Why We Can’t Offer “Doggy Bags” or Takeaway Leftovers
At The Church, food safety is at the heart of everything we do – from delivery and storage, through to preparation, serving, and handling.
For this reason, we cannot provide “doggy bags,” containers, or allow leftovers to be taken from our property. Here’s why:
🍴 The Food Standards Code (Food Standards Australia)
⚠️ The only time it is safe to put our food back into a refrigerator for eating later is if it has been out of the fridge for less than 2 hours. By the time you take into account our handling, preparation, presentation, serving, the time food sits on your table, and the time it would take to travel home in your car — your food has already passed this safe window.
For your safety, for our quality control, and in compliance with Australian Food Safety Laws (which we strictly follow), we cannot allow leftovers to leave our kitchen.
Even if food looks, smells, and tastes fine, harmful bacteria can multiply quickly. The risk of food poisoning is simply not worth it.
💡 Our responsibility is your safety — and that’s why we must say no to packing leftovers to go.
You can read more here: Food Standards Australia – The 2-Hour/4-Hour Rule