McDonald's Taiwan on Wednesday announced that all plastic partitions will be removed from the company's restaurants, effective 6 a.m. Thursday.
The fast food chain also said that customers will no longer be required to use alternate seats when dining in.
However, the chain will continue to observe other safety measures in accordance with Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) guidelines.
The chain said customers and employees alike will still be required to register using the CECC contact tracing system and have their temperature taken upon entry. Social distancing in queues is also required and masks must be worn by customers when leaving their seats.
McDonald's also said that all PlayPlaces will remain closed, and urged customers to consider using its drive-through service and other cashless forms of payment to minimize contact.
Taiwanese restaurant chain TKK Fried Chicken also announced that all seating restrictions and plastic partitions at its stores will be removed on Thursday.
Both fast food chains decided to modify their dine-in policies nationwide following an announcement by Taipei City Government on Wednesday that it will observe amendments to indoor restrictions detailed by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Monday.
The CECC said Monday that dine-in policies in restaurants could be eased, while entertainment venues like karaoke chains will be allowed to open as early as Oct. 5.
However, as of Tuesday, the restrictions remained in place in Taipei and the city government said a discussion would be held between city officials and civilian professionals before any decision is taken on changing the current rules.
On Wednesday, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (???) indicated that Taipei has decided to ease indoor regulations. He said 20 entertainment venues in the city such as karaoke parlors and arcades have applied to reopen. Such businesses will be permitted to restart operations as early as Wednesday evening following inspections, he added.
Restaurants no longer need to enforce alternate seating and plastic partitions can be removed, the mayor said.
However, Ko also noted that the city did not receive detailed guidelines on reopening from the Ministry of Economic Affairs until Monday evening. In the future the central government should coordinate and pass on related information as soon as possible, he said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel