McDonald’s to reopen dining rooms with social distancing guidelines

McDonald’s has asked its US franchisees to make a series of changes in restaurants before reopening to diners in an effort to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The world’s largest fast-food chain’s new reopening guidelines push restaurant owners to encourage social distancing among diners and more frequently clean restrooms, digital kiosks
and door handles, the Journal reported.

The guide also recommends franchisees buy expensive new fitments such as automatic towel dispensers and touchless sinks, the report said, adding that franchisees can still choose when to reopen dine-in service and how to staff restaurants.

The company did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

McDonald’s nearly 14,000 restaurants in the US have been serving diners through drive-thru, take-out and delivery, as strict lockdown measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic effectively shut down dine-in services.

However, more US states are easing some of those restrictions to get their economies going again. Health experts have warned that reopening too quickly could lead to a new wave of infections.

Shares of McDonald’s were trading basically flat in the early afternoon, at $172.82.