McDonald’s Unveils Additional Safety Standards to Protect Restaurant Crew and Customers during COVID-19

As States Begin to Re-Open, McDonald’s will be Cautious and Judicious to Help Ensure Safety

By Joe Erlinger, President McDonald’s USA

These last few weeks have been immensely difficult for many across the country, and on behalf of the entire McDonald’s system, our franchisees and supplier partners, thank you for your trust and allowing us to continue serving you during this time. I also want to thank the hardworking restaurant crew, the heart and soul of McDonald’s, who have continued to serve first responders, healthcare workers and communities throughout this crisis.

Many people are depending on us right now for a hot meal, which is why 99 percent of our restaurants have remained open, continuing to offer McDonald’s favorites – and a small bit of normalcy and comfort - through Drive Thru, McDelivery and carry-out. As we have for the last 65 years, we continue to adhere to the highest standards of safety and cleanliness to help ensure the health and well-being of restaurant crew and customers.

Since the pandemic began, my team and I have been meeting three times a day to evaluate and adjust our plans while also adopting best practices from our franchisees and global markets. To date, we have implemented nearly 50 process changes in restaurants and increased training for restaurant crew. Now, as cities and states begin to ease restrictions, we are moving thoughtfully and judiciously with guidance provided by local authorities.

As we come together again, we are prioritizing staying safely apart. We are building on the processes already in place such as wellness checks, social distancing floor stickers, protective barriers at order points, masks and gloves for employees with the addition of new procedures, and training for the reopening of dining rooms. These will serve as a set of nationwide standards for operations across all 14,000 U.S. McDonald’s locations. All restaurants must implement these standards, in addition to state and local laws, before reopening a dining room. 

New procedures and guidelines for in-restaurant dining include:

• Closing some seating and tables to accommodate social distancing
• More frequent cleaning of high touch surfaces, including tables
• Continued care efforts, including crew members wearing masks or face coverings, and gloves, and making masks available for customers in municipalities where they are required
• Keeping Play Places closed and modifying our dine-in beverage procedures to minimize contact

With adherence to these new procedures and guidance, as well as continuing to rely on guidance from CDC, state and local authorities, McDonald’s, in partnership with Owner/Operators will make reopening decisions that are right for the local communities and help ensure restaurant crew and customers feel safe and welcome.

As our daily routines continue to evolve, we remain committed to safely serving you and our local neighborhoods around the country. We look forward to welcoming you back into our dining rooms, when the timing is right and with these extra precautions in place.