Companies

McDonald’s in Japan to Make COVID-19 Masks Optional for Workers

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
A McDonald’s outlet is seen in Tokyo.

Jiji Press

13:44 JST, May 3, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — McDonald’s Holdings Company (Japan) Ltd. said Tuesday it will leave the decision on whether to wear a COVID-19 mask up to each restaurant worker, starting Monday.

The burger chain currently requires all its restaurant workers to wear masks, but it will change the rule on Monday, when the country lowers COVID-19 to a lower-risk category of infectious diseases that includes seasonal flu.

McDonald’s restaurants will remove acrylic barriers placed on counters as well.

Skylark Holdings Co. will also leave the mask-wearing decision up to each worker at about 2,700 restaurants including Gusto and Bamiyan stores.

Skylark has already started removing partitions on tables, and will take away disinfectant dispensers placed near the entrances.

On the other hand, Mos Food Services Inc.’s Mos Burger chain plans to require staff to keep their masks on in principle, as do “gyudon” beef-on-rice bowl chains Yoshinoya Holdings Co. and Matsuya Foods Holdings Co. .