Posted by Irene Monokandilos
While the popularity of delivery driving reaches new heights with companies like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub becoming the norm, delivery service is nothing new. Chances are, you’ve ordered pizza far before the advent of such companies. In the same vein, to-go orders continue to see a rise in popularity.
In fact, 60% of U.S. consumers order delivery take-out at least once a week. 31% of Americans say they use a third-party delivery service at least twice a week. More and more consumers are having their groceries delivered to them. Simply put, it’s a great time to be a delivery driver. But with great power comes great responsibility. Your delivery drivers are directly responsible for keeping food (and thus consumers) safe.
Just as you train food handlers and managers, so should you delivery drivers. This food safety training helps prevent foodborne illness, promotes employee health, ensures you’re following COVID-19 safety protocols and improves customer experience.
Prevent Foodborne Illness
Bacteria, viruses, and parasites – oh my! Scallan et al. (2011) estimated that foodborne pathogens cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3000 deaths in the U.S. every year. Food delivery exposes food to safety issues like cross-contamination and temperature abuse. Proper training in proper temperature storage and handling, proper hand-washing, and personal hygiene, as well as cleaning and sanitizing, helps your team prevent customers from becoming sick from your food.
Improved Customer Experience
Food safety training for delivery drivers helps to ensure your customers have the best possible experience with your business. Faster, safer delivery results in an improved likelihood of repeat business.
Conclusion
Just as regular food workers in your establishment must obtain food handler and alcohol seller certification, delivery drivers require proper training. A4DD (Association for Delivery Drivers) has partnered with Zosi to offer fast and easy online food safety training tailored for drivers. Click here to learn more!
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