Delivery Orders Keep Restaurants Busy

In recent months, Northland restaurants have been incredibly busy as delivery orders have stayed pretty consistent during the pandemic.

DULUTH, Minn. – In recent months, Northland restaurants have been incredibly busy as delivery orders have stayed pretty consistent during the pandemic.

At Domino’s Pizza in West Duluth, there has been a 30% to 35% increase in deliveries. The lobby to the store is closed so guests have to either call ahead of time or order online to get their food.

“Drive-thru options and everything are now in place, or were in place before opening up, but I think as far as the easiest and less anxious method would be just to deliver to your home,” said Cody Johnson, one of the delivery drivers for Domino’s Pizza.

Delivery drivers at Domino’s say they prefer online payment to cash payments as they provide a more safe experience for both parties involved in the transaction.

And over at Northern Waters Smokehaus in Canal Park, the restaurant has expanded its delivery area to the entire city of Duluth and to cities like Proctor and Knife River in response to COVID-19. The delivery zone was previously at 30th Ave. West and 30th Ave. East and up to Arrowhead.

“I would have to assume that a lot of people didn’t feel safe leaving the house, a lot of people were out of work when COVID first started,” said Tyler Bonam, the delivery manager at Northern Waters Smokehaus. “So rather than taking a risk, they knew we had safety measures in place. We would only knock on doors, we’d set the food down, we wouldn’t enter any houses, we’d deliver with masks and gloves on.”

Northern Waters even has a delivery team now rather than simply pulling people from the staff during busy workdays to make a delivery.

It should also be noted both Domino’s and Northern Waters Smokehaus also have cleanliness protocols in place to help them implement the safest deliveries as possible.