MCDONALD’S SHUT TO SIT-IN DINERS
Employees self-isolating after staff member’s positive test for Covid-19
A Stoke-on-trent Mcdonald’s has closed its dine-in area after an employee tested positive for coronavirus.
The staff member at the fast-food giant’s branch on the Norton Retail Park was diagnosed with Covid-19 within the last fortnight.
The branch underwent a deep clean, but has temporarily closed its dine-in area due to a number of employees self-isolating as a result of the positive test.
The dine-in area will stay closed until
Friday but the drive-thru and ‘Mcdelivery’ remain open.
A Mcdonald’s spokesman said: “As soon as we were informed, the restaurant was deep cleaned by an external cleaning company as a precautionary measure and we contacted all restaurant employees, a number of whom are also self-isolating. “We have a number of safety measures in place to help keep our people safe, including perspex screens, temperature checks at the start of each shift, maintaining a two-metre distance from others as much as possible, face coverings, regular hand washing and the use of hand sanitiser.”
Eddie Leligdowicz, left, owner of the Norton Mcdonald’s franchise, said: “Due to an unforeseen temporary staff shortage, the Mcdonald’s at the Norton Retail Park has had to regrettably close the dine-in service.
“We anticipate this will be for the next week or so when we will then be in a position to reopen again. We will have been closed for two weeks in total.”
Mcdonald’s customers were disappointed to see dine-in closed.
Abbie Mannion, aged 23, from Tunstall, said: “It’s nicer to sit in and eat at Mcdonald’s, especially for breakfast, rather than going through the drive-thru.
“I’m looking forward to them reopening as I do like the Norton Retail Park outlet.”
And Molly Jones, aged 23, from Tunstall, said: “I don’t like eating in my car as it can get really messy, so I always tend to eat in at Mcdonald’s.
“Norton Retail Park is a nice branch. It’s smaller and usually quieter than the ones at Festival Park and Sandyford, which seem to always be really busy.”