Responding to increases in COVID-19 cases in multiple regions, Apple will close 30 additional U.S. stores, bringing its total number of reclosures to 77, according to CNBC. McDonald’s also is responding to the pandemic’s resurgence by halting plans to reopen dining spaces for 21 days.
The Apple closures affect stores in Alabama, California, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and Utah. Apple was one of the first retailers to shutter stores at the start of the pandemic, and it is now one among the earliest to disrupt its own reopening plans.
“Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas,” said an Apple spokesman in a statement provided to CNBC. “We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”
McDonald’s closed its dining rooms in response to the pandemic, but it had reopened 2,200 locations, or about 15% of its U.S. footprint, as conditions improved. While the company will halt further reopenings for the time being, operational dining rooms that aren’t facing any rollbacks from local officials can remain open.
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“To be clear: owner/operators will make the final decision in these situations,” said Joe Erlinger, Head of McDonald’s U.S. Division and Mark Salebra, Chair of the National Franchisee Leadership Alliance in a note to franchisees seen by CNBC.
