McDonalds re-opens 24 drive-thru’s - boost for NI beef and dairy industry

Today 24 McDonald’s across Northern Ireland will reopen for Drive Thru with new measures in place to help keep employees and customers safe. This follows a successful pilot in May.

With restaurant teams adjusting to new procedures to enable safe working and social distancing, things may take a little longer – and high demand is anticipated. McDonald’s and its franchisees are working closely with local authorities and the police and may determine that it is necessary to close Drive Thru lanes if queues cause disruption at busier sites or put employees or customers at risk.

McDonald’s has longstanding supply chain relationships with a number of NI supply chain partners including Kerry Group, Huhtamaki and Moy Park.

Minister Edwin Poots commented: “The reopening of McDonald’s is very encouraging and welcome news for our beef and dairy sectors. Fast food outlets purchase large quantities of produce from our farmers and their temporary closure had a big impact on the agri-food sector. They have gone to great lengths to put in place social distancing measures that will protect their staff and their customers.

“The importance of getting this market open and moving again cannot be underestimated and will be a relief for many of those who supply McDonald’s with their high-quality, locally reared beef and dairy produce. As we move into recovery after COVID-19, my priority has been and will continue to be, ensuring that we have a profitable and sustainable agriculture sector that is ready and able to meet the rising demands of the market once it opens fully again.”

To help create a safe experience for everyone, McDonald’s has introduced a number of changes to their restaurants, including:

- Social distancing has been introduced in the kitchens and service areas to help create a safe working environment for restaurant teams.

- Perspex screens at Drive Thru windows and employees wearing protective equipment, as well as Perspex screens and floor markings in specific areas in the restaurant and kitchen.

- All McDonald’s employees will be asked to confirm they are fit and able to work and contactless thermometers will be used to take employee temperatures on arrival at work for every shift.

- Ensuring delivery procedures with couriers are contactless for both people and customers

- Restaurants will return with smaller teams, offering a limited menu* and operating reduced hours.

- Encouraging capped spend for Drive Thru and McDelivery at £25 per order, and customers are encouraged to pay by contactless payment methods,

- For those visiting Drive Thrus, customers can browse the menu, order and pay ahead using the My McDonald’s App

As employees and the business adapt to a new way of working, McDonald’s would like to thank customers for their continued support and patience.

Between 2 and 4 June over 1000 McDonald’s restaurants will be open in the UK and Ireland, either for Drive Thru or McDelivery.

Restaurants opening in Northern Ireland today include:

- Antrim

- Ballymena

- Banbridge

- Boucher Road

- Carrickfergus

- Connswater

- Cookstown

- Coleraine

- Crescent Link

- Downpatrick

- Dundonald

- Glengormley

- Knocknagoney

- Lurgan

- Newtownabbey

- Newry

- Portadown

- Rushmere

- Saintfield Road

- Shore Road

- Sprucefield

- Strabane

- Strand Road

- Westwood