Delivery services descend on fast food outlets as lockdown rules ease
- Staff Writer: Sisonke Mlamla
Scores of food delivery drivers descended on food outlets/restaurants over the weekend after the lockdown regulations were eased.
Despite the government saying restaurants were open for deliveries only, delivery drivers in cars and scooters had to queue.
KFC in Observatory was one of those outlets, with scores of food delivery services queueing while waiting for their orders.
KFC Africa’s chief people officer, Akhona Qengqe, said the well-being of their teams, partners and customers had always been their highest priority.
“In addition to our regular stringent hygiene standards and protocols, we’ll implement additional safety measures to ensure a safe working environment for everyone - aligned to government regulations and guidelines,” Qengqe said.
Qengqe said their supply chain and aggregator partners (Uber Eats and Mr Delivery) had made a commitment, assuring them that they had stringent measures in place to protect their team members and customers.
McDonald’s executive for supply chain, marketing and technology, Daniel Padiachy, said the safety of people remained their top priority, and they were ready with the highest hygiene and food safety standards and procedures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
An Uber Eats spokesperson said their focus on safety was unwavering, and they remained committed to arming delivery people with the information they needed to stay safe.
“We have rolled out a number of new features and policies to help ensure their health and well-being, including info in-app, no-contact delivery and providing them with sanitising and mask reimbursement.”
Mr Delivery Food chief executive Devin Sinclair said ensuring driver and customer safety was Mr D Food’s foremost priority.
“Contactless delivery has now been implemented, with drivers instructed not to make physical contact with customers and to maintain a safe distance. Bags will be placed on a surface indicated by the customer, the driver will then back away and allow the customer to safely pick up the order themselves,” Sinclair said.
He said cash payments have been deactivated and customers could use one of the other secure electronic payment methods available in-app, credit or debit card, instant EFT or eBucks.
Cape Argus