FAST FOOD CHAIN McDonald’s has announced that it will open each of its 51 drive-thrus by next Thursday, 4th June.

Between Tuesday and Thursday next week, 51 restaurants will reopen for drive-thru services, and deliveries will also be available, which the company is calling a ‘McDelivery’.

Six drive-thrus were reopened in Dublin last week, resulting in long queues and Gardaí moving drivers on in some cases.

In a statement, the company said today: “With fewer employees working in our kitchens and service areas, our teams will still need your patience and support as they continue to adjust to the new ways of working.

Face coverings, gloves, Perspex screens and new safety and hygiene processes mean it will look different, it will take a little longer and as we’ve seen in the pilot restaurants, we expect demand will be high.

“In the last week, on occasion, we have taken the decision to close Drive Thru lanes where demand has impacted local communities or the safety of our people or customers.

We will continue to work with local stakeholders and An Garda Síochána as we extend our reopening plans. With smaller teams, we will still be offering a limited menu over reduced hours, and we ask that you make contactless payments, and limit your spend to €30.

“We are continuing to review these as we reopen, but for now these restrictions remain in place to enable our employees, customers and delivery partner couriers to remain safe.”