Wagamama has announced it is beginning to reopen its kitchens for deliveries.
The pan-Asian chain is the latest big name brand to start offering takeaways again, following the likes of Nando's, KFC, Burger King and Greggs in a 'phased reopening'.
Two sites in London - in Peckham and Hackney - will be the first back in action, with orders available through Deliveroo.
They will be followed by its other delivery kitchen sites – which are standalone kitchens away from restaurants – in Bow and Leeds.
A reopening of restaurant kitchens could then follow, but bosses say they will take a 'test and learn' approach to find out what operational changes they will need to put in place first.
The chain has six sites in Greater Manchester: three in the city centre, and others at Parrs Wood, MediaCity and the Trafford Centre.
All its restaurants across the country were closed last month as part of the nationwide lockdown.
The delivery trial comes a week after “new operational practices” started to be tested at the site in Peckham, where it produced 1,000 meals for NHS frontline workers.
Wagamama said it has a devised a schedule to allow staff to “slowly return to delivery-only work at their own discretion” as part of the phased opening programme.
Emma Woods, chief executive officer of Wagamama, said: “We have made the decision to start a phased re-opening for delivery, with the initial opening of our delivery kitchens.
“We have taken medical advice on how we keep our teams safe in a kitchen environment from a doctor who advises on health and safety in challenging operating environments, including previous experience in the cruise industry.
“This will be very much a test-and-learn approach for the business and roll-out depends on team and customer feedback.”
The company has enlisted Dr Kate Bunyan, chief medical officer at digital health provider Doctor Care Anywhere, to put protocols in place to protect staff.
“I have been working with Wagamama over the last few weeks to introduce new safety protocols, so their teams can feel safe, whilst providing the important service of food preparation for delivery,” Dr Bunyan said.
“These now include the mandatory use of health questionnaires before every shift, no contact with delivery riders and increased frequency of hygiene regimes.”
