Oh No, Trick-Or-Treating Is Canceled

Some locales are rethinking the holiday tradition in light of COVID-19

Even though Halloween is a holiday in which masks are pretty much required, it’s hard not to worry about trick-or-treating this year. Going house to house asking to be handed candy in person? Sounds like a super-spreader event! Which is why Los Angeles County has officially banned trick-or-treating this year. In a press release, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said “Door to door trick or treating is not allowed because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors especially in neighborhoods that are popular with trick or treaters.” Dover, Delaware and Oskaloosa, Iowa also canceled trick-or-treat events this year, and even where official declarations haven’t been made, families are concerned about the practice.

If you’re curious about what this means for candy production, Hershey is on top of it. The chocolate brand made a deal with Google “for access to data showing whether people are more or less likely to go outside based on what they search for,” according to the New York Times, and will be tailoring ads that either show kids outside trick-or-treating, or enjoying candy at home, based on that information. Good to know all that surveillance is going to a good cause.

And in other news...

• Luby’s Cafeteria and Fuddruckers might be done for, after their parent company failed to find a buyer. [NRN]
• Arby’s started selling sliced meat by the pound at select locations, to ensure you have every possible option of the meats. [CNN]
• The USDA food box program has been wildly inconsistent; some regions didn’t receive any in May or June, others got nine deliveries a day, sometimes getting more boxes than they had people. [The Counter]
• Instacart is partnering with 7-Eleven, promising delivery in as little as 30 minutes. [SN]
• Canned milk??? [PRN]

• All AM Intel Coverage [E]