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McDonald's to close for Queen's funeral on Monday

Getty Images McDonald's French fries.Getty Images

McDonald's is to close all of its UK restaurants on Monday 19 September, as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral.

The fast food chain, which has around 1,300 outlets in the UK, said they would all be shut until 5pm on the day.

A bank holiday across the UK was approved by King Charles III for the day of his mother's funeral.

The Queen, Britain's longest ever reigning monarch, died on Thursday at her Scottish estate in Balmoral.

John Lewis, Waitrose, Asda, Primark and a host of other businesses have already said they will be shut in the UK on Monday to mark the proceedings.

A McDonald's spokesperson told the BBC that they took the decision to close the restaurants as they "want to allow our people to pay their respects in the way they choose".

In a statement on Twitter, McDonald's said: "In honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II and to enable everyone at McDonald's to pay their respects, our restaurants across the UK will be closed from midnight until 5pm on Monday 19th September."

Deliveries will also not be available until after 5pm.

The company said that operating hours and services may vary after that time, and advised customers to check before going to one of their restaurants.

Other fast food chains are taking different approaches. Domino's told the BBC its stores will open at 12pm on Monday, after the ceremony has finished, slightly later than their usual 11am opening time.

The government advises on its website that the additional Bank Holiday "will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate Her reign, while marking the final day of the period of national mourning."

Although it says that some businesses "may wish to consider closing or postponing events", there is no statutory entitlement to time off for workers.

On Tuesday, Center Parcs faced outrage from guests after the holiday park said it planned to ask guests to leave its five UK sites on the day of the Queen's funeral.

The move would have meant some guests being forced to leave part-way through their break, only to return the next day.

The holiday firm has since reversed its decision, saying that guests who are not due to depart on Monday will no longer be required to leave.

However, people due to arrive on Monday are still not being permitted to check in until 10am on Tuesday.

Cineworld has also said it will close all of its UK cinemas on the day of the state funeral. The company has 128 cinemas in the UK and Ireland.

Other major businesses that have already said they will be shut in the UK on Monday include:

  • Aldi
  • Argos
  • Asda
  • B&Q
  • Blue Diamond Garden Centres
  • Center Parcs
  • Curry's
  • Dobbies Garden Centres
  • Harrods
  • Holland & Barrett
  • Homebase
  • Ikea
  • John Lewis
  • Lidl
  • Morrisons
  • Odeon cinemas
  • Pets at Home
  • Primark
  • Sainsbury's (however, Sainsbury's convenience stores and petrol filling stations will be open from 17:00 until 22:00 while select stores in central London will open to serve people attending the funeral)
  • Larger Tesco shops (the company's smaller Express shops will open at 17:00, but a small number of stores in central London and Windsor will remain open throughout the day to provide for people attending the funeral)
  • Waitrose (a small number of Waitrose stores along the route of the procession may remain open)
  • WH Smith high street stores (the company's travel stores will be closed at least for the duration of the funeral)
  • Wilko