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McDonald\u2019s said it had taken the \u201cdifficult decision\u201d to close all its restaurants in Ireland and the UK by 7pm on Monday at the latest.<\/p>\nMcDonald\u2019s said it had taken the \u201cdifficult decision\u201d to close all its restaurants in Ireland and the UK by 7pm on Monday at the latest.<\/p>\n
The fast-food company said it has taken the \u201cdifficult decision\u201d in a statement posted to Twitter \u2013 adding that stores will close by that time on Monday \u201cat the latest\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not a decision we are taking lightly, but one made with the well-being and safety of our employees in mind as well as in the best interests of our customers,\u201d McDonald\u2019s said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will work with local community groups to responsibly distribute food and drink from our restaurants in the coming days.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you to our brilliant employees for their hard work during this incredibly challenging time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe look forward to seeing you all again as soon as it is safe for us to reopen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Pomroy, chief executive of McDonald\u2019s UK & Ireland, said: \u201cOver the last 24 hours, it has become clear that maintaining safe social distancing whilst operating busy takeaway and Drive Thru restaurants is increasingly difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: We have not taken this decision lightly and know that our restaurants have been playing an important role in the community providing hundreds of thousands of free drinks to frontline health and social workers and emergency services personnel.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I have been clear throughout this that we would only continue to operate whilst it was safe for our people and together with our franchisees, we feel now is the time to make this decision to temporarily close.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be working closely with community groups across the UK and Ireland to distribute food from our restaurants to those most in need, and ahead of closing tomorrow evening, will ensure frontline health workers and emergency services personnel do not have to pay for any food or drink in our restaurants on sight of their work pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to thank every single one of our 135,000 employees. I am so proud of them all for adapting so quickly to a constantly evolving work environment, taking every step to keep our customers, couriers and teams safe and looking after each other so very well.\u201d<\/p>\n