There was a time when takeout might have made a person feel guilty. Fast forward to 2020 – where sourdough starters are king and standing within swiping distance of friends is a distant memory – and suddenly ordering in is a noble pursuit.
In the aftermath of COVID-19 shutting all restaurants and bars, chefs and owners have turned to takeout as their only option for revenue. And as extensions for lockdown loom and Restaurants Canada estimates that 800,000 foodservice jobs have already been lost, hundreds of folks in the food industry have gathered together to support Canada Takeout and make every Wednesday #TakeoutDay.
Chefs including Mark McEwan, Ivana Raca, Nick Liu and Jason Bangerter urged Canadians to order takeout on the launch day (April 15th) to prevent restaurants from being forced to shut and to preserve a vibrant part of our culture. It doesn't have to be a Wednesday – any day you're beat from all that baking and making, put the whisk down, pick up your phone and support a local eatery.
While the safety of takeout debate rages on, ordering from any restaurant with a high standard of cleanliness and ensuring that your order is a contactless delivery (e.g. asking the driver to leave it at your door) should allay any fears diners have.
Whether it's every Wednesday, every Thursday or every single day of the week, know that by ordering takeout you're helping to inject some much-needed cashflow into local restaurants and giving them the best chance of remaining open long after quarantine is over.
