Senior Center Board offers restaurant delivery service

WORLAND — Big cities have GrubHub and DoorDash and Worland now has Van Go, a new restaurant delivery service started this week by the Worland Senior Citizens Center.

Senior Center Board Chairman Dan Frederick said the board realized that the local restaurants were “really hurting” and other communities in the country have restaurant delivery services. “We don’t have anything like that,” he said.

Wyoming restaurants, unless they can provide drive-thru, delivery or curbside delivery have been shut down through an order by Governor Mark Gordon. Dining in is not allowed and residents are not allowed in restaurants to pick up to-go orders.

He said along with providing a service that is in need now as restaurants try to stay in business through the novel coronavirus pandemic, there was also a need to keep the center’s drivers employed. He said the center’s public transportation/taxi service is still operational but “it does not have a whole lot of [riders] right now.”

Just like the taxi service, Van Go is available to all residents in Worland.

Frederick said on Monday that they were working on contacting all the restaurants to see which ones would sign up for the service. He said some already offer a delivery service. Those that sign up will be charged a small delivery fee that they can, if they choose, pass on to their customers.

Unlike GrubHub, DoorDash and other restaurant delivery services, residents in Worland must call the restaurants and all transactions will be handled by the restaurant.

He said all transactions will be taken by the restaurants so the drivers do not need to worry about taking transactions.

Frederick said there has been some early excitement about the service, while others have to check with their corporations before signing on.

Residents may check with the local restaurants to see if the delivery service is offered by them.

The service will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. seven days a week and in Worland and within a five-mile radius around Worland.

Drivers will be wearing masks (as now recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and gloves. They will be using hand sanitizer as well, Frederick said.