McDonald’s Releases their 59 Page Playbook for Reopening
McDonald’s sent out a 59-page playbook titled “The Dine-In Reopening Playbook” to its franchisees on how to safely reopen their locations. As comprehensive as this playbook is, they made sure to warn franchisees that guidelines may change as new information is discovered.
The playbook which has been reviewed by media sources has gained widespread support. Ben Ball, senior vice president at Dechert-Hampe said, “Their blueprint is likely to become a QSR standard and open the path for others to follow, facilitating opening, which will be difficult enough.”
There is no set timeline for reopening as each location must assess their ability to open. The local government must allow dine-in and a location must be adequately prepared based on the reopening playbook. The comprehensive guide outlines requirements, recommended guidelines, and optional features to reopening.
Requirements to reopening takeout include:
- Protective panels at front counter as well as pick-up and drive-in windows.
- POS (point of sale) that meet social distancing guidelines.
- Floor decals and signage that explains social distancing and new guidelines expected of both staff and guests.
- Hand sanitizer or wipes provided to guests.
Requirements to reopening dine-in include:
- Deep clean of restaurant prior to opening.
- Dine-in seating sanitized after each use.
- Sanitization of high-touch areas and bathrooms every 30 minutes.
- Social distancing signage and closed seating to ensure enough distance between guests.
- Masks made available to guests upon request.
- Kiosks cleaned after each use.
- Playplace areas closed until further notice.
- Self-service beverage bar closed to customers, staffed instead.
- Table service, staff food to guests.
Optional recommendations include hands-free opening of doors and touchless sinks/soap dispensers.
There are over a dozen pages dedicated to social distancing guidelines, cleanliness guidelines, and staff wellness.
The FAQ section also includes responses for how to respond to guests or staff that don’t comply with social distancing or face coverings guidelines.
Why does McDonald’s Need Such a Comprehensive Guide?
In its guide, McDonald’s tells its franchisees, “We ask that you remember: We only get one chance to do this the right way.”
Bob Phibbs, aka The Retail Doctor, notes that typically McDonald’s already has problems with cleanliness. But now that a clear path to cleanliness is the only way to open, it’s important to have uniform standards, “without national standards and practices, everyone is left to try to figure it out on their own.” This playbook will provide clear expectations and standards.
The playbook will also give franchisees an idea of how much it will cost to reopen. Adapting to COVID-19 is an expensive process from the extra equipment to the additional work staff will have to do. Nobody knows how long these guidelines will be in effect for making it difficult for low revenue locations to justify the additional cost.
McDonald’s knows the most important thing when it comes to reopening locations is the trust of customers. It only takes one location and one incident to cause another outbreak and break the fragile trust of customers. That will damage the brand’s reputation and cause untold losses. Every business, especially restaurants, must be careful when just the simple act of opening puts people’s health at risk.
