Major UK takeaway chains begin to reopen

London, April 16 (IANS) Three major takeaway chains in the UK have announced limited reopening programmes after closing during the coronavirus lockdown but for delivery only, a media report said on Thursday.

Burger King, KFC and Pret A Manger were opening certain restaurants around the country, the BBC.

Government guidelines state that while restaurants and pubs have to close, they can prepare food for collection or delivery.

The chains had decided to temporarily close as the lockdown took effect on March 23.

Burger King is to reopen four restaurants: two in Bristol, one in Coventry, and one in Swindon, with a pared-down menu.

Staff will wear masks and gloves and will be trained in running delivery-only kitchens hygienically, the BBC quoted the fast-food chain as saying.

There will be stringent cleaning measures, and staff will get social distancing training.

The restaurants will also donate 1,000 meals per week to staff working at NHS hospitals in the vicinity of the reopened restaurants.

Katie Evans, marketing director at the chain, said Burger King hoped the re-openings would go "some way to lifting our customers' spirits in these difficult times".

"We want to demonstrate how appreciative everyone at Burger King UK is of (NHS staff) efforts in these unprecedented times," the BBC reported citing Evans as saying.

KFC said it had reopened 11 UK restaurants in the past week for delivery only, with a limited menu. The restaurants are in Aldershot, Birmingham, Glasgow, Ipswich, London, Manchester, Portsmouth, Stockport, and Tamworth.

The fast-food chain also said that it has donated "thousands of meals from all our open restaurants to those on the frontline, including the NHS and key workers, in partnership with Deliveroo, and will continue to do so each week whilst the situation continues".

Pret a Manger will reopen 10 shop kitchens near London hospitals from Thursday.

"This allows us to also get our supply chain up and running to donate food to homeless charities, so we will be donating 7,000 additional meals per week to our homeless charity partners," the BBC quoted the chain as saying in a statement.

NHS workers will get half-price food until the end of April.