Tips for Ordering Takeout during Covid-19

This is a strange time we are living in and it is difficult to adjust to some new normals. One of these normals is going out and eating. Most states have closed restaurants to dine-in service but a lot are still offering takeout/delivery during this time. I have compiled 8 tips to follow when ordering takeout during Covid-19.

1. Check to see if the restaurant is offering delivery. Some restaurants have dedicated some of their employees to provide this service. If they haven't check a third party company that might be able to deliver straight to your door without you having to worry about getting out of the house and having contact with others. Some of these companies are Grubhub, Uber Eats, DoorDash, etc. These companies do charge a service fee but it might make you feel better about not interacting outside of just one person.
2. Check to see if you can order online. This will allow you to pay online and not have to exchange card information over the phone and will prevent you from having to hand your card or cash to someone once you get there. This has been one of the biggest things that I have tried to implement since Covid-19 has started and it gives me peace of mind knowing that all the interaction I will have with others will be grabbing my food.
3. Arrive at your restaurant prepared. Take things you will need to be safe with you. In my car, I keep a face mask, hand sanitizer, gloves, napkins, and even wet wipes because you never know what will happen once you get there and you might actually have to go inside the restaurant.
4. Call when you arrive. I know this sounds like an obvious one but unless there are people sitting outside under a tent waiting for you, they may not see you pull up. Take out doesn't mean curbside service but chances are if you have already paid online they may be willing to bring it to your car instead of you going inside.
5. Practice Social Distancing. I have seen a lot of great service during this time by the restaurants but it is also your responsibility to practice social distancing. If you see someone walk into the restaurant to pick up their food, don't go in until you see them leave. If they bring your food out to you have the trunk of your vehicle open so they can sit the stuff in and then they can walk away (It's hard to practice being 6 feet away when you are grabbing a bag through your car window).
6. Clean the outside of the packages. My hope is that the restaurants are practicing safe procedures but you can never truly know. Clean the outside of the packages or better yet, get rid of the packages and transfer the food to other plates and dishes. I heard of some families doing this outside of their house so that the restaurant packages never even enter their house. I have also heard that people have microwaved their food for 30 seconds to kill any bacteria on the food (I don't know if that is scientifically sound but it probably couldn't hurt).
7. Tip well if you can. It is a very hard time to be in the restaurant business and their employees are hurting too. If you can afford to tip then do it and be nice to them, they are probably doing the best that they can right now.
8. Encourage others to buy and support restaurants, especially local ones. If you had a great experience or your food was delicious then let others know about your experience. People are getting bored of PB & J sandwiches and cooking every meal so they are looking for something different. Your post on social media or word of mouth could be greatly beneficial for your favorite restaurant to continue staying in business.