McDonald’s has announced new rules in place for fast-food lovers as restaurants prepare to invite customers to eat-in as lockdown restrictions ease.

With table service and app ordering encouraged, customers can order and eat their familiar favourites without leaving their table – for ultimate safety and convenience.

Safety has been at the forefront of decision making for McDonald’s, with customers being welcomed back to dine in slowly and carefully.

A staggered approach to opening means the fast-food chain is asking all customers to check the website before they travel for that long-awaited dine-in experience.

Restaurants will reopen with table service only, and in some cases limited seating, to accommodate social distancing.

McDonald’s is strongly encouraging customers to order via the My McDonald’s App where possible, meaning customers can order from their table and have their food brought to them.

All customers will be asked to wear a face covering when entering the restaurant, unless they are exempt.

Paul Pomroy, McDonald’s UK and Ireland CEO, said: “We are delighted to be re-opening our dine-in areas. Monday is another big step forward for both England and Wales, and we’ll be thrilled to see our customers dining-in and enjoying their meals with us – we know they have been eagerly waiting to get back. As the country starts to open back up more fully – so are we.

“We have not had people dining-in for several months, so while we know our restaurant teams are incredibly excited to welcome customers back to our dine-in areas, we also want to give them time to adjust to the enhanced safety measures and procedures in place that will help protect our customers and our people.”

Looking forward, Pomroy acknowledged that there is some way to go before a full return to normality, and stated the importance of customers and restaurant teams continuing to support each other.

He said: “As we take this next step on the road to recovery, we know our restaurants and the communities they operate in will continue to look out for each other. We are working closely with government, and while we are moving in the right direction – we know there is still some way to go, and we must all make every effort to keep each other safe.”

 “We appreciate that the measures in place mean the McDonald’s experience may be a little different to normal, and we are once again asking that our customers bear with us. Our customers’ patience and support has been fantastic as we have navigated various challenges over the last year, and that has been hugely appreciated by us all.”

With the re-opening plans in place, the business will turn its attention to the next phase of a return to the full McDonald’s experience.

A limited menu has meant customers across the country have been sorely missing some of their favourites, and expanding the menu as well as extending opening hours are both on the agenda for the coming months.

McDonald’s in England and Wales will be following Scottish restaurants in allowing dine-in, and restaurants in Northern Ireland and Ireland will be following suit once regulations allow.