Major fast food restaurant chain will reopen in Portlaoise this Friday
A popular fast food restaurant has announced it is reopening its Portlaoise branch.
Supermac's had closed all its restaurants on March 26 due to the coronavirus Covid-19. It has announced the reopening of 15 of them this week. See full list below.
"Supermac’s will provide a limited service in a number of outlets following consultation with the authorities, staff, customers and our suppliers including farmers. The outlets will open on a phased basis in locations where the company can provide hot cooked meals to the public while fully implementing government guidelines regarding social distancing for our staff and customers," they said.
Initially they will provide only Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect where it is safe to do so.
New procedures are in place to keep staff and customers safe.
"The safety of our staff and customers is paramount and the following procedures will be implemented: all services will be contactless, card payment only, dedicated work stations for all staff, staff gloves will be provided, staff masks will be provided, staff temperature monitoring will take place at the commencement of each shift, dedicated delivery driver working area, dedicated drive and collect points where applicable, dedicated delivery and collection bags.
"Since we closed on March 26th, we have spent that time developing systems and processes in order to open and provide a service to the community where safety, wellbeing and standards are not compromised. We would like to thank our customers and staff for their loyalty and understanding," the company said.
Three outlets will open today Wednesday April, two in Galway on the Headford Rd and Tuam Rd for Drive Thru and one in Wicklow, in Newcastle – Delivery Only.
Then on Friday April 24
Portlaoise – Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect
Ballysimon Rd, Limerick – Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect
Kinnegad – Drive Thru and Drive & Collect
Clonmel – Drive Thru and Drive & Collect
O Connell St Dublin – Delivery Only
Carrick on Shannon – Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect
Roscommon – Drive Thru and Drive & Collect
Trim – Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect
Drogheda – Drive Thru and Drive & Collect
Sligo – Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect
Ballindine – Drive Thru and Drive & Collect
Carlow – Drive Thru, Delivery and Drive & Collect
All lobbies will remain closed until further notice.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association has welcomed the announcement.
ICSA beef chair is Edmund Graham.
“It is one small step that might boost beef demand as we struggle to cope with the impacts of Covid-19.”
“We have to open restaurants and food service operations in a realistic time frame. Their closure has had devastating consequences, not only for their staff but for the wider economy and for the beef sector in particular. We also know that for every week they remain closed, those impacts are being compounded. Supermacs have always been a big supporter of Irish beef producers and we commend them for that and for taking this move now," the ICSA chair said.