Help! Ideas for a Covid Safe Taco Bar

The only other thing I could think of is if you already have the toppings in little individual containers already that they can just grab per person rather than scooping it up from a communal serving bowl or tray.

Individually wrapped tacos delivered from a favorite taco spot is the best idea. Can the caterer (taco shop) package a takeout meal with sides for each guest? Or have 2-3 wrapped tacos per person plus sides in disposable dishes with lids. Condiments would be packaged the same way.

You could do individually wrapped tacos with different proteins, with toppings and sides in individual containers.

That or having designated people wearing mask and gloves doing the serving (cafeteria line style). I’m planning a buffet taco bar for my rehearsal dinner, but that’s a much more intimate crowd.

View Quoted Comment This was going to be my suggestion as well. You could do the proteins the same way, make everything pre packaged, grab and go - put together at table

Having worked a lot of catering, I think most would be less than pleased with the cooling and mushy tacos ( from being held warm, already filled., in plastic. Considering the labor needed to parcel every little topping into cups, I think it would be no less costly to pay a couple of servers. Buffets where guests direct servers on filling their shells to order move fast, so the fresh ingredients still taste great, not blended to mush. To make a short term sanitary serving area, with gloved, masked staff, is not hard or expensive. Commercial Kitchen grade Plastic film can be set up between staff faces and the level of their hands serving, fairly easily , that will last 2-3 hours. Or invest not much in a couple of sheets of plexiglass with holes drilled in the corners to hold cord to hold them in place. they will not be sturdy, and only the plexi would ever be reused, so it is disposed of after use. Many taco or salad bars or buffets are always equipped with a barrier, and any quality fast food vendor should do it. Single use , it is not hard. And having each ingredient in a many cups pot rather than pre-served makes it far easier to keep hot foots hot, cold foods cold and never have dirty utensils go from bowl, things nearly impossible when people serve their own. This is as important for health, prevention of food poisoning, as keeping people from breathing on stuff others will handle for covid . And paid staff will keep doing it right, where guests get sloppy .

Would it be possible for you to have mini taco bars on each table? That way everyone could use their own utensils and not have to get near anyone they're not already sitting with.

We are running into this with our rehearsal dinner plan. We have opted for boxed meals. We are having it catered, but we will package it all ourselves ahead of time. That way it cuts out communal serving.