Independent restaurants that partner with DoorDash will have a chance to purchase COVID-19 rapid test kits at a steep discount.
DoorDash partnered with testing company Cellex to make available 1,150 kits after it heard from merchants that COVID testing had become a key part of their operations amid the pandemic.
Kits will be available starting Feb. 16 via an online portal and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Each kit costs $100 and contains 25 individual tests with the cassettes, swabs and vials needed to run them. Eligible partners—indies with three or fewer locations—were to receive an email Wednesday with details about how to apply.
Cellex’s rapid antigen test is a nasal swab that returns results in about 15 minutes and requires no special equipment. While the CDC says such tests are “relatively inexpensive,” the costs can pile up quickly for a restaurant.
“We’ve spent over $20,000 on COVID-19 testing to date, so we appreciate the lengths DoorDash is going to provide this benefit for us,” said Aaron Noveshen, CEO of Starbird Chicken in San Francisco, in a statement.
Once DoorDash’s supply of subsidized tests runs out, restaurants will be able to buy one from Cellex for $1,050. The company said it would continue to explore making more discounted tests available.
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