Snaking queues of takeaway fans were spotted today as drive-thrus reopened across the nation.
Drivers thirsty for coffee and hungry for fast food flocked in eager anticipation as strict lockdown measures that had seen them shuttered are eased off.
A branch of Starbucks at the Metro Centre in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, was swamped with customers after its drive-thru opened for the first time since lockdown.
Huge queues of cars were also spotted snaking around the cafes in Liverpool, Cardiff Bay, Manchester and West Lothian, with customers waiting for hours following the chain’s closures in March.
Cars queue at the Starbucks drive-thru at the Metro Centre in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, as customers wait for hours to get their coffee fix after a handful of stores re-opened
A massive queue of cars wait at a Starbucks drive-thru in Cardiff Bay, which re-opened today following the chain’s closures of stores across the UK amid the coronavirus lockdown
The hot drinks giant closed all of its UK sites in mid-March, and says it hasn’t taken advantage of any Government support.
Today it opened around 15 per cent of its UK branches as a ‘handful of takeaway-only stores’, with most offering a drive-thru only service.
The chain’s reopening plan, which will start with stores broadly spread across the UK, will focus on ensuring the health and well-being of its employees and customers.
A general view of cars queuing to reach a reopened Starbucks drive-thru in Manchester, following the outbreak of coronavirus. The chain opened around 15 per cent of its UK branches
Cars queue at the Starbucks in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland, today. Some of the staff at the coffee chain were spotted wearing colour coded face masks as they returned to work
A police officer is seen waiting by the entrance of a reopened Starbucks in Southwark London, today. Safety measures at the site include regular hand-washing for at least 20 seconds
New safety measures at the site include regular hand-washing for at least 20 seconds, 6.5ft social distancing, screens at payment areas and the use of contactless payment only.
And KFC fans swamped branches across the country eager to get a taste of fast food as a limited number of branches reopened.
Queues of cars at KFC in Inverness backed out onto the dual carriageway forcing other road users to swerve around them, as the fast food giant reopened lanes at 55 restaurants nationwide.
The fried chicken company said it had ensured new road signage and floor stickers were in place to help delivery drivers and hungry customers keep a safe distance apart.
The snaking queues caused traffic chaos as cars backed out into the dual carriageway in Inverness
Drivers were forced to swerve around queuing cars that backed onto the dual carriageway at the Inverness branch
KFC branches are also running a limited menu to help smaller teams avoid switching kitchen stations.
Staff wearing face masks – but spotted without gloves – were seen handing over food to hungry drivers at the Inverness branch.
Fans will be relieved to hear that menu favourites popcorn chicken and zinger burgers are all available at the reopened branches.
Fans at a Glasgow branch waited patiently in line as a staff member took orders from queuing cars
A trail of cars can be seen at the KFC drive-thru in Plymouth after fast food restaurants were given the green-light by the government to reopen
Lines of cars queue at the Filton KFC drive-thru in Bristol
A staff worker can be seen wearing a face mask – but no gloves – as she hands over an order to a customer
Fast food rival McDonald’s reopened more of its drive-thru stores today and aims to have all back up and running by early June.
The burger giant is offering delivery from 15 restaurants on Wednesday and and will re-open 30 drive thrus next week.
Restaurants and car parks at McDonald’s remain closed but customers hungry for a Big Mac can order using the Uber Eats app.
Staff wearing PPE were seen waiting outside a Tooting Bec store as they handed over takeaway food to drivers.
Delivery drivers are pictured above waiting outside a newly reopened McDonald’s branch in Tooting Bec in London
Around 15 pilot stores in South East England reopened for delivery orders as the burger chain seeks a return to business amid the easing of lockdown measures
Staff wearing PPE were seen waiting outside the Tooting Bec store as they handed over takeaway food to drivers
A closed branch at Taunton Deane service station can be seen with social distance markers ahead of McDonald’s branch reopenings next week
A delivery driver stands outside a Five Guys burger joint in Oxford Street as the chain reopens following an easing of lockdown measures
American chain Five Guys has also reopened a number of branches nationwide for click and collect and takeaway services in a bid to keep afloat amid the pandemic.
Burger King has pledged to keep reopening 20 branches each week until its entire UK chain of 500 stores is back up and running.
Around 50 branches are reopened already and a further 72 will start dishing out food on Monday.
All workers will wear gloves and face masks as social distancing measures are deployed in a bid to keep staff and customers safe.
The dozens of reopening branches comes amid Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s five-stage plan to bring the UK out of lockdown.
Takeaway and delivery services were given the green light to open as long as food and drink is consumed off premises.
It means in-house seating areas in fast food and coffee chains will remain closed for the forseeable future.
Other cafe chains such as Pret a Manger and Caffe Nero have reopened UK sites for takeaway customers, while Marks & Spencer announced it is reopening 49 of its cafes nationwide from today.
Safety measures including perspex screens at tills and an urging for contactless payments have been adopted at many of the reopening stores.
M&S said the reopenings came after following a successful trial at five locations. The company has prepared ‘rigorous guidance for colleagues and will have extensive signage for customers so they can pick up their coffee safely’.