County Supervisor Barger Encourages Restaurants and Delivery Services to “Seal The Meal”

In the wake of a recent media report on unsafe food handling during deliveries in Los Angeles County, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger directing county departments to develop an educational outreach campaign on safe food handling for delivery platforms and restaurants.

“There are simple, easy-to-implement measures that can be taken to ‘seal the meal,’ which ensures that food is safe from contamination while in transport,” said Supervisor Barger, who suggested a cooperative approach rather than a regulatory action. “Restaurants and delivery services understand that sealed packaging and safe food handling practices improve overall customer satisfaction, which is good for business.”

In recent years, food delivery platforms have become increasingly popular among

Los Angeles County residents, helping restaurant sales surge. According to a Los Angeles Times article, food delivery sales have grown over 20 percent in the last five years. Food delivery mobile apps such as GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, Caviar, and DoorDash are important contributors to the economy. These services provide a supplemental income for drivers and ensure local restaurants are easily accessible to residents.

The motion states that while food delivery platforms are an overall benefit to our County, it is important to ensure drivers are practicing safe food handling. In addition to educating drivers about best practices, the effort will encourage sealed delivery packaging, in partnership with the California Restaurant Association, to protect food from contamination during transport. Collaboration between the industry and the county will mitigate an increase in consumer pricing while boosting consumer confidence.

Departments will report back to the board in 45 days with findings and recommendations.