Restaurants like McDonald’s will now require customers to wear masks or face coverings when entering its 14,000 restaurants nationwide starting Aug. 1, although we’ve been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for months.
McDonald’s explained in a Friday statement:
“While nearly 82% of our restaurants are in states or localities that require facial coverings for both crew and customers today, it’s important we protect the safety of all employees and customers.”
The fast food giant is just the latest business to announce it will mandate masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19 as cases continue to rise. Chipotle along with Starbucks, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger, Publix, Bed Bath & Beyond are among other major retailers now requiring masks nationwide.
Other retail stores like Target and Gap brand stores, which include Old Navy and Banana Republic, also will start requiring masks Aug. 1, USA Today reports.
“The intent of this policy is to take a proactive approach and focus on quickly finding solutions when customers are unable or unwilling to wear a face covering,” McDonald’s said in the statement. “In those situations where a customer declines to wear a face covering, we’ll put in place additional procedures to take care of them in a friendly, expedited way.”
The food company added that it’s pausing dining room re-openings for an additional 30 days and adding protective panels “to create even safer conditions for our employees and customers.”
“These conditions-based solutions are designed to safely allow owner/operators to increase order taking and seating capacity, as well as staffing levels, while continuing to meet social distancing guidelines,” McDonald’s said. “The panels are an additional safety measure and not a replacement for consistent PPE execution or adherence to social distancing guidelines.”
