OTTAWA -- You can't dine in, but you can take out.
It's a message restaurant owners want Canadians to know, as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps business doors shuttered.
A campaign to encourage people to support their local restaurants is picking up steam. Called #TakeoutDay, the campaign encourages anyone who can afford it to order takeout or delivery from their favourite diner, eatery, pub, or greasy spoon.
Many restaurants are still offering takeout and delivery options. Some have shifted to delivery for the first time ever in an effort to survive the economic downturn.
Canada Takeout Day spokesperson Michelle Jobin tells CTV Morning Live's Annette Goerner the hope is to keep this campaign going until life returns to normal.
"We want Canadians to start today and order takeout or delivery from their favourite local restaurants every Wednesday," she says. "We need to be there for them now so that they can be there for us later when their doors reopen."
More than 294,000 workers in the accommodation and food service industries lost their jobs between February and March 2020, according to Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey.
Jobin says some people may be concerned about the safety of takeout or delivery food, but restaurants are working to ensure the safety of their customers as well as their employees.
"There's a lot of fear, in general, but government has declared takeout and delivery to be an essential service, so that's very important to keep in mind," she says. "Restaurants are taking the initiative to make sure they're putting best practices in place."
The Great Kitchen Party
Jobin also said some big names in Canadian music are supporting this initiative.
"The Great Kitchen Party will feature Jim Cuddy, Ed Robertson, Tom Cochrane, Alan Doyle, Barney Bentall, Sam Roberts, and many more," she said.
The even is live on Facebook at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
