Viking Food ramps up service to help local restaurants; also hiring laid-off workers
With restaurants now limited to takeout and delivery, Viking Food is ramping up its services.
Co-owner Kyle Mattox announced on Monday, March 16, that the business is prioritizing hiring restaurant workers who have lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The company, which delivers restaurant meals throughout much of Whatcom County, had 60 drivers on staff before last week. It’s added 10 more drivers and plans on hiring more, Mattox said.
“We really wanted to reach out to the employees of restaurants that have been hurt by all this,” Mattox said, adding that the focus is getting through this together as a community.
Mattox also announced that it will provide a 5% discount on all orders as a way to spur sales and keep the local restaurants in business.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Sunday that all restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities will be closed starting Tuesday, March 17. The ban does not apply to grocery stores or pharmacies. Restaurants are allowed to provide meals for pick-up or be delivered. Also, gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited for now.
Mattox said they’ve had a big increase in orders in the past few days and that additional driver are needed to meet that demand.
Last week Viking Food also instituted some extra steps to try and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. That included waiving the signature requirement for payment and adding an option on the website/app to have the food dropped off at the front door without customer interaction. Drivers are also being told to take steps like extra cleaning/wiping things down.
Viking Food has also seen an uptick in the number of restaurants that want to be a part of the service. Mattox estimates that they have more than 100 restaurants using the service.
He added that ordering online is a little quicker than calling in an order, but they do have extra staff taking calls. To order online, visit ordervikingfood.com. To call in an order, the phone number is 360-922-0819. Laid off restaurant workers interested in being a driver should call in order to be prioritized.
