Major food and pub companies have warned that sales are worsening day by day as the Coronavirus outbreak tightens its grip on the hospitality and leisure sector.
McDonald’s is closing all seating areas in its 海角视频 & Ireland restaurants, turning them into takeaways, drive-thrus and delivery operations in a bid to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak.
The changes came into effect from 5am today - and the firm’s chief executive Paul Pomroy has said its restaurants will stay open for as long as it is safe to do so.
He said: “In the last 24 hours it has become clear that we need to temporarily change our operations to ensure the wellbeing of our employees and customers consistent with the Government’s guidance on social distancing.
“Therefore from 5am tomorrow (Wednesday) morning all restaurants will close seating areas and temporarily move to being takeaway, drive-thru and McDelivery only.”
Dine-in operations, seating and children’s play areas are all closed off from now, although toilets will remain open.
He added that all orders placed through Uber Eats and Just Eat would be “contact-free, with no physical contact between customers, employees and couriers, wherever possible”.
Workers in the emergency services and health and social care sectors will receive free drinks on presentation of their work pass.
Most Read
The chain’s annual Monopoly promotion is being paused until later in the year, the company added.
Mr Pomroy said: “This year’s prizes include a number of luxury holidays, European city breaks and cruises which will have all been impacted by current and ongoing restrictions on international travel.
“Following conversations with our suppliers and prize partners, we feel it is appropriate to delay the promotion until later this year.”
Meanwhile Superdry has said it will miss its 2020 targets because of the "unprecedented challenges" of the coronavirus outbreak
The fashion firm has closed 78 stores due to government mandates in Europe, which accounts for 40% of its weekly sales forecasts.
Mitchells and Butler, owner of Toby Carvery and All Bar One brands amongst others, said it had been severely impacted - adding that the Government’s advice to stay home “is now expected to lead to a further significant downturn in sales.”
It was joined by Marston’s, which runs 1,400 pubs and warned that Government advice to avoid eating or drinking out would cause “significantly lower sales in the coming weeks”.
Don’t miss
Wagamama-owner The Restaurant Group, which also runs several pub-restaurants across the country, said that like-for-like sales were down 12.5% in the last two weeks and that sales are “getting worse by the day”.
Ed Monk, associate director from Fidelity Personal Investing’s share dealing service said the damage to the corporate world from the COVID-19 outbreak is beginning to be laid bare.
He said: “Along with airlines and travel, hospitality will be among the first hit. Brewer Marston’s, Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group and Revolutions Bars all warned that trading will be significantly impacted this year.
“Fashion retailer Superdry also confirmed that not only will it not meet profit guidance issued as recently as January, but that it will now not issue guidance for this year. Software firm MicroFocus confirmed that it will now not pay a final dividend. Even supermarket Morrisons - which is in a sector that enjoys some insulation in the crisis - confirmed that a planned special dividend now won’t be paid.
“This is just the beginning of the impact of the crisis on companies. We should expect more companies to follow suit in the coming days as companies alter plans to reduce costs in this period of maximum uncertainty.”