Burgers with a side of caution

It can take every shred of willpower to stroll past a fast-food joint on an empty stomach and not be distracted by the delectable smells wafting out. No doubt the past month has been challenging for those of us unaccustomed to going so long without indulging in fast food.

So it’s understandable one of the first things many people did when we moved to level three lockdown on Tuesday was to make a beeline to our local fast-food outlet for a takeaway fix. On one level, this simple act represents us reclaiming an aspect of our lives many would have taken for granted before Covid-19.

For some of us, however, splashing out on takeaways is a tangible way we can support local businesses forced to shut during lockdown. If ever there was a time to support our locally owned or run businesses, it’s now.

For the most part, eateries and fast-food joints have shown admirable resourcefulness in opening up for business while taking great care to follow physical distancing rules. In Wanaka, Stuff photographed a caravan cafe that was delivering food to customers via a wheeled cart and track assembly. Kiwi ingenuity at its finest.

If these small operators, with limited resources and staff, are able to deliver food and drink while sticking to level three rules, then it’s particularly disappointing that some bigger fast-food chains have been found wanting.

Images of takeaway customers crowding around a BurgerFuel store in Glenfield, Auckland, have caused justifiable alarm, and drew a ‘‘please explain’’ from WorkSafe. Even Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern weighed in on the matter, saying the company hadn’t fulfilled its obligations.

More than 700 complaints were received by officials soon after the country’s shifted to level three lockdown, mostly about a lack of physical distancing.

For its part, BurgerFuel said its stores were ‘‘inundated with a stampede of customers’’ above what it had anticipated. The chain is now limiting its online orders to prevent overcrowding – an admirable move when all businesses are desperate to get the tills ringing again.

For weeks, Hospitality New Zealand has told us about the damage the lockdown has caused the sector. Allowing food outlets to open, even under tight restrictions, is an important first step. But for the likes of BurgerFuel to say they were unprepared for the large crowd numbers is hard to understand given these businesses have coveted such mass cravings for their offerings.

The need for businesses to keep staff and customers safe during level three can’t be overstated. If someone was to pick up Covid-19 while crowding outside a takeaway shop, it could be up to a fortnight before they started showing signs of infection.

By that time, the country could have moved to level two and tracing and containing further infections would be that much harder. None of this of course may happen, but the risk is real.

It’s vital more businesses are allowed to start trading in the coming weeks, and all of us can play a part in helping local businesses get back on their feet. But expect officials and the public to have a low tolerance for any companies found breaching lockdown rules.

The last thing we want is for our fast-food burgers to become the nation’s banana peel.

All of us can play a part in helping local businesses get back on their feet. But expect officials and the

public to have a low tolerance for any companies found breaching lockdown rules.