Food safety for takeaway and food delivery.
Restaurants, takeaways and caterers that deliver meals need to control more than cooking alone. This guide covers the additional risks created by dispatch, transport and handover, including hot and chilled food, allergens, packaging, vehicles, delivery delays and HACCP records.
Practical guidance from TKEG (The Kitchen Efficiency Group), built around everyday UK hospitality compliance and kitchen operations.
Why does food delivery need its own food-safety controls?
Delivering food to customers changes the journey between preparation and eating. Food may spend longer away from kitchen temperature control, pass through vehicles and insulated bags, and be handled by drivers or third-party delivery platforms before it reaches the customer.
The Food Standards Agency says businesses that start delivering should consider the new or different risks and update their food-safety management system so the food placed on the market remains safe. Existing HACCP or SFBB procedures should therefore cover the delivery process, not stop at the kitchen door.
Keep hot food hot and chilled food cold during delivery
Food that needs refrigeration should be kept cool during transport, using suitable insulated boxes, cool bags or coolant where needed. Food intended to be delivered hot should be packed in equipment that helps retain heat, such as insulated delivery bags.
There is no single delivery time that makes every meal safe. The business should define a safe process based on the food, starting temperature, packaging, route and expected journey time, and should review that process if delays or repeated temperature problems occur.
Package food securely and prevent contamination in transit
Meals should be packed so they remain protected from contamination, spillages and physical damage during transport. Containers and packaging should be suitable for food contact and appropriate for the temperature and type of food being carried.
Allergen-free or specially prepared meals should be clearly identifiable and kept separate enough in transit to reduce the risk from spillages or mix-ups. Sealed packaging can also help protect food from handling and environmental contamination after it leaves the kitchen.
Allergen information must be available before ordering and at delivery
For food sold online or by telephone, mandatory allergen information must be available before the purchase is completed and again when the food is delivered. That can be provided in writing or, in some circumstances, orally, but the information must be current and accurate.
FSA best practice is to provide written allergen information both before ordering and at delivery. Clear labels, stickers or an enclosed menu can help customers identify the correct meal, particularly where several dishes or allergy-related orders are being delivered together.
Third-party delivery platforms do not remove the food business responsibility
Restaurants may take orders through their own website, by telephone or through a third-party delivery platform. Whatever route is used, the food business still needs a reliable way to provide accurate allergen information, manage special requests and make sure the correct meal is prepared and dispatched.
Where a third-party platform displays menu or allergen data, changes to recipes, suppliers or ingredients should be reflected promptly so customers are not relying on outdated information. Staff should know what to do when an allergy request arrives through the ordering system.
Delivery vehicles and bags need hygiene controls
Vehicles, delivery boxes and reusable bags should be kept clean and suitable for carrying food. If a vehicle or container has carried non-food items, effective cleaning may be needed before food is transported to prevent contamination.
The business should consider where bags and boxes are stored between journeys, how spills are cleaned, whether raw and ready-to-eat foods are ever transported together, and how damaged or dirty delivery equipment is taken out of use.
Do not let delivery delays become an invisible food-safety failure
Traffic, driver shortages, incorrect addresses and stacked multi-order routes can extend delivery time. Businesses should decide what action is required when the planned delivery process is exceeded rather than assuming food is still safe because it eventually reached the customer.
Corrective action may include replacing an order, discarding affected food, changing delivery zones, reviewing dispatch timing or improving insulated equipment. The right decision depends on the actual food-safety risk and the evidence available.
Update HACCP or SFBB when delivery becomes part of the operation
The FSA specifically advises businesses that move into food delivery to review and update HACCP procedures. The assessment should cover preparation, packaging, dispatch, transport, handover, allergens and the controls used when something goes wrong.
For smaller catering businesses, SFBB can still provide a practical framework, but the safe methods and diary should reflect how the business actually operates, including delivery if that is now part of the service.
Useful records should support the delivery process
Useful evidence can include dispatch or temperature checks where appropriate, delivery-equipment cleaning, allergen information and recipe updates, driver instructions, complaints, rejected or replaced orders, and corrective actions after delays or temperature failures.
Records should be proportionate rather than excessive. Their purpose is to help show that the delivery process was understood, controlled and reviewed. TKEG can bring these records together with kitchen checks, temperatures, allergens and corrective actions in one due-diligence trail.
Practical guidance, checked against official UK sources.
TKEG guidance is written for practical hospitality use. Where a topic involves regulation, official schemes or workplace safety, businesses should also consult the current guidance from the relevant authority and apply it to their own operation.
TKEG is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Food Standards Agency, HSE or a local authority. Official guidance and legal requirements take precedence where applicable.
Put the guidance through a practical check
Use our free interactive tools to assess inspection readiness, generate a tailored checklist, check temperatures, review training needs, test allergen and COSHH controls, or review your HACCP-based food-safety management system.
Food Hygiene Rating Readiness Checker
Review 12 practical inspection-readiness checks across food handling, premises and management.
Use free tool →Commercial Kitchen Compliance Checklist Generator
Generate a practical checklist tailored to your hospitality business and operating processes.
Use free tool →Commercial Kitchen Temperature Safety Checker
Compare chilled, hot-holding, cooking and reheating readings with common UK reference points.
Use free tool →Food Hygiene Training Requirements Checker
Check the training, instruction and supervision appropriate to different hospitality roles.
Use free tool →Allergen Compliance Self-Check
Review allergen information, staff procedures, cross-contact controls and PPDS labelling.
Use free tool →COSHH Compliance Self-Check
Review hazardous substances, COSHH assessments, storage, dilution, PPE, training and emergency controls.
Use free tool →HACCP & Food Safety Management Self-Check
Review hazards, controls, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, records and staff understanding.
Use free tool →Explore the main UK kitchen compliance topics
Move between the core topic hubs to understand how food-safety records and controls connect.
Continue with closely related guidance
Food allergen requirements
Read the TKEG guide.
Food-contact materials and packaging
Read the TKEG guide.
Cooking, reheating and cooling temperatures
Read the TKEG guide.
Food storage and stock rotation
Read the TKEG guide.
Food safety corrective actions
Read the TKEG guide.
HACCP and food-safety management
Read the TKEG guide.
Related TKEG software and workflows
TKEG helps hospitality teams record, manage and evidence many of the day-to-day controls covered in our guides.
Common questions
Do takeaway businesses have to provide allergen information before an online order?
Yes. For distance selling, mandatory allergen information must be available before the purchase is completed and again when the food is delivered.
Does a delivery driver have to carry allergen information?
The information must be available at delivery. This can be provided in writing, such as labels or an enclosed menu, or through an appropriate oral method. FSA best practice is written information at both stages.
Does hot takeaway food have to stay above one fixed temperature for the whole journey?
Food must remain safe during delivery, but the correct control depends on the food and process. Businesses should use suitable insulated equipment, minimise delivery time and define the limits and corrective actions in their food-safety system rather than relying on one universal journey rule.
Can a restaurant use a normal car for food delivery?
A vehicle can be used if it is suitable and hygienic for the food being transported. The business should control cleanliness, contamination risks and temperature protection, and seek local-authority advice if needed.
Should HACCP be updated when a restaurant starts delivery?
Yes. FSA guidance says businesses adding food delivery should consider the new risks and review or update their HACCP or other food-safety management procedures.
Turn the paperwork into a working system.
TKEG brings food-safety records, compliance evidence and kitchen management together.