McDonald’s in Galashiels not among almost 40 in UK being reopened by chain this week

The US-based chain McDonald’s has reopened 38 of its 1,300 UK restaurants, but the Wilderhaugh drive-through, its only outlet in the region, isn’t among them, along with all its other burger bars north of the border.

Customers in Scotland are being told to burger off for now as all the restaurants reopened this week as a pilot initiative are in the south of England, plus another six in Ireland.

Further openings will follow over the next few weeks, however, and the chain hopes to have all its restaurants back up and running early next month.

Of the English outlets now open again in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and London, 23 are doing drive-through only, five delivery only and 10 both.

A limited menu only is being offered, with orders capped at £25 per car, and contactless payment is being encouraged.

Staff are being temperature-checked before each shift and the number working at each site is being reduced to ensure social distancing.

Perspex screens have been installed at all drive-through windows and staff have been issued with protective equipment.

Company UK chief executive officer Paul Pomroy said: “There has been an incredible response to news of our reopening, and we know many of you are eager for us to extend our reopening plans at a faster pace.

“The wellbeing of our employees, suppliers and delivery partners’ couriers is my top priority, and we will only extend our plans at a pace that enables us to create a safe working environment for our teams.

“Moving in step with government guidelines, we plan to reopen all our drive-throughs by early June.

“We will keep the restaurant locator on our website updated as our drive-throughs reopen over the coming weeks.

“When your local drive-through does reopen, it will be different.

“Our service will not be as quick as you might be used to as we adjust to smaller teams and social distancing in our kitchens.

“We expect there will be some queues for some of our busier sites and our restaurants will look different, with Perspex screens at our drive-through windows and employees wearing protective equipment.

“I ask that you continue to be supportive of and patient with our restaurant teams as we slowly and safely return.

“We are asking all of our employees to adapt to how our restaurants now work and will only reopen at a pace that enables them to work safely.

“As we get accustomed to the new processes and procedures, we will look to reopen more restaurants for longer hours and reintroduce more menu items, but only when I am confident we can do so whilst maintaining the new procedures we have introduced for the protection of our people.”