American fast-food giant McDonald's is, reportedly, mulling the temporary suspension of all indoor dining. The company is now seriously considering the move given the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., fueled primarily by the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.
According to a report from Reuters, some outlets had received a memo from the company with instructions on how to close down indoor dining. The outlets that received the instructions were mostly those located in states heavily affected by the delta variant.
McDonald's said it has not yet reached the point where it would be suspending indoor dining. However, it added that it would be closely monitoring the impact of the virus. In the meantime, McDonald's said it plans to bolster its existing safety protocols and have a more "people-first approach" in handling the pandemic.
McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger said in a call with franchisees that he is "incredibly confident" in the company's ability to navigate the recent surge in new COVID-19 cases. He said the company will be using its experience over the past years to ensure the safety of its employees and customers.
"What's different for us is that we have a much deeper sense of what actions make a difference for the safety of our restaurant teams and crew," Erlinger said.
Last year, McDonald's had to suspend all indoor seating and play areas after much of the country was placed under strict lockdown at the height of the pandemic. By May 2021, the company slowly reopened its indoor dining areas as people were gradually allowed to eat out and travel.
Local government, school districts, and major companies such as McDonald's had expected to reopen this year. However, the recent surge in new cases because of the Delta variant has forced everyone to revisit restrictions and protective measures.
As of today, nearly 70% of indoor dining rooms in the U.S. have reopened. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski previously said he expects Labor Day to be a major milestone for the reopening of dining rooms in the U.S. He said that he expects indoor dining rooms to be nearly 100% open by September, "barring resurgences."
