McDonald’s Mandate Customers to Wear Masks in All U.S. Restaurants

Words by Andre Kettle

McDonald’s will require paying customers to wear masks or face coverings when entering in one of its 14,000 restaurants nationwide starting Aug. 1st.

The major fast-food franchise is the latest business to announce that it is mandated to help reduce and potentially stop the spread of COVID-19 as cases recently begin to spike again.

You will be denied service if you don’t follow the order, but masks will be provided as supplies last. If the customer declines to do so, the store will “expedite the order and guide them to a designated pick-up spot a safe distance from other customers.”

“The intent of this policy is to take an approach and focus on quickly finding solutions when customers are unable or unwilling to wear a face covering,” in a McDonalds statement. “In those situations where a customer declines to wear a face covering, we’ll put in place additional procedures to care of them in a friendly, expedited way.”

In-person dining is still out the window for at least for the next 30 days, as per a press release. It stated that new plastic dividers will be installed in the front and back of its restaurants.

“While 82 percent of our restaurants are in states or localities that require facial coverings for both crew and customers today, it’s important we protect the safety of all employees and customers,” the company said.

McDonald’s will train staff on the new mask policy so they are prepared to address it “in a friendly and positive way,” said Joe Erlinger, McDonald’s USA president, and Mark Salebra, National Franchise Leadership chair, in the statement.

McDonald’s joins CVS, Target, and Walmart in requiring customers to wear a mask if they want to enter the stores.