Hemel plays key role in McDonald's stores re-opening but no sign of town's own restaurants returning in first wave

Hemel Hempstead is playing a key role in the re-opening of McDonald's restaurants in the South East, but there is no sign of the towns's own restaurants re-opening.

Restaurants in Luton and Watford are part of plans to re-open 15 McDonald's, under controlled measures, in the South East, near to the company's distribution centre on Buncefield Lane, Hemel Hempstead Industrial Estate, to help ease logistics.

The four McDonald's restaurants in Hemel Hempstead - Jarman Fields Leisure Centre, Apsley, Maylands Avenue and Bourne End - remain closed in line with government advice to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

The fast food giant has this morning announced that on Wednesday, May 13, the McDonald’s restaurants in Luton and Watford will reopen for delivery-only with new safety measures in place to help keep employees and customers safe, as part of the initial opening of 15 restaurants.

The new measures include the introduction of perspex glass screens, floor markings and protective equipment. A series of controlled tests as well as employee and customer feedback has helped shape a new way of working.

The new safety measures include:

· Perspex screens and floor markings introduced in specific areas

· Protective equipment including face masks – but not the type needed by medical teams

· All McDonald’s employees will be asked to confirm they are fit and able to work, and the company will use contactless thermometers with temperatures taken on arrival at work for every shift

· McDonald’s will also introduce social distancing measures for all delivery and service partners.

McDonald’s will return with smaller teams in restaurants, and as a result will offer a limited menu. This will support social distancing in the kitchens whilst enabling the return of many iconic McDonald’s menu items that customers know and love.

During this initial stage the reopened restaurants will not be serving breakfast and will be open between 11am and 10pm. McDonald’s will explore ways in which employees can safely change over menus and will reintroduce the breakfast menu as soon as possible.

McDelivery

The first 15 restaurants will be delivery-only, with McDonald’s working closely with partners Uber Eats to ensure the safety and wellbeing of delivery drivers and McDonald’s employees. Perspex screens, sanitising stations and new social distancing procedures will be implemented as the business continues the contact-free collections and drop offs they introduced before closing in March.

Since closing, McDonald’s and its Franchisees have distributed over 400 tonnes of food to charities and food banks across the UK and Ireland, and have committed to continuing to support the communities they serve as they reopen.

As employees and the business adapt to a new way of working, McDonald’s asks customers to have some patience with the new experience.