McDonald's Considering Indoor Dining Halt in Delta Hotspots Reuters reported that some locations might be closing again because of the rapid spread of the Delta COVID variant.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
McDonald's (MCD) CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors in July that he expected nearly all of the chain's 14,000 American locations to be open for indoor dining again by Labor Day, but he added that a resurgence in COVID-19 cases could halt that plan.
On Monday, Reuters reported that some McDonald's restaurants might actually be closing again because of the rapid spread of the Delta COVID variant.
"Since the start of the pandemic, we've worked closely with our franchisees to drive our value of putting the well-being of restaurant crew at the forefront of our decision making. In consultation with public health experts and Mayo Clinic, we've enhanced over 50 safety policies and procedures in restaurants," McDonald's said in a statement to BIZ Experiences.
"We're monitoring the impact of the Delta variant closely and recently convened together with our franchisees to underscore existing safety protocols, reinforce our people first approach and provide updates on the rise in cases in the country. As we've seen over the last 18 months, McDonald's successfully served customers however they wanted to enjoy McDonald's through digital, delivery, drive-thru and dine-in. Should we see further changes in customer behavior, we are well positioned to adapt while maintaining high standards for safety."
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Per the report, McDonald's leadership instructed franchises on what steps they should take to re-close dining rooms in Delta hotspots, with McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger saying in a meeting, "We have a much deeper sense of what actions make a difference for the safety of our restaurant teams and crew."
Reuters reported that in the meeting, which took place last Wednesday, executives told franchees to consider closing their dining rooms in counties where COVID cases exceed 250 per every 100,000 people on a rolling three-week average.
McDonald's Corp offered this statement to Reuters Friday: "We're monitoring the impact of the Delta variant closely and recently convened together with our franchisees to underscore existing safety protocols, reinforce our people first approach and provide updates on the rise in cases in the country."
