Fast food closures sweep U.K., as even drive-thrus deemed unsafe

[webfact]

Fast food closures sweep U.K., as even drive-thrus deemed unsafe

By Hilary Russ

 

Cars queue up at a drive thru McDonald's restaurant, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, Hatfield, Britain, March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge

 

(Reuters) - Fast food is canceled in Britain.

 

McDonald's Corp, Yum! Brands Inc's KFC fried chicken chain, Coca-Cola Co unit Costa Coffee and Subway sandwich shops were among restaurants that shuttered all locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland by the end of Monday to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

 

The breadth of the closure ordered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday reflects rising global urgency over the severity of actions needed to stop the virus. McDonald's, which had shut its dining rooms, extended closures to include take-out and drive-thrus, which have been spared so far in the United States.

 

In Britain, customers formed long queues in their cars, snaking around corners as they waited to get a last Big Mac from McDonald's drive-thrus before closings on Monday.

 

People shared pictures of their last McDonald’s meals on Twitter, with one user in Glasgow saying she had sworn to eat healthier but “decided to have one last one for a while.” Her picture show a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries and a drink.

 

Earlier this month, France ordered restaurants shuttered.

 

McDonald's said that executives in each of its 119 markets are monitoring local conditions in their countries and making decisions about how to operate as the coronavirus prompts widespread closures globally.

 

"Decisions on restaurant operations are made at the market level based on the unique situations in those communities," it said in a statement to Reuters, declining further comment.

 

During systemwide calls with its more than 1,600 U.S. franchisees, McDonald's executives said closing stores would be a last resort, according to a person who participated in the calls.

 

The corporate executives said they do not want franchisees to go out of business, that "no owner will be lost" as a result of the deadly outbreak, the person said.

 

The company did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

 

To be sure, some restaurant are scaling up instead of down. Papa Johns International Inc said on Monday that it will hire 20,000 workers as U.S. customers order pizza delivery - now with "zero contact" between driver and customer - while isolating themselves at home.

 

Starbucks Corp has also reopened most of its locations in China, where the deadly outbreak began.

 

On March 16, McDonald's closed dining rooms in its corporate-owned U.S. stores - which make up 5% of its approximately 14,000 locations - allowing only drive-thru, delivery and take-out orders.

 

Shutting down McDonald's whole U.S. market would be a major undertaking, former franchisee Jim Lewis said.

 

"That's just not an easy shutdown," he said.

 

By comparison, the United Kingdom and Ireland have only about 1,270 locations.

 

(Reporting by Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Peter Henderson and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-24

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[Tug]

Yeiks lots of folks haven’t bothered to learn how to cook!

[bkk6060]

Grab food is super busy here now.

But how much safer is it?

Probably numerous people in the kitchen, someone handles the box/packaging, driver brings it to your house.

Several people have probably handled, breathed on, or whatever prior to you putting that wonder slice of pizza in your mouth.

It is very difficult for food to be 100% clean and safe.

[sanemax]

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

Grab food is super busy here now.

But how much safer is it?

Probably numerous people in the kitchen, someone handles the box/packaging, driver brings it to your house.

Several people have probably handled, breathed on, or whatever prior to you putting that wonder slice of pizza in your mouth.

It is very difficult for food to be 100% clean and safe.

The virus doesnt live for more than a few seconds in the open 

[Airalee]

26 minutes ago, sanemax said:

The virus doesnt live for more than a few seconds in the open 

Really?

 

“the virus can remain viable and infectious in aerosols for hours and on surfaces up to days”

 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

[smedly]

2 hours ago, sanemax said:

The virus doesnt live for more than a few seconds in the open 

another TVF virology expert

[smedly]

1 hour ago, Airalee said:

Really?

 

“the virus can remain viable and infectious in aerosols for hours and on surfaces up to days”

 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

correct

[evadgib]

How are home deliveries any less dangerous?

[marko kok prong]

What about Pollos Hermanos in the US south west?

[phantomfiddler]

1 hour ago, marko kok prong said:

What about Pollos Hermanos in the US south west?

Not sure, have to ask my lawyer ????

[Gandtee]

Fast food suppliers closed. Great. Now perhaps people will learn how to cook as their parents or maybe their grandparents did, and reduce their size to what the homo sapien is supposed to be. Deaths due to obesity would be reduced and the health services given some breathing space. Even going back to beds for normal sized patients.

[Bluespunk]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

McDonald's Corp, Yum! Brands Inc's KFC fried chicken chain, Coca-Cola Co unit Costa Coffee and Subway sandwich shops were among restaurants that shuttered all locations in the United Kingdom

So the uks general standard of dietary intake has suddenly improved. 

[evadgib]

1 hour ago, Gandtee said:

Fast food suppliers closed. Great. Now perhaps people will learn how to cook as their parents or maybe their grandparents did, and reduce their size to what the homo sapien is supposed to be. Deaths due to obesity would be reduced and the health services given some breathing space. Even going back to beds for normal sized patients.

