Just Eat, the leading food delivery app in the UK, has launched 'Good Deed Feed', backed by the British Takeaway Campaign (BTC), to shine a light on the restaurant and takeaway businesses across the country going above and beyond to support their local communities during the COVID-19 crisis.
With over 35,700 restaurant partners on its platform, Just Eat is using its network to share stories of local takeaway #foodheroes in towns and cities across the nation, to champion the businesses involved and help inspire and encourage others who want to help their communities too.
The Good Deed feed follows a £10m emergency support package which Just Eat launched last month to assist small independent Restaurants Partners maintain their operations and support staff.
As part of Good Deed Feed, Just Eat is calling on consumers to recognise their local takeaway heroes too. Send details of your favourite takeaway and the great work they’re doing to help their local community to @justeatuk with the hashtag #GoodDeedFeed.
From feeding staff at local hospitals to delivering care packages to the elderly and vulnerable, takeaway owners and their staff are working hard across the UK to help those in need, despite facing the impacts of COVID-19 themselves.
Andrew Kenny, UK Managing Director, Just Eat, said, “At Just Eat, we’re committed to supporting our restaurant partners, many of which are small, often family-run businesses. The restaurant operators we work with are some of the most hard-working individuals you’ll ever come across.
“Whether it’s feeding people on the front line or delivering groceries to the vulnerable in self-isolation, takeaways and restaurants across the country are going above and beyond to help their local communities. To put others first during these uncertain times, shows true dedication and we want to champion that.”
Ibrahim Dogus, Chair of the British Takeaway Campaign, added, “Takeaways and restaurants up and down the country are responding to the government’s call and stepping up to the challenge of keeping our nation fed under incredibly difficult circumstances, with many funding their efforts out of their own pocket.
“We want to say thank you to them all. Their ongoing support to their communities needs to be recognised and applauded. It’s a beacon of positivity during what is a very testing time for us all.”
Scotland's Monterey Kack's chain (delivery car pictured) is a perfect example of how a restaurant business has adapted to help those most in need.
Having closed all eight of its restaurants, management worked with team members to set up a voluntary scheme which provided free food and drinks to vulnerable people in the community and NHS workers.
They have set up a soup delivery programme for vulnerable people that runs three days a week and coffee and cake service for NHS workers that runs two days a week. It also donates a selection of burgers, pizzas and hotdogs to NHS workers twice a week.
Richard Fergin said, “We set up the scheme to help vulnerable people in the community,
as well as frontline NHS workers, but also because the majority of our staff are young and able, and want to do something to help out.”
Clare Cam and her husband have had a takeaway business in Essex for over 10 years and also opened a new premises in January. Throughout this crisis they have been delivering free pizzas to their local hospital on a weekly basis, and have also been delivering free hot food to the elderly, vulnerable, and those who cannot afford meals.
They have seen an uptick in orders as the community supports their small business through the pandemic, and have had to draft in extra help in the form of Clare’s dad to keep delivering meals.
Jay Alom, owner of Lime Pickle in Birmingham, who was named Best Takeaway in Britain in the 2017 British Takeaway Awards, announced a two-week scheme to provide meals to NHS workers in the local area.
So far, the business has donated over 300 free meals. In addition to this, Lime Pickle is also providing free meals to local care home residents and staff, with almost all residents too vulnerable to shop for themselves.
Prime Pizza has been a family run business in Sheffield for over 30 years, based right on the doorstep of the Northern General Hospital. Nabeel Nazir is used to having doctors, nurses and paramedic coming in for meals every day, so felt it was only right to thank them for their bravery and hard work during this crisis.
Prime Pizza offers 50% off all food to NHS workers on shift, as well as 25% off when they’re off-duty so they can enjoy it at home. The business is now offering deliveries only, including to the hospital, so that staff can feel safe when working, and they’ve seen a steady stream of business while keeping front line workers fed.
Good Deed Feed is the latest in a series of steps Just Eat has taken to support the sector at this challenging time. As well as the emergency support package for independent restaurant partners, Just Eat is also offering financial support for qualifying couriers who fall ill as a result of COVID-19 or may need to self-isolate, and last month, launched a daily discount for NHS staff, saving NHS workers and their families £250k in the first week alone.
As with any business where food is served, the health and safety of customers is of paramount importance to takeaway owners. In partnership with the BTC, Just Eat is providing information and guidance to all restaurant partners about how they can follow Government guidelines regarding social distancing and best practice health and safety standards.
