Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) & Pub Sector
All McDonald's drive-thrus to reopen by June 4
RTE Business – 27.05.2020
The company said that by Thursday, 4th June, 51 of its restaurants will reopen for drive-thru services and it also will start to expand the availability of a delivery service. This follows the opening of six drive-thru restaurants in Dublin last week. The opening of the restaurants caused some traffic disruptions around the city as people queued in their cars for food. McDonald's also said it will re-open 28 restaurants in Northern Ireland for drive-thru and deliveries from June 4. McDonald's is one of the largest purchasers of Irish beef and it spends €163m alone on beef for export to its restaurants in the UK and Europe. It also spends nearly €100m on Irish dairy produce, including milk, cheese, butter and ice-cream. Its 95 restaurants contribute close to €200m to the Irish economy, according to the company.
Pubs can deliver pints to their customers again following legal advice
The Irish Times– 23.05.2020
Pubs throughout the Republic will now be able to operate during the Covid-19 lockdown, subject to certain restrictions, because of a “lack of clarity” in the liquor licensing laws. Garda Headquarters has sought legal advice on pubs delivering drinks and selling takeaway beverages from their premises and has been told that both practices do not contravene liquor licensing laws. As long as drinks, including poured pints, are paid for on a licensed premises they can be delivered to customers. Takeaway sales are also permitted once those buying drinks in that manner consume them more than 100 metres away from a pub and not in a public place. The legal advice received by Garda headquarters is being circulated to every Garda member in the country.