Drive-thru grocery store could help shoppers practice social distancing during coronavirus pandemic

Luz Pena Image
Monday, March 23, 2020
'No touch' grocery store opening in Los Gatos during COVID-19 pandemic
MCDONALD'S STYLE: A South Bay business is taking a page from the fast food industry. It's offering shoppers a way to get groceries without getting out of the car during the coronavirus pandemic.

LOS GATOS, Calif. (KGO) -- Small businesses, restaurants and their employees are all struggling. This is pushing many business owners to pivot to survive.

"The idea is to keep them working. We are not really making money doing this. We are doing this so that we can make sure that our families can feed their families," said Alex Hult, CEO of Flights Restaurant Group.

After closing five of his restaurants because of the coronavirus shelter-in-place order, Alex Hult came up with the "no touch" drive-thru grocery store. "You pull up McDonald's style. You look at a menu that we offer. You pick your choices, you pull up to the next place and you make your payment," said Hult.

The new concept targets social distancing. Something many shoppers have found complicated at the grocery store.

"I was about six feet in front of the person in front of me and someone came and snuck up in between me and the person. I let him know 'Hey I'm practicing social distancing', and he wanted nothing to do with it," said San Francisco Resident, Nick Ajagu.

The grocery pick up includes milk, eggs, chicken, cheese and even a family box to go. "We have Family meals to-go. People can go on DoorDash, they can call in and pull up and tell us what they want. We have a box ready for a family of six that they can take home and eat," said Hult.

Some might say, this could be the grocery store of the future.

Hult says they have toilet paper and a special, you get a "Free Roll of Toilet Paper with a $100 purchase.

The store is located at 165 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, in Los Gatos. The drive-through daily from 12 p.m to 7 p.m.

RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS: