the building at all, is it safe to get a take away?

Would you get one?

Yes. Lots of restaurants have gone to takeaway only. It’s good to support your local businesses.

Definitely. We're hoping to support our favourite locals that way. We had a Nepalese takeaway last night from one of our favourite restaurants.

Yep supporting local businesses and all that

Yes we had a Wagamama last night and it was a real treat! The delivery driver was wearing gloves and a motorcycle helmet and left it on the step.

Absolutely I will. I don't think it's a risky thing to do.

Definitely. Need to support local restaurants. I still have to leave the house for some things like a pharmacy visit etc so there is always a risk of getting it that way as well.

Yes definitely.

My DS and I had a Giggling Squid Thai takeaway last night (early Mother’s’ Day treat from DS) and it was amazing!

It was delivered by Deliveroo, who have an option when you order, to request to leave food on doorstep.

Are you crazy????

It can't live on hot food. Wash hands and debox if worried.

Of course

Otherwise our favourite places & local businesses will be gone.

Well I wouldn't.
I'd like to know who is preparing my food and would prefer to know and trust them and their hygiene routine when there is an invisible virus killing thousands of people and they could be ignorantly coughing in my fried rice.

I've had about 5 takeaways this week. It's been a treat in time of need!

Gonna get restaurant takeout for mothers day

No.

There are too many variables. No contact delivery is great, but the food doesn’t magically appear in the box.

You never know who is making it, if they are carrying the virus, what their hygiene is. I’m in an at risk group so will not be risking it.

No way!

One of the best transmission method is via the mouth. I would not eat anything that hasn't been either cooked (kills virus) or washed well by myself.

With a takeaway you have no way idea about the cleanliness of the ingredients nor of the chef's hand hygiene!! Or if anyone else coughed on it...!

Of course not!

The actual delivery of the food is the least of the risks.

The actual food could so easily be infected. You have no idea whether any of the ingredients are virus infected, you don't know who prepared your food, how clean the kitchen is, who may have coughed on it etc etc.

As long as you're ordering from commercial restaurant kitchens with food safety standards, not from Joe Bloggs cooking from home, you're not appreciably increasing your risk. The virus can't live on food that has been thoroughly cooked, or on surfaces for long unless they're metal. Do a contact-free delivery, wash your hands well before eating, and bin the packaging straight away.

Even in Wuhan in the depths of the most stringent lockdown, food delivery kept going and was not a vector for infection.

Hmm a bit of a mixed bag of responses.

The restaurant is a Giggling Squid (they are so good aren’t they @AlinaSquareQueen!) so a small chain, not just some random person with a pot of noodles.

They have issued a statement saying they will be following strict hygiene practices etc BUT of course those who say no are of course right in that I don’t know if the chef has it or the person who is standing behind the desk and has been coughing into their air! I do want to support businesses that I value but not sure what to do here!

The actual food could so easily be infected. You have no idea whether any of the ingredients are virus infected, you don't know who prepared your food, how clean the kitchen is, who may have coughed on it etc etc.

There is zero of evidence of transmission through food. China had food deliveries all through their lockdown. Even if "ingredients" were infected, once they are cooked thoroughly then it's fine. I willstill get takeaways. Pay online, remove the food from the packaging immediately and put it in your own containers. Wash hands before eating, reheat if you feel the need.

Of course, this applies to places you already know have good hygiene. Probably not the best time to try a new place but other than that its fine.

Not at the moment though I would like to support local businesses just feels too risky.

@Grufallosfriends wouldn’t that be the same as fresh ingredients in the supermarket/green grocers/butchers though? You don’t know who has touched them previously to you then.

Hot food will generally be over 60 degrees and the virus won't survive. As someone pointed out, even China who were super strict on isolation and infection control encouraged food delivery services throughout the lockdown. Just be careful with the plastic bag

Yess! Mother's Day take out curry after a nice long drive

I haven’t yet but would do.

@bridgeofpies Yes, they are good!

I would risk it personally but can understand why plenty of others wouldn’t.

No not at all. Takeaway food rarely arrives at a decent safe temperature and who knows the status of those who have handled the food.
I'm astounded anybody considers this a safe option.