News

McDonald's, Taco Bell, Dunkin' all amp up COVID-19 protection measures

This image, shared by McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger via Twitter, shows some of the protective masks McDonald's owner/operators have made for store crew members while waiting for company mask shipments (Photo via Joe Erlinger on Twitter).

April 13, 2020

Three major QSR brands are stepping up their COVID-19 precautionary measures and adding employee protective gear and other items, beginning with McDonald's. In fact, McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger tweeted out this weekend that the company had sourced more than 100 million masks for restaurant crew members. According to the company, some of the masks have already arrived in stores, while others are en route. Erlinger even called out some of the stores' owner/operators who had constructed their own branded masks to use in the interim. 

At another QSR, Dunkin', the company said it had added enhanced preventative measures at Dunkin' restaurants nationwide, in accordance with expert guidance from public health officials, including limiting all options for purchasing items at the brand to drive-thru, carry-out, delivery and curbside pick-up, and encouraging customers to order through the company mobile app or a third-party delivery provider to eliminate that level of contact for store personnel. Also added were temporary brand standards including a requirement that all crew members wear single-use gloves and non-medical masks, along with maintaining a 6-foot perimeter with other employees. Plexiglass screens have been added at all front counters of restaurants open for carry-out. 

The brand has increased still more of its cleaning procedures, cut hours to allow for deep-cleanings at many locations and mandated that employees retake online food safety and hygiene training courses. Finally, Dunkin' has suspended its refillable travel mug program and eliminated stir-sticks from the condiment stations. 

At Taco Bell, the brand has not only added the use of protective masks for team members, but also instituted temperature checks, and mandated use of contact-free payment, which the brand described as follows, in a news release:

"For credit and debit transactions, the cashier holds payment terminal out the drive-thru window for customers to insert their own card; no PIN or signature required; terminal is sanitized after every transaction. Orders are handed out the window on a tray for the customer to grab themselves, ensuring that no contact is made between customer and cashier, and cashier does not handle the food or food packaging. Every order is sealed," the news release said.

See more COVID-19 pandemic coverage stories here.