Hungry people in Dunedin lined up at the crack of dawn today for their first fast food fix in five weeks.
The country has moved from lockdown under Covid-19 to Alert Level 3 which allows people to get takeaways via a contactless payment method but not dine in.
About 15 cars were lined up outside McDonald's on Andersons Bay Rd by 6.45am, prompting the store to open slightly earlier than its planned 7am.
One of those in line was Zane Lindon who said he wanted to “do a nice thing and get it for the missus”.
He was hanging out for a coffee, he said.
He was expecting a busy day in the drive-throughs, and recommended people avoid peak times such as lunch and dinner.
Major fast food chains are implementing their own traffic management plans before an expected onslaught of customers including the use of road cones.
A spokesman for the Dunedin City Council confirmed the council was not involved in traffic management for the area.
"A number of fast food outlets are taking a proactive approach to manage the expected demand for drive-through takeaways," he said.
KFC Dunedin South’s announced return to delivery and drive-through options garnered roughly 2600 reactions.
Also, despite the Burger King owner’s parent group going into receivership, Antares Restaurant Group Ltd along with its receivers said all 71 drive-through Burger King outlets would reopen today.
McDonald’s managing director Dave Howse said "the trickle-down effect" of opening drive-through and delivery meant many New Zealanders would be returning to work.
Zeagold Foods, of Waikouaiti, one of two egg suppliers for McDonald’s, was working to provide 250,000 free-range eggs over the next week, general manager Hamish Sutherland said.
More than 400 Zeagold employees would be involved, "from the crew who make the feed, to the ones who rear the chickens, collection crew, grading team, packers, delivery drivers, logistics and supply chain staff".
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Comments
What a sad lot.
'A hungry man, he needs beans'.
Folksong, NZ.
They won't be sad at all, they'll be happy that they can finally get their fast food/coffee fix!
And yes, i get you meant the other 'sad', but perhaps it's the person staring back at you in the mirror who is the sad one, for thinking such a thing about the choices that other people make? Just leave them be and get on with your day.
Support locally owned businesses
If that's where you jokers are lining up for a Macca's coffee, it's a sad day for the small cafes/coffee shops that actually make a good cup. A proper cup you can actually taste, rather than half a liter of luke warm milk and chocolate sprinkles. That said, will certainly keep the local's places clear of these types of punters.
Good to see people back at work. Now let's get back to normal with everything else.
This ridiculous lockdown has cost ordinary people enough.