Chick-fil-A is doing take-out only, closing dining rooms over coronavirus fears
Chick-fil-A is responding to the coronavirus outbreak by changing to drive-through and take out orders only at its 2,500 restaurants in 47 states and Canada
An end date to the change was not included in the announcement.
The popular chicken-sandwich chain said early Monday that it is “temporarily closing” dining rooms and playgrounds starting today, March 16, and will also limit customer contact by no longer handing drive-thru customers a printed menu.
It’s a move some other fast food chains are pondering, with Taco Bell announcing Sunday that it was equipping restaurants to serve drive-thru and delivery only “where necessary.”
McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Bojangles and Kentucky Fried Chicken have not posted news of similar changes on their Facebook pages.
Chick-fil-A’s decision comes as USA Today reports almost a half dozen states, including California, Massachusetts and Illinois, are ordering bars and restaurants to close as the virus infections spread.
“Some of our restaurants may only offer service through our drive-thrus, while others may be able to offer takeout, delivery or mobile order options,” Chick-fil-A President Tim Tassopoulos said in a release.
The chain left open the option of reducing store hours or hours for its drive-through/delivery only or offering a limited menu.
The Centers for Disease Control is currently recommending that people avoid crowds of 50 or more to avoid the spread of the potentially fatal virus.
Among the restaurants also making adjustments is Kentucky Fried Chicken, which posted Friday that it is offering free delivery March 14 through April 26 “making it easier for everyone to enjoy my world famous fried chicken without leaving the comforts of home.”
Burger King reported in a release that it working “with the world’s biggest delivery partners to make sure they can handle increased demand for delivery.”
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 6:37 AM with the headline "Chick-fil-A is doing take-out only, closing dining rooms over coronavirus fears."