The recent upsurge in incident cases of COVID-19 has resulted in McDonald's Corp. pausing in its initiative to reopen in-store dining. As of the end of May a slow transition to in-store serving was initiated with approximately 2,000 out of 14,000 restaurants operating with restricted dining by early June. The decision to rescind in-store dining was reluctantly accepted as a necessary precaution by the National Franchise Leadership Alliance Owner's Association. Fortunately, McDonald's franchisees have regained considerable sales through their drive-through lanes.
A number of states have re-imposed bans on restaurants including nineteen populous counties in California and also in New York among other high-density locations. Even in jurisdictions where COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, customers are reluctant to patronize dine-in having adapted to take-out and home preparation of food.
During a business trip last week to Western mainline Philadelphia I was the only diner in a Panera store. Over the duration of my meal, the takeout counter continued to serve customers who had pre-ordered. Despite precautions including rearranging tables to ensure six-foot distancing, it is evident that the increasing incidence rate of COVID-19 has resulted in a disinclination to unmask to enjoy a cup of chicken soup.