Fast-food chain giant McDonald's is now requiring customers to wear masks before entering their stores, joining companies such as CVS, Walmart, and Target, which have already implemented such measurese.
McDonald's announced on Friday that it will be turning away customers who refuse to adhere to its new policy. The company then released another statement over the weekend clarifying that it will be providing free masks to customers who either have not brought masks or those that have forgotten them at home.
For those that refuse to wear masks, employees will still be taking their orders, but it would be done outside of stores and away from other customers. Completed orders will then be given in a specially designated area for non-mask wearing customers outside of the restaurant.
The company stated that it has instructed its employees to inform customers of its new policy in a "friendly" and "positive" manner to avoid any issues. McDonald's did not specify what actions it would take for customers who refuse to wear masks and refuse to be segregated away from other customers. The new rules will take effect on the first of August in all of the company's reopened restaurants in the United States.
As of the moment, dining inside McDonald's outlets is still not allowed, at least for another 30 days. In a press release, the company stated that it plans to install plastic dividers on its tables in preparation for when in-person dining will be allowed.
Around 82 percent of the company's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are located in states that have mandatory mask requirements, while the rest are located in states without such rules. With the announcement, McDonald's is aiming to make the requirement mandatory on all of its outlets, which it stated was made to protect the safety of all of its customers and employees.
McDonald's explained in its statement that the latest scientific findings have led to its decision to require all customers to wear masks within its stores. It noted that droplets in the air have the potential to rapidly spread the disease as they do stay airborne for extended periods of time. Based on guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the company had chosen to do its part in helping curb the spread of the pandemic.
The requirement of masks for customers implemented by other companies has led to a number of violent confrontations. McDonald's stated that it will be holding training for all of its employees, to teach them how to address and de-escalate tense situations.
