In the first part of the pandemic, Starbucks had to modify the way it served its consumers to avoid contagion.
Photo: Engin_Akyurt / Pixabay
The expansion of the Ómicron variant is causing some establishments to change their dynamics of attention to consumers in the country in order to avoid contagion. An example of the above is represented by Starbucks and Chipotle, who already set limits on hours and capacity.
According to the latest official reports, restaurant sales in the United States fell on the weekend of December 26, compared to the same period in a pre-pandemic context.
Starbucks and Chipotle have said they are temporarily limiting operations at individual locations and in regions as they face staffing shortages and rising Covid cases, according to a FOX network report.
On the other hand, other restaurant operators have pointed out that there are more and more positive cases of covid among staff, even more than in the emergence of the Delta variant, so many of them have voluntarily chosen to close their establishments.
According to the media, operators such as Starbucks have pointed out the lessons learned during the first part of the pandemic, for which they have invested in infrastructure to continue operating during the contingency, changing their services to home, take away or by car, easily.
Despite these options, Omicron still weighs down several restaurant chains, such as Burger King’s restaurant operator, Carrols Restaurant Group Inc., the Shake Shack Inc. chain, and Denny’s Corp, who are among the companies that reported poor sales last monthas the virus has spread.
During early 2022, Starbucks switched 19 locations to drive-thru and/or takeout due to growing Covid cases in Buffalo, NY. Starbucks said the company exceeded federal safety guidelines during the pandemic, the chain now allows store managers make local operational decisions, depending on conditions, such as switching to takeout only.
In early January, the chain switched its Boston stores to takeout-only to prepare for the city’s indoor vaccination test requirement.
The company has told its workers that more and more Covid cases and exposures are being experienced at branches across the country. Some of the nearly 9,000 Starbucks cafes in the United States have changed hours of operation or service, as the chain focuses on the safety of its employees and customers, the company said.
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