It’s safe to say that this isn’t exactly how any of us envisioned our favorite season, but we have been working tirelessly to bring you the 16 Handles experience you love—safely, conveniently, and in time for us to keep this spring and summer sweet. We wanted to take a moment to share with you some of the things we’ve been up to. Know that we take COVID-19 seriously, and 16 Handles’ foremost concern is keeping our guests, team members, and communities safe.
As of now, we are very happy to announce that most of our shops are open. Some locations are restricting their services, either by offering only Curbside Pickup and delivery or by offering full service at the door or toppings bar so a trained team member can help create your sundae for you. Some locations are open with new protocols in place to ensure social distancing during your visit. To find out more about your local 16 Handles shop, including hours and services, please visit our store webpages.
We’re also very proud to launch an all-new way to order 16 Handles online from your computer or phone: order.16handles.com. We want our order-ahead experience to be the very best, especially as more guests choose to order for Curbside pickup, in-store pickup, and home delivery.
In addition to launching our new website, we have made some other adjustments to our order-ahead and delivery services:
-Curbside Pickup or contactless pickup is now available at many of our stores. Simply mark your order for Curbside Pickup via order.16handles.com before checkout and call when you arrive. We’ll bring your order out to you.
-For customers who choose to have them included in their order, we’ve transitioned to individually wrapped spoons.
-Delivery bags are now sealed with tamper-proof stickers before being passed to our drivers or couriers.
-Hand wipes are now available as a complimentary, optional add-on with all orders.
In our shops that are currently open to guests, we’ve taken numerous precautions in keeping with available guidelines and recommendations:
-Seating areas remain closed or significantly limited depending on local guidelines.
-Disposable gloves, wipes, and/or hand sanitizer are available for guests to use during their visit.
-Masks have been provided and are required for our team members.
-We have worked with our suppliers to source the best sanitizers to help keep our shops clean and safe for all. Any contact surfaces are sanitized thoroughly and regularly.
-Social distancing is required in our stores, and in many locations, signage and decals have been posted to remind and assist our guests. Occupancy may be limited to help us maintain social distancing, and masks may be required prior to entering.
-Certain products like waffle bowls and cones are now kept behind the counter and are available by request, and spoons are individually wrapped.
-Sampling may be limited or suspended.
-For those who prefer it, pickup is available at all 16 Handles locations. However you feel most comfortable ordering your treat, we are here for you.
We also recognize our role in our communities—both local and global—during times like these. We’re proud to have made sweet donations to frontline workers at hospitals including Mt. Sinai, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and New York Presbyterian. We are incredibly appreciative of those working the hardest every day. At 16 Handles, we also understand that an increase in the use of disposable products across our industry is necessary but challenging for our planet. As such, we are proud to continue our years-long partnership with Trees for the Future. Through this partnership, we plant 16 trees every day to help offset our impact and stay true to our values.
We are committed to making 16 Handles a safe place for our guests and for our team members, and we are also committed to continuing to offer something joyful and delicious even when things are tough. We are so grateful to those who make this possible: our dedicated local store owners and team members who are working hard to keep 16 Handles’ shops open so we can be their for our communities. And on behalf of our entire 16 Handles team, we want to thank you—our guests and fans—for your support. We wish you and your families continued good health.