Prognosis

U.S. Fast-Food Chains Are in No Hurry to Reopen Dining Rooms

  • Post-coronavirus cleanings and retrofitting add to overhead
  • Takeout brings more sales for Jack in the Box, Raising Cane’s
The drive-thru of a McDonald's in Los Angeles on April 28, 2020.Photographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg
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While some U.S. states have given the green light for restaurants to reopen their dining rooms, McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants are in no big rush to do so.

That’s because there’s a lot of effort and expense involved in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, as exemplified by the McDonald’s step-by-step guide on everything from adding protective panels to sanitizing tables after every use. Franchisees say this will require hiring more staff.