Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) & Pub Sector

Supermac's to reopen for limited food services

RTE News – 22.04.2020

The fast food chain announced the move on social media this morning. It will provide delivery, drive-through and a drive-and-collect system at a number of its outlets across the country. Initially, the service will be rolled out at three Galway outlets and will then be extended to nine others and its drive-throughs. Supermac's closed its 116 restaurants last month over social distancing concerns. But in recent weeks more and more outlets have been offering a delivery and take-away service. Supermac's is a huge buyer of Irish food produce and the news that it is to re-open will be welcome in the food production sector. It spends around €40m every year on Irish food, with around a quarter of that on fresh chicken, which is a vital outlet for Irish chicken farmers.

No 2020 pub re-opening – “a nightmare scenario”

Drinks Industry Ireland – 20.04.2020

With international experts estimating that the Coronavirus vaccine, if created at all, will not be available for 12 to 18 months, the Minister indicated that this might require closing pubs until 2021. “That is the absolute nightmare scenario for the entire pub sector,” stated LVA Chief Executive Donall O’Keeffe, “If that happens then most pub businesses in this country will be out of business for good.The LVA and its members will absolutely support whatever measures are deemed necessary in the interests of public health as we have done from the beginning of this crisis, but if closing pubs until 2021 is going to be necessary, then it is essential that a pub-specific support scheme is introduced. Otherwise there won’t be a pub industry in this country by the time a vaccine is found”.