What should a restaurant advise a customer to do with hot food that has been delivered after a significant delay and is no longer at a safe temperature?

When food is delivered to a customer and has been sitting at an unsafe temperature for an extended period, the safest course of action is to discard the food. This is due to the risk of foodborne illnesses that can arise from consuming food that is not kept at safe temperatures. Bacteria can grow rapidly in food that is left in the temperature danger zone, which is between 41°F and 135°F. If the food has been compromised in this way, reheating it may not eliminate all harmful bacteria that may have developed.

Encouraging customers to consume food quickly or return it to the restaurant does not address the potential health risk involved in eating food that has been held at unsafe temperatures. Advising them to discard the food is the best practice to ensure their safety and wellbeing.