Subway reopens up to 150 of its 600 UK eateries today

Subway has announced it is starting a phased reopening of its stores across the UK and Ireland today with approximately 25% to start operating.

The popular high street food chain decided to shut its doors on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic and have remained closed ever since, opening just a handful for key workers and NHS staff.

But now, with ‘new operational and social distancing safety measures implemented’, up to 150 of its 600 stores will reopen up and down the country for members of the public to enjoy delivery and collections.

Sandwich chain Subway are reopening over 600 stores across the UK and Ireland on Monday

Staff have been given PPE and directional signage has been installed so customers can follow social distancing measures

Staff have been given PPE and directional signage has been installed so customers can follow social distancing measures

The measures include new directional signage to ensure customers follow social distancing measures, enhanced hygiene practices and the supply of PPE to protect employees, guests and delivery drivers.

The procedures have been tested in a small number of stores so far that have remained open to support and serve key workers and hospital staff. 

Stores will continue to support NHS and key workers with NHS staff to still receive 25% off their orders.

To find out if your nearest Subway is open, click here.

Subway UK & Ireland director Colin Hughes said: ‘We have slowly and safely introduced a new store operating framework that will be rolling out across stores to protect guests, Sandwich Artists, delivery drivers and our suppliers.

‘The weeks and months ahead will continue to be challenging for everyone and Subway will play its part in supporting the new normal whatever that may look and feel like.’ 

Pictures also emerged on Tuesday morning of a Burger King in Southampton being prepared to open.

While Burger King has opened some drive-thrus, the store in Southampton is getting ready to re open on Wednesday for take away only. 

Inside staff could be seen wearing PPE while they worked to get the store up and running. 

It comes after global coffee chain Starbucks announced on Monday it is to reopen around 150 stores across the UK from Thursday as the country begins to ease its way out of lockdown.

Starbucks will open around 15% of its UK stores in the first phase of its reopening plans, which are predominantly focused on drive-thru stores. 

Some cafe chain rivals such as Pret a Manger have also reopened UK sites for takeaway customers as have fast food retailers like KFC.

The small number of stores opened will allow the public to enjoy delivery and collections

The small number of stores opened will allow the public to enjoy delivery and collections

Subway shut its doors in March but kept a few stores open to server NHS staff and key workers

Subway shut its doors in March but kept a few stores open to server NHS staff and key workers

Workers wearing PPE clean a Burger King store in Southampton ahead of its reopening

Workers wearing PPE clean a Burger King store in Southampton ahead of its reopening

Which other food and drink chains are already reopening in the UK? 

TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays is launching Click & Collect as part of a controlled trial across 24 of its UK restaurants. Click & Collect launched Wednesday May 8.

Home Delivery will also be restored at the 24 locations with the company’s partners Just Eat and Deliveroo.

The new ordering system will allow customers to order their food and pay for it online then collect it from outside their nearest TGI Fridays restaurant, where social distancing measures will be in place.  

The menu will consist of 22 of the restaurant’s favourite dishes, covering appetisers, mains, desserts and kids’ options.  

The 24 selected restaurants are: Ashton-under-Lyne, Basildon, Birmingham Hagley Road, Birstall Shopping Park – Leeds (J27), Cardiff (Newport Road), Cheadle, Cheltenham, Cheshire Oaks, Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird, Enfield, Gateshead, Glasgow Fort, High Wycombe, Lakeside (West Thurrock Street), Leeds (Wellington Street), Northampton, Prestwich, Reading (Caversham Road), Sale, Sheffield, Southampton (Harbour Parade), Stevenage, Teeside and Watford North.

 Five Guys  

Five Guys kept 13 restaurants open for delivery and click and collect orders at the outset.

It then reopened 16 stores at the end of April for business and a further 16 will reopen on May 5 bringing the total to 45 out of 104 restaurants that will be open.

Stores opening on May 5 are: Ashton, Clapham, Bournemouth, Bullring, Canary Wharf, Derby, Canterbury, Cardiff – Caroline, Chester, Dundee, Harrogate, Leicester Cheapside, Maidstone, Richmond, Sheffield Valley.

Costa

Some Costa Coffee branches have been open inside hospitals to serve NHS staff through the lockdown. 

But the decision to run a total 33 stores across Britain indicates that Costa Coffee is one of many chains seeking to kick-start trading.  

On May 4, photos showed motorists queuing for hours to get a drink at a Costa drive-thru in Edinburgh, sparking fears people are ignoring lockdown measures as more high street chains reopen.

Drivers were seen queuing for a coffee at Costa Drive Thru, Cameron Toll, Edinburgh on the morning of May 4

Drivers were seen queuing for a coffee at Costa Drive Thru, Cameron Toll, Edinburgh on the morning of May 4

Nandos

Popular chicken chain Nandos shut its door on March 23 due to the pandemic.