That reminds me of an exchange between Patient and insurer who was trying to hike up his already expensive premium here in Thailand, it went something like this:

 

Insurer: "You're ** kilo's overweight according to out BMI index, therefore your premium will be double the price"

Customer: "Whaaattt? I may be **kgs overweight but I don't drink or smoke. How many of your 'normal' customers do?"

Insurer (after a very long pause)  : "Errmmm........"

 

They eventually came down to 50% plus umpteen exclusions which lead to them being told to sling their hook.

Edited March 24, 2020 by evadgib

[Cryingdick]

21 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Grab food is super busy here now.

But how much safer is it?

Probably numerous people in the kitchen, someone handles the box/packaging, driver brings it to your house.

Several people have probably handled, breathed on, or whatever prior to you putting that wonder slice of pizza in your mouth.

It is very difficult for food to be 100% clean and safe.

 

No different than buying anything from the store. Makes me laugh thinking of people buying all this disinfectant coming in packages dripping with virus.

[overherebc]

On 3/24/2020 at 1:47 PM, marko kok prong said:

What about Pollos Hermanos in the US south west?

Quite difficult to catch that but if you do it seems for a few weeks you break into a sweat if you think about chicken.

[overherebc]

20 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Fast food suppliers closed. Great. Now perhaps people will learn how to cook as their parents or maybe their grandparents did, and reduce their size to what the homo sapien is supposed to be. Deaths due to obesity would be reduced and the health services given some breathing space. Even going back to beds for normal sized patients.

Wife to husband.

We never go anywhere nowadays, why don't you take me somewhere I haven't been for a long time?

Husband to wife.

OK, Tomorrow I'll take you to the kitchen.

[overherebc]

On 3/24/2020 at 8:28 AM, bkk6060 said:

Grab food is super busy here now.

But how much safer is it?

Probably numerous people in the kitchen, someone handles the box/packaging, driver brings it to your house.

Several people have probably handled, breathed on, or whatever prior to you putting that wonder slice of pizza in your mouth.

It is very difficult for food to be 100% clean and safe.

For pizza pre-heat your oven to 180C. Sitck the whole thing in the oven and wash your hands for twenty seconds. 20 seconds at 180 should kill any surface virus.

Get the box out put the pizza back until it's really hot. Not much more you can do.

[Gandtee]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

For pizza pre-heat your oven to 180C. Sitck the whole thing in the oven and wash your hands for twenty seconds. 20 seconds at 180 should kill any surface virus.

Get the box out put the pizza back until it's really hot. Not much more you can do.

Wash my hands for 20 secs at 180c.? That's a bit much.????

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, Gandtee said:

Wash my hands for 20 secs at 180c.? That's a bit much.????

Ok 180 seconds at 20 degrees

????????

[marko kok prong]

21 hours ago, overherebc said:

Quite difficult to catch that but if you do it seems for a few weeks you break into a sweat if you think about chicken.

They may have closed,after the owners accident.

[marko kok prong]

21 hours ago, overherebc said:

Wife to husband.

We never go anywhere nowadays, why don't you take me somewhere I haven't been for a long time?

Husband to wife.

OK, Tomorrow I'll take you to the kitchen.

Wow,your act's really coming along.

[overherebc]

13 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Wow,your act's really coming along.

Believe it or not the number of wives in the uk that never cook at home  and only feed the family on takeaway and home delivery would scare you.

Shutting all the fast food outlets will have many in total panic.

Edited March 26, 2020 by overherebc

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Believe it or not the number of wives in the uk that never cook at home  and only feed the family on takeaway and home delivery would scare you.

Shutting all the fast food outlets will have many in total panic.

I believe you. Will toad in the hole, spotted dick and jam roly poly suddenly be popular again or is there no one who knows how to cook it.????

[overherebc]

2 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I believe you. Will toad in the hole, spotted dick and jam roly poly suddenly be popular again or is there no one who knows how to cook it.????

Just for a positive spin.

After a monthof it they might realise how much they have saved not buying <deleted>.

Might cause a few life style changes.

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, Gandtee said:

I believe you. Will toad in the hole, spotted dick and jam roly poly suddenly be popular again or is there no one who knows how to cook it.????

Just yesterday I made treacle tart , even better than last months . never made it in England but here , if you can't buy it make it.   Oh not with syrup but with honey.

[jimmjam]

On 3/24/2020 at 7:44 PM, Gandtee said:

Fast food suppliers closed. Great. Now perhaps people will learn how to cook as their parents or maybe their grandparents did, and reduce their size to what the homo sapien is supposed to be. Deaths due to obesity would be reduced and the health services given some breathing space. Even going back to beds for normal sized patients.

Either that or get food poisoning or salmonela from trying to cook and filling up the spaces needed in hospitals.

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, toofarnorth said:

Just yesterday I made treacle tart , even better than last months . never made it in England but here , if you can't buy it make it.   Oh not with syrup but with honey.

It looks good. If you can't get golden syrup make your own. Google it.

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Just yesterday I made treacle tart , even better than last months . never made it in England but here , if you can't buy it make it.   Oh not with syrup but with honey.

Send your  address. If you don't I'll find you anyway and send in a swat snatch team for that tart.