Food delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, GrubHub, SkiptheDishes, etc. are experiencing record growth globally with projections revealing sustained expansion in the coming years. Condominium residents are opting more often to eat at home ordering takeout or delivery several times a week. It is the new normal.
It is no wonder why the food delivery services are doing so well. Ontario has 13,000+ condominium corporations that are homes to more than 1.7 million residents. Around 35% of all Torontonians are estimated to live in condominiums. Toronto has one of the highest number of condominium towers by volume worldwide.
The trend of increased food delivery is driven by convenience as consumers are willing to pay more for fast service. In some larger condominium communities, food deliveries exceed one hundred each and every day, each delivery being a significant risk to the community unless managed properly with resilient processes, vigilant security, and sound operational preparedness.
Diametrically Opposing Viewpoints
Not without controversy, food delivery in condominium settings is sparking wide ranging debate amongst residents on what is allow and not allowed.
On the one hand some angry residents voice their concerns to property management because of prohibitions being imposed on direct delivery to unit doors. These residents argue that they pay hefty maintenance fees and having to come down to pick up food at the site entrance in their pajamas is a major inconvenience. On the other hand, other upset residents voice their concerns over strangers being allowed into private areas of the building unescorted and without proper vetting.
Boards and property managers find themselves caught in the middle of this issue torn between two diametrically opposing viewpoints. Analyzing risk versus convenience should never be a hard issue to decide upon if you keep local politics out of the equation.
Riskboss has analyzed this issue extensively through over seventy-five condominium sites that we have been hired to conduct comprehensive risk assessments over the past sixteen years. We have come to several conclusions based on best practices and risk mitigation. Let’s analyze the risks involved so that Riskboss can provide some sage guidance and advice.
The Risk of Food Deliveries to Condominium Communities
Food delivery drivers are paid per delivery, hence the manic nature of such deliveries and the people involved. Everyone has witnessed rushed food delivery drivers wading in and out of traffic narrowly avoiding injury, using bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and running red lights.
When arriving at condominium communities food delivery drivers often illegally park in fire routes, rush in demanding the immediate attention of security regardless of whether security is already engaged, routinely dropping the food delivery on a table without registering with security, and taking off to their next destination. When floor access is allowed, drivers often knock on the wrong doors, leave food in the hallway floor at doors, in many instances the wrong doors, which is an Ontario Fire Code violation that prompts calls to security for remedy from angry residents.
Not only just an irritant, police services throughout North American warn that incidents of food delivery imposters who gain access to condominiums sites for example, carrying empty pizza boxes, being there only for the purpose of theft is on the rise.
With well over one hundred food deliveries to the average downtown Toronto condominium complex per day, this adds a significant burden to on duty security. Managing unknown and unvetted delivery drivers who routinely misbehave at sites distracts security from their primary duties, that being ensuring the quiet and safe enjoyment of residents and guests.
For those who live in condominiums in the GTA, we have all seen the piles of food packages in lobbies waiting to be picked up by hungry residents. What is not generally known is the frequency of homeless persons piggybacking in through the front entrance, selecting their favourite restaurant delivery, and running out often within 30 seconds. This trend is on the rise and poses a significant threat, let alone the irritation of reordering food that has been stolen.
Given our extensive experience in the condominium space, it is the opinion of Riskboss that while food delivery services offer convenience for condominium residents, it also creates significant and unacceptable security and safety risks and challenges for communities that has to be managed.
Allowing direct to door food deliveries to residential floors is an added burden to security personnel who must monitor delivery service activities amongst the many other critical duties they already have. The high volumes of food deliveries often overwhelm the capacity of security especially at single guard condominiums complexes. Given the high volumes, allowing direct to door delivery is simply unmanageable.
Given that many condominium sites are limited to one guard per shift, have no fob restricted elevators, and no CCTV surveillance at elevator landings at floors, Riskboss does not recommend food deliveries to suite doors, except of course for those with mobility issues.
Further, delivered food being openly placed in condominium lobbies visible to the street has been found to be a strong attraction to the homeless who trespass into sites piggybacking residents to steal food, something that should be avoided at all costs. The use of cabinets is highly recommended.
Riskboss recommends the following:
- Create a building Rule strictly prohibiting door delivery of any kind (exclusions should be made for residents who require assistance)
- Designate a dedicated (hidden) food delivery area or an enclosed cabinet
- Refuse entry for food deliveries past the security desk into the interior of the condominium
- Ask residents to include instructions for all food delivery orders
- Optimize elevator restrictions with fob access technology
By managing this new normal, condominium communities will eliminate incidents of DoorDash for the Homeless and reduce risk to the community.