McDonald’s has announced a list of their fast-food restaurants that it plans to reopen from next Wednesday, this would be the first time they have been operating since the start of the nationwide lockdown
The McDonald’s locations set to reopen are all outlets within Gillingham, Chelmsford, London and Luton, and these restaurants will be open for takeaway only following nearly two months of closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fast-food chain will be taking the temperatures of all of their working employees using contactless thermometers at the beginning of each of their shifts, when the 15 sites reopen on the 13th of May. Other locations include Ipswich, Sittingbourne and Watford.
Perspex screens and floor markings, like those seen currently in supermarkets, will also be implemented in specific areas of the restaurants, and protective equipment, including non-medical grade face masks, will be supplied to restaurant staff.
The stores will be open for a restricted number of hours, from 11am until 10pm, and will be staffed by a lower number of workers than would usually be the case, they will only be selling items from a limited menu, which includes vegetarian options, including their Vegetable Deluxe burger.
Full list of McDonald’s stores opening for deliveries:
Boreham Interchange (near Chelmsford)
Chelmsford – Riverside
Chelmsford – Westway
Gillingham – Beechings Way
Gillingham – Bowaters
Ipswich – Cardinal Park
London – Dalston
London – Harrow
London – Tooting
London – Welling
Luton – Leagrave
Luton – Chaul End Lane
Luton – George Street
Sittingbourne retail park
Watford – Hertfordshire Arms
McDonald’s closed its doors on the 22nd of March, following the government putting in place strict social distancing and lockdown measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
McDonald’s joins many of fast food and coffee shop chains, including Nando’s, Burger King and Pret a Manger, have began to introduce phased reopenings amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
Breaking News Today have recently posted the list of 100 fast-food stores that KFC have begun to reopen around the UK, the fried chicken chain is also open for delivery only and are serving a limited menu.
The company has also said that they are hoping to reduce the rent that they are currently paying to landlords, as it slowly begins reopening its branches.
A spokesperson for the fast-food chain has said on this matter:
“Despite restaurants being closed, we have continued to pay rent in full and have been very clear that we will continue to meet our obligations to landlords across the McDonald’s estate.”
He added: “Given the unprecedented situation and impact it has had on the business, we have opened dialogue with some of our landlords to discuss how they might offer support on rent and service charges for a short period due to our restaurants not trading.”
This comes as the easing of the current nationwide lockdown could be on the horizon, following the UK announcing its lowest daily death-rate since the end of March yesterday, with just 288 coronavirus-related fatalities.
