An Open Letter from the CEO of Restaurant Brands International: Reopening Dining Rooms Requires Both Confidence and Comfort

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Restaurant Brands International Inc.

May 12, 2020, 06:30 ET

TORONTO, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - After eight long weeks, most of us in North America are now shifting our mindset from crisis mode to recovery mode. Governments and health authorities are releasing reopening plans for our communities. And everyone is feeling the responsibility of getting it right as the world reopens for business.

With almost 15,000 restaurant locations across North America, team members and restaurant owners at Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes have done an incredible job in operating drive-thru, delivery and mobile channels efficiently and safely throughout this crisis. We are now moving into the next phase of reopening dining rooms according to guidance from local authorities and will be welcoming back millions of guests to dine-in at our convenient locations.

In times of crisis, you rely heavily on what you believe in. We believe in the power of creativity and diversity of perspectives. This means finding ways to do things differently to make them better. And that a wide range of voices and perspectives makes us stronger. Both have been proudly on display during these past weeks.

We also believe in being hard working, good people. To that end, our corporate teams and restaurant owners have contributed millions of dollars to help those impacted by COVID-19, including restaurant team members who have been impacted. I could not be prouder of our teams and our restaurant owners.

Our 30 most senior restaurant leaders from around the world have participated in daily morning calls for the last two months and we have all benefited from the diversity of voices and experiences available to help us quickly navigate so many difficult issues. Our early decision to take the temperatures of all our team members at the start of each shift in North America is just one good example of something we learned from our colleagues in Asia where they are a couple months ahead of us and have learned how to safely reopen dining rooms while giving comfort to our guests.

We have fully embraced the notion that parts of our restaurants need to change – certainly, for the foreseeable future and possibly forever. For instance, while we have mandated masks and gloves in the short-term, our brand and operations teams are now evaluating more comfortable and reusable masks that may become part of our standard uniforms.

We have rapidly scaled our digital capabilities, including adding hundreds of new restaurants onto delivery apps and improving our drive-thru experience, expanding mobile order and pay and curbside pick-up options so that we are both quick and increasingly contactless in your guest experience. There has never been a better time to embrace a business model that serves tens of millions of people a day with speed and limited contact.

As we read all the stories about our communities re-opening, all of the focus is understandably on ways to continue to keep us apart. But one of the most normal things in our lives is coming together. And that often includes sitting down with your family or friends and enjoying a meal together at a restaurant.

We are working very hard to continue to build your confidence in the measures we are taking to keep you safe in our restaurants – so you can more quickly return to a sense of comfort and normalcy in bringing your family inside to sit down for a meal.

We have acrylic shields and contactless service at most of our restaurants. We are maintaining a 'safe distance' rule in our dining rooms – whether communities require it or not. We have designed beautiful tabletop signage to indicate which tables are open and which ones are reserved to help maintain safe distances. We will be sanitizing tables and chairs after each use and will have hand sanitizer available in the dining room for our guests. We have turned off our self-serve soda fountains and are offering beverages, extra condiments and trays from the behind the front counter. And we benefit from a business model inside our restaurants that has minimal contact with anyone other than your friends and family who you are sitting with.

Our team members worldwide are participating in thorough, rigorous training to ensure that all of our health and safety protocols are well-known and implemented. But equally important, we are reminding all our team members that they play an important role in creating a dining atmosphere that gives you a safe, comfortable and welcoming space to gather with friends and families to enjoy time together over a meal.

So, the next time you walk into a Burger King, Tim Hortons or Popeyes dining room, we will proudly welcome you back – and our restaurant owners and their incredible teams are looking forward to serving you responsibly and safely, as we have throughout and especially during the crisis.

I am very proud of everyone in the Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes families for your hard work, and your positive, responsible approach through the crisis and now into phases of recovery. I believe we have the right balance between implementing essential procedures for the here and now, as well as pursuing our long-term vision of building the most loved restaurant brands in the world. And that includes re-establishing confidence and comfort in the dine-in restaurant experience. More to come.

With all my best wishes and thanks,

Jose Cil
CEO, Restaurant Brands International

SOURCE Restaurant Brands International Inc.