According to a November 13th posting on Yahoo by Hillary Russ, McDonald’s Corporation will implement “safety reaffirmation visits” to ensure that franchisees are following company guidelines to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
Quoted in the article, Charlie Strong Chief Field Officer for McDonald’s supported by two U.S. franchisees issued a statement “it is apparent we are entering what many predicted would be the most difficult period of the pandemic.” The proposed safety audits will be conducted on franchisee and company-operated stores and should be concluded by the end of the year.
Innovations to improve safety include making available credit card payment at drive-through windows, erecting protective panels between workstations and wearing masks.
McDonald’s USA President, Joe Erlinger stated that his company would convene an industry roundtable to share lessons learned in controlling the COVID-19 outbreak, he stated, “McDonald’s success, just like the success of Walmart, Apple, Starbucks or any other U.S.-based business depends on all of us getting back to some version of normality as quickly as possible.”