The Minneapolis Health Department is committed to partnering with our businesses to provide information and support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food Pick Up Zones
Public Works is accepting requests from businesses who would like to establish a temporary ‘Food Pick Up Zone’.
Food Pick Up Zones can be established in an existing meter area or signed or unsigned parking area. Parking in Food Pick Up Zones will be limited to 10 minutes to encourage turn-over.
Restaurants and businesses can apply for a Food Pick Up Zone if the business:
- Is allowed to continue operation for pick-up and take-out foods
- Do not currently have their own off-street parking
Businesses should go to https://minneapolis.mn.roway.net/ to create an online account and apply for a permit. The permit will be free of charge and will be valid through March 30, 2020. The date may be extended depending on need and conditions.
Business who have questions about their application can contact Andrea Swenson at 612-673-3263 or [email protected].
Signs will be available for installation within two days. Installation for permittees will begin immediately. Public Works will be assisted by Traffic Control for both installation and enforcement.
Food safety for food delivered or picked-up
Find helpful tips on keeping food safe during delivery or pick-up from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Food Safety for Food Delivered or Picked-up (PDF)
Take-out and Delivery Only sign
Download and print a sign you can use in your business to let your customers know you are open for delivery and take-out orders.
Find helpful information on Food Safety for Delivery and Pick-up Services from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Where are we with COVID-19?
Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz issued emergency orders to close businesses where people gather.
Customer seating areas are closed as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17
What do I need to do?
If you have a customer seating area, it must be closed. Bars must be closed.
Can I still serve food?
Yes, you can stay open and serve food, but customers can’t eat in the establishment.
How to get food to your customers safely:
- Take out
- Delivery
- Window service
- Walk-up service
- Drive-through service
- Drive-up service
Social distancing
- Limit face-to-face interactions between staff and customers as much as possible.
- Keep a distance of at least 6 feet between staff, delivery drivers and customers.
Sick employees
- All of the normal employee illness requirements for reporting and exclusions apply. See Illness Reporting for Food Establishments (PDF)
- Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness should stay home and not come to work until they are:
- Free of fever (100.4°F.or greater using an oral thermometer), and
- For at least seven days, are free of signs of a fever, cough, and any other symptoms, and
- For at least three days, have not used fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines such as cough suppressants.
- An employee’s accrued sick and safe time hours are legally protected for their use due to Coronavirus symptoms, testing or infection. Protection extends to the employee and the employee’s care of a covered family member.
- FDA has provided additional guidance about employees with fevers and respiratory illness on their website Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions
Cleaning and sanitizing
What should I do to clean and sanitize?
- In addition to all of the regular requirements, The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) advises businesses to routinely clean high-touch surfaces. Examples of high-touch surfaces include tables, doorknobs, light switches, faucets, point-of-sale systems, keyboards, telephones, etc.
- MDH recommends food businesses use products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogen claims:
- EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the Cause of COVID-19
- American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries – Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fighting Products
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (for example, concentration, application method, contact time, and the use of personal protective equipment, and don’t mix them together!)
- Not all products are appropriate for food contact surface sanitizing.
Food safety and coronavirus
The FDA has put together a document of information on food safety and coronavirus.
The document states that, “Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19.”
Read more at FDA Food Safety and the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
More resources
- Find the City’s list of Frequently Asked Questions for businesses.
- Information for food businesses is on the City’s website at www.minneapolismn.gov/FLP
- Visit Strategies to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 in Minnesota (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/action.html) for updated actions you can take to protect yourself and your community.
- Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 information.