McDonald’s has reportedly opted to pause its plan to continue reopening dine-in services at U.S. locations due to the coronavirus cases rising across several states.
On Wednesday, officials announced the seminal fast-food franchise will wait three weeks before any new U.S. restaurants open dining areas, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The restaurant has kept many of its more than 14,000 American locations to offering only takeout, drive-thru or delivery options since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our resiliency will be tested again. Covid-19 cases are on the rise,” said a company letter by Joe Erlinger, McDonald’s U.S. president, and Mark Salebra, head of the National Franchisee Leadership Alliance owners association, that was viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
McDonald’s operators began offering limited, dine-in service in May at about 2,200 of its U.S. locations. Restaurant owners that began offering dine-in service can continue if their jurisdiction still allows it, the letter said, but the company decided to halt additional openings as a number of state and local governments tighten social distancing regulations ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend.
Several states, cities and counties have reversed some of their reopening plans for bars and restaurants given the recent surges in coronavirus cases in at least 20 states
On Wednesday, California ordered 19 counties to halt indoor dining and recreation for at least three weeks in some of its most populous areas. In New York City, reintroducing indoor dining service was delayed until Monday.
Despite the widespread economic impact on the food industry, McDonald’s has managed to recover much of its U.S. sales lost during the pandemic due to its busy drive-thrus. But the chain has had to respond to coronavirus cases that have broken out in some of its restaurants.
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