Dining Out

Is anyone dining out (take out or delivery) despite the risk it entails? I am soley cooking at home now. I wonder how restaurants can survive this chaos.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

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I have had pizza delivery from a local mom-and-pop operation that uses their own employees as delivery drivers. I would never consider using any of these "third-party" services--far too much room for problems.

I didn't even think about the delivery services. That's a lot of unknown cross contamination coming into a home.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

I've been getting take out twice a week to support local businesses. I use uber eats because a lot of them don't have their own delivery service. I just wipe down the outside of the packaging before bringing it inside and wash my hands a lot. I don't think there's much difference between this risk and me having to go to the grocery store

I would suggest that anyone ordering takeout get only hot food items that can be reheated to a high enough temperature to kill any germs.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2020 01:26PM by JASFLALMT.

I'm only doing online order, curbside pickup, wherever. If that service is not available, I don't need the product. I'm cutting any possible risk associated with delivery. I picked up wings and a calzone yesterday. Ordered and paid for online. I pulled up, popped the trunk, and the employee put them in. I waved and smiled through the window of my car. Got home and my husband was waiting with a baking sheet. I dumped the food onto the sheet. He put it in a 175 degree oven for 10 minutes. I squashed the box, put it in the outside trash, came in and washed my hands.

The packaging is the risk. I've read that 145-165 degrees for 1-3 minutes is sufficient to kill the virus on prepared food. I'll also avoid cold foods.

I don't even like doing curbside groceries and i clean all the items before putting them away. I'm not having anyone else prepare our food. I would really like some chinese take out too.

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

.... I'm not having anyone else prepare our food. I would really like some chinese take out too.

I miss Chinese delivery. This is 'Informed Woman' month. We could learn to cook like that...

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

I make a really good Thai-style fried rice using filet mignon and an assortment of vegetables. Beyond the usual peas and carrots, I use roasted garlic, mung bean sprouts, fresh mushrooms, onion, fresh asparagus spears, and snow peas. OMG I know what I need to get from the produce market next week...

I still think as long as you are heating the food up to a certain temperature, you are safe eating takeout (just disinfect the packaging when you bring it inside and wash your hands, like Mert described above).

Was it CQ that posted the video about the doctor explaining how to wipe down groceries? At the end he showed how to dump fast-food onto a plate without the container touching the plate. He then said to microwave or heat up the food and that should kill any germs. That being said, I would still be picky as to where I would get take-out from. I did get a small pizza from a local grocery store where the meal prep space was clean and the employee was wearing gloves. I microwaved the pizza slices when I got home.

Kim

Hubby and I are continuing our Saturday night date night with carry out. Each week we've picked a different local restaurant.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

I have received a lot of emails urging people to support their restaurant with take out and delivery orders. They highlight a contactless experience. So far, we've just ordered from our local pizzeria. We do it once a week regardless of the current events. They left it on my porch and called when they did so. I asked the owner if I could leave a tip on my charge card when I ordered. Sweet man said not necessary but I insisted. Tommorow morning DH is going to get Bagels and cream cheese. Will make Columbian coffee to start our online day.

This paying for your own meals out stuff is for the birds! I am not used to that anymore!

Another month or two of this no gas station stuff and I may have to break down and buy my own soda too! How do people live like this? [sarc]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2020 08:24AM by JustForFun.

JustforFun, I know exactly what you mean. I realized most of my meals were reimbursed. As a matter of fact, so were my groceries.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2020 06:39AM by HonnyBrown.

Yeah, I told hubby yesterday that, for the first time in FOREVER, I had to pay for my own paper plates! (among other groceries!)

We used to eat out about once or twice a month. Now, not even that.

I'm not doing any sort of drive-thru or take-out. For me, it's not worth the risk at all. Besides, I have a chef at home who cooks from scratch every day. Currently, we have two kinds of soups, fresh pretzels, fresh ciabatta bread, two kinds of cookies, fresh strawberry lemonade, fruit salad, and stir fry.

I went out yesterday and saw restaurants with signs advertising that they were open for take out.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Before mystery shopping, we would eat out once a week. I don't feel it's worth the risk now. I'm trying to reduce any unnecessary contact with people since I have some kicking asthma.

How full is your inhaler? I was at the doctor this week for a checkup, and they asked me if I was all set with my inhaler. She said they are getting really scarce as that is a treatment for the side effects some have with the virus.

@Niner wrote:

Before mystery shopping, we would eat out once a week. I don't feel it's worth the risk now. I'm trying to reduce any unnecessary contact with people since I have some kicking asthma.

Kim

Got an email today that our local family owned pizzeria is closing temporarily. Sadness for all.

Sad...so sad.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

@kimmiemae wrote:

How full is your inhaler? I was at the doctor this week for a checkup, and they asked me if I was all set with my inhaler. She said they are getting really scarce as that is a treatment for the side effects some have with the virus.

@Niner wrote:

Before mystery shopping, we would eat out once a week. I don't feel it's worth the risk now. I'm trying to reduce any unnecessary contact with people since I have some kicking asthma.

I don't use it. If I stay away from strong chenicals, smoke, perfume etc, I'm okay. I still have a full inhaler and half of an advair disk. Wow, it didn't occur to me that asthma meds would be scarse. Thanks for letting me know!

I ordered a Chipotle delivery with no problem, they used Uber, it was delivered on the minute I scheduled it for. Read Neiman Marcus is filing for Bankruptcy, hard pill to swallow.

Live consciously....

DD told me awhile ago that Cheesecake Factory was refusing to pay their rent. She has a $50 GC and will order take out soon. Today, all 5 of us received $10 in rewards from BJs Brewhouse. We will order curbside before May 3.

Pizza delivery always happens here on Wed. or Thursday. Love it!

My husband is working from home and his company has come up with a new idea of having a virtual lunch hour every Friday. The company would reimburse the meal that the employees would order through Doordash. I heard him mentioning to his colleague "I've been carrying lunch from home for years now. You think her highness would let me eat an outside meal at home during a pandemic." Boy, did he get an earful!

A local cafe sent me an email that someone had paid for my lunch and delivery. I thanked them and let them know that I cook all of my own meals.

A "free lunch" is never free. I'm very suspicious of this.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

You're right to be suspicious! While it may indeed be perfectly innocent, it seems to me that a friend who wished to treat you to lunch would have personally made arrangements with you to do so. This sounds like a very "slick" way to get you to verify your street address. I know that I tend to be cynical, but "better safe than sorry." I would even go so far to suggest that if you still have the email, you might want to show it to your local law enforcement.

Opanel, that's interesting. Why would I show it to the local police?

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

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