See McDonald’s new European restaurant for the coronavirus era

(Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

In a trial at a restaurant in the Netherlands city of Arnhem, McDonald’s has been looking for ways to maintain physical distancing when the coronavirus lockdown is relaxed.

New features

Hand sanitizers at the entrance, seen below, designated waiting spots and Big Macs delivered on meal carts to separate customers could become a feature of McDonald’s restaurants in the Netherlands when they are allowed to reopen.

(Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

Safety first

If they do reopen, they will have to keep customers and staff at least 1.5 meters apart to avoid a new wave of infections. “We have tried to figure out how to keep our customers and employees safe, while maintaining a restaurant atmosphere,” McDonald’s Netherlands spokeswoman Eunice Koekkoek told Reuters.

(Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

Keeping a distance

Restaurants, bars and other public places in the Netherlands have been closed since March 15. A decision on whether to reopen restaurants and bars is expected around May 12, but Prime Minister Mark Rutte has ruled out a return to normal.

(Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

Table service

McDonald’s says it could introduce table service, with burgers and fries wheeled to customers on wheeled carts from which they can pick up their orders.

(Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

Screened tables

McDonald’s expects its new setup, which can include plastic screens between tables, will work at 180 larger restaurants out of its 252 franchises in the country.

(Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters)

About three-quarters of the 39,000 McDonald’s restaurants worldwide were operational as of Thursday, including almost all its nearly 14,000 outlets in the United States, where drive-thrus are common.