Some restaurants in Los Angeles are concerned that third-party delivery services such as UberEats and Postmates are not adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
HomeState, a restaurant outside of East Hollywood known for its Texas-style breakfast tacos, suspended delivery earlier this week. In an email sent to frequent customers, the restaurant explained that they will be temporarily suspending all third-party delivery options.
“We have lost confidence in their ability to maintain safe standards during this viral pandemic … it is a risk we are no longer willing to take,” the email read.
The restaurant will continue to offer no-contact pick-up orders as they work to develop an internal delivery system, which will help ensure that all orders leaving the restaurant are handled in a manner that upholds CDC standards.
“We’ve just taken all these precautions to make sure that we’re doing everything right,” said Logan Cochran, a HomeState employee. “We just can’t promise that [delivery drivers] are taking all the precautions that we’re taking.”
Delivery services have put in place new guidelines for their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet it is unclear how they have enforced them. UberEats introduced a “leave at door delivery” and is currently working to provide drivers with masks and sanitizing supplies. Postmates introduced non-contact delivery and encouraged both drivers and customers to adhere to CDC guidelines.
“For increased safety, we are giving drivers access to free protective gear, such as hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves. Additionally, we launched contact-free delivery and created the Grubhub Community Relief Fund to provide financial relief for our drivers and restaurants,” a Grubhub spokesperson said in a statement to Annenberg Media. Neither Postmates nor UberEats responded to a request for comment on HomeState’s decision.
Xena Amirani, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, returned home after the USC campus closed on March 20. Since returning home, Amirani has not ordered food from a restaurant due to her mother’s fear that doing so might expose the family to COVID-19.
“I don’t think it’s all that different [if restaurant workers deliver food instead of third-party drivers]. It’s only safer if you can prove that Postmates drivers definitively aren’t following CDC guidelines and that restaurant workers are,” Amirani said.
There is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, experts have said that ordering takeout and delivery is safe.
As of now, most in-service restaurants that offered delivery through third-party services before the COVID-19 outbreak, such as Thai by Trio, El Huero, and Northern Cafe, are continuing their partnerships. However, CDC recommendations may change as the pandemic continues.