According to a US Food survey of 500 food delivery drivers and 1,500 customers making use of four major food delivery companies, 25 percent of drivers admit to have at some time tasted food entrusted to their care for delivery.

Mr. and Mrs. America are on occasions in the same situation as the Bear family and their porridge tasted by Goldilocks.  Half of the food deliverers said they were tempted, based on odor and possibly hunger to snitch a morsel and more than a few fries have been consumed en route.  Major misappropriation such as taking a bite out of a hamburger would be obvious to the consumer and obviously does not occur although in a large order one item might disappear as a preemptive tip.

In recognition of the problem, many companies have now introduced tamper-proof packaging and one pizza company claims that orders are untouched from oven to doorstep.  Precautions to prevent transmission of COVID-19 have obviously intensified in past weeks.

In antebellum times, kitchens were not incorporated into the main structure of a house because of the frequency of fires from open hearths.  A young servant turned the whistler was responsible for transporting food from the kitchen to the pantry for serving.  He was so named because he had to whistle while delivering food. In this way, he was enjoined from tasting the family meal.  There is obviously very little new in this world.  It just becomes more digital.