Nandos has now opened six restaurants with four in London and two in Manchester – for delivery only. 

The restaurants to reopen are: London (Clink St, Camberwell, Canary Jubilee, Gloucester Road) Manchester (Fallowfield, Printworks).

Burger King

Burger King today announced on April 28 that they were opening the first drive-thrus for customers to use again. The restaurants are open in Havant, Hampshire, Dundee, Aberdeen, Reading, Hillington (Norfolk), Southampton, Merto, (London) Springfield Quay (London).   

Drivers were photographed in a line around the block in Havant when the drive-thru first opened and staff were seen wearing masks and gloves over their uniforms as they handed burgers and fries to customers in Hampshire.

Wagamama

The popular restaurant offering Japanese and Asian food reopened its kitchens to deliver food to customers’ homes from last Thursday in Peckham and Hackney. 

KFC

Fast food giant KFC announced on April 29 the reopening of another 80 branches for delivery as Britain continues to edge out of lockdown.

The fried chicken chain said 100 of its stores up and down the country would be able to bring orders to customers’ homes from May 4.  

On Tuesday KFC announced it was reopening dozens more drive-thru services. From today it will run the drive-thru lanes at 55 restaurants, that are already open for delivery.

A spokesman said: ‘We’ve been working hard to responsibly reopen our restaurants and now we’re spreading our wings a little further.’ 

KFC’s that are now open for delivery AND drive-thru: Linwood – Paisley Leisure Park, Aberdeen – Great North Road, Leicester – Narborough Road, Bristol – Shield Retail Park, Swansea – Morfa Shopping Park, Aldershot – Ash Road, Hulme – Greenheys Lane West, Portsmouth – Pompey Centre, Birmingham – New Oscott, Birmingham – Great Bridge Retail Park, Heaton Chapel – Monarch Leisure Park, Tamworth – Ventura Retail Park, Enfield – Coliseum Retail Park, Glasgow – Great Western Retail Park, Glasgow – Pollokshaws Road, Wolverhampton – Bentley Bridge Pleasure Park, Northampton – Nene Park Sixfields, Newcastle under Lyme – Liverpool Road, Swindon – Delta Park, Deptford – Evelyn Street, Eastbourne – Lottbridge Drove, Mansfield – Fulmar Close, Coventry – Tile Hill, Govan – Helen Street, Bury – Moorgate Retail Park, Romford – Colchester Road, Tyburn – Kingsbury Road, Norwich – Mile Cross Lane, Grimsby – Birchin Way, Oxley – Bushbury Lane, Bloxwich – Leamore Lane, Wythenshawe – Rowlands Way, East Kilbride – Kingsgate Retail Park, Slough – Farnham Road, Colindale – The Hyde, Alperton – Western Avenue, Rochdale – Kingsway Retail Park, Manchester Fort Shopping Park, Farnworth – Albert Road, Ipswich – Cardinal Park, Ashford – Eureka Leisure Park, Broadstairs – Westwood Retail Park, Dover – Honey Wood Retail Park, Wakefield – Westgate Retail Park, Glasgow – Nitshill Road, Northampton – Towcester Road, Sheffield – Queens Road, Leyton – Lea Bridge Road, Weymouth – Jubilee Close, Bristol – Avonmeads Retail Park, Oldbury – Wolverhampton Road, Wolverhampton – Penn Road Retail Park, Durham – City Retail Park, Scunthorpe – Lakeside Retail Park.

Pret a Manger

It reopened 71 more cafes for takeaway and delivery on Monday May 11 after a successful trial.  

Currently 30 stores already reopened, a further 71 shops have followed, including cafes in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester.

Customers adhere to social distancing as they queue to enter a recently re-opened Pret-A-Manger shop in London. The sandwich chain announced they are opening a further 71 outlets from Monday May 11

Customers adhere to social distancing as they queue to enter a recently re-opened Pret-A-Manger shop in London. The sandwich chain announced they are opening a further 71 outlets from Monday May 11

It will bring the total number of reopened shops to more than 100.

Each shop will be fitted with Perspex screens at the tills, while restrictions will be in place on the number of customers allowed in the stores. 

Greggs 

It has opened stores in Newcastle as part of its trial period, including one of the shops reopened at Kingston Park shopping centre.

 Greggs previously halted plans to reopen 20 of its stores after fears of overcrowding.

Only a small number of stores have currently reopened as part of their gradual reopening process. 

McDonald’s

Restaurants preparing to offer a delivery-only service from 11am on May 13 are mainly in London and the surrounding counties – with three in Luton and another three in Chelmsford.

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