Major restaurant chains yesterday suspended dine-in services nationwide after the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) raised the COVID-19 alert to level 3 across Taiwan.
Fast-food giants McDonald’s Taiwan and Burger King Taiwan halted dine-in services at all outlets, starting yesterday evening through Friday next week to support the government’s campaign to battle the outbreak.
Food takeouts, delivery and drive-through services remain open, and people are encouraged to use online payment methods to speed transactions and lower infection risks, the companies said.
Photo: CNA
The ban on dine-in services had been limited to stores in Taipei and New Taipei City, where health authorities introduced stricter social distancing measures due to the concentration of confirmed cases in the cities.
However, uniform requirements are necessary nationwide to control the outbreak, as the number of domestic infections has exceeded 100 for five straight days, the CECC said.
Mos Burger Taiwan said it was implementing the same strategy, as was restaurant chain operator Wowprime Corp (王品), which runs steak, hot pot, teppanyaki, Japanese and other restaurants.
Tai Tong Food & Beverage Group (TTFB, 瓦城泰統集團), which operates Thai restaurants across Taiwan, said that it would halt dine-in services at 63 properties in and around Taipei, limiting them to takeout only until Friday next week.
Restaurants in central and southern areas remain unaffected for the time being, Tai Tong said.
Tofu Restaurant Co (豆府), which operates Korean restaurants under multiple brands, announced that dine-in services are not available at outlets in northern Taiwan through Friday next week.
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