Weekly Global News Wrap: McDonald’s considering closing indoor dining amidst Delta surge; Starbucks employees seeking union vote; Chipotle gamifies loyalty programme

Here is a summary of the most interesting news stories of the week from around the world.

McDonald’s gave instructions to its U.S. franchisees on steps they should take to re-close their dining rooms in areas where the Delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, Reuters reported. Franchisees were recently advised to consider closing indoor seating in counties where cases exceed 250 per 100,000 people on a rolling three-week average. Read more here.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has been looking into issues over the fast food giant’s ice cream machines. Read more here.

Starbucks employees at three Buffalo, New York stores filed petitions with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board to hold official union elections, The New York Times reported. If successful, the said stores would become the first unionized Starbucks retail locations out of more than 8,000 company-owned units in the country. Read more here.

Yum Brands pledged to only use eggs from cage-free hens across at least 25,000 restaurants by 2026. As reported by USA Today, the move would include all brands and menu items across the United States, Western Europe and other markets. Read more here.

Chipotle Mexican Grill rolled out a new Extras feature of the loyalty programme to help members earn free food faster, as digital sales year-to-date surpass the U$2 billion mark. As reported by Nation’s Restaurant News, the programme adds personalized challenges to earn extra points and collect “achievement badges.” Read more here.

Fat Brands, the parent company of Fatburger and Johnny Rockets, announced it will acquire casual dining chain Twin Peaks from Garnett Station Partners for US$300 million. As Bloomberg reported, the deal is slated to close by the end of September. Read more here.