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What’s the 411 on eating fast food during the coronavirus?

By Kareem Gantt

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 10: A Starbucks coffee shop sits mostly empty at Amazon headquarters on March 10, 2020 in downtown Seattle, Washington. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Amazon recommended all employees in its Seattle headquarters work from home, leaving much of downtown nearly void of people. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 10: A Starbucks coffee shop sits mostly empty at Amazon headquarters on March 10, 2020 in downtown Seattle, Washington. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Amazon recommended all employees in its Seattle headquarters work from home, leaving much of downtown nearly void of people. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) /
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McDonald's, Fast Food
REDWOOD CITY, CA – JULY 29: Josephine Hernandez hands a tray of drinks to a drive thru customer at a McDonald’s restaurant July 29, 2003 in Redwood City, California. McDonald’s Corporation today reported record second quarter and first half U.S. sales spurred by enthusiasm for its new food offerings and improvement in food taste and service initiatives. Despite the significantly stronger U.S. sales, McDonald?s global profits fell 5 percent as sales in its restaurants in Europe and Asia remained flat.(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /

3. Will fast food chains go to drive-thru only if it gets worse?

I’m not going to lie, it’s a possibility. In fact, just today, Starbucks is drawing up contingency plans that could call for some of its stores to go drive-thru only and implement “social distancing” in the U.S. and Canada in hard-hit areas such as Washington State if the coronavirus becomes worse.

Other chains could follow Starbucks’ lead. Already, some fast food outlets in big cities have time limits on how long a patron can sit in one of their stores (mainly because of growing homeless populations), and this may be enforced more rigorously and if the pandemic doesn’t show signs on slowing down by deep into the summer. Keep in mind, these will only be in effect if the coronavirus becomes worse, but just be prepared for this change just in case.

4. Will some fast-food chains be forced to close its doors for the time being?

It’s a possibility, but keep in mind, this is, by far, the worst-case scenario. Yum Brands China division closed up to a third of its stores during the height of the coronavirus outbreak there, as well as Starbucks and other fast-food chains.

While some may argue that something like that could “never happen here,” in light of all of the cancellations of events and limits on social gatherings, it would be wise for folks to change their thinking on this for the time being. Again, this extreme measure would only be limited to the hardest-hit areas, and any fast-food store closure will only be temporary.

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