Regarding James Reed’s May 29 letter, “No five-second rule,” I would like to remind him that the people who deliver our food orders, our online orders, our packages and our mail are essential workers who are performing an important service in meeting our needs for meals and other items, and that they deserve our gratitude and respect (and generous tips). None of the delivery people I know “toss food like they would to a dog.”
Of course, Mr. Reed is correct that we don’t want to place on our kitchen counter any packages or food cartons that have been on the ground or on the porch or driveway. We solve this at our house in two ways: We have a table in the garage where we let mail and nonperishable packages remain for several hours before opening them, bringing only the contents inside, tossing the containers in the recycling, and washing our hands.
We unload take-out food there as well, transferring it to our own platters. For larger orders, like several grocery bags, we have an old plastic tablecloth that we drape across the counter while unpacking the bags, so that the bags don’t touch our counter, either.
Maybe these suggestions will help. But please do remember that our delivery folks are doing the best they can in times that are trying for us all.
Sharon Rishe, Millcreek