McDonald's to Close Some Dining Rooms for COVID-19 Safety

As the threat of the Delta variant continues to rise, the fast food chain is erring on the side of caution.

As the Delta variant continues to spread and some states continue to report concerning numbers of COVID-19 cases, many pandemic restrictions are retightening. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is updating its travel advisories, European countries are enforcing more restrictions, and mask and vaccination requirements have become standard.

Now, McDonald's is taking its own steps in response to the worsening situation. After reopening nearly 70% of its US franchises by July 2021 with a goal to open nearly 100% by Labor Day, the fast food giant has begun instructing franchisees to close dining rooms in areas where the Delta variant is spreading, Reuters reports.

"We have a much deeper sense of what actions make a difference for the safety of our restaurant teams and crew," McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger said in a company meeting, according to materials obtained by Reuters.

While dining room closures aren't expected to be as widespread as they were in early 2020, some can be expected. To-go and drive-thru ordering will still be available to customers, so you'll be able to get your Big Macs, just with a few more safety precautions in place.

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Opheli Garcia Lawler is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.