It has been almost a year since McDonald’s opened its first Drive-Thru in Bath.

Back in September 2018, Bath Live reported the grand opening at the Weston Lock Retail Park restaurant on Lower Bristol Road in Bath, after planning permission was given with conditions to address concerns about litter in the area.

We spoke to Paul Pearson, McDonald’s franchisee who runs both restaurants in Bath to find out what this new service has brought to local residents and what the future holds for the restaurant in the city.

He said: “The drive-thru has been a great success and a big change for our customers and staff. As we expected, this has been reflected in the amount of visits we have been getting from customers who appreciate the convenience of the Drive-Thru lane, the convenience of our Uber eats delivery service and the convenience of the technology, ranging from self ordering kiosks to our new McDonalds app.

“Our table service has also added a new dimension to enjoying a meal in the newly re-imaged restaurant.”

McDonald's, Lower Bristol Road, Bath
The McDonald's restaurant on Lower Bristol Road, Bath

Mr Pearson said the investment has been a great success in terms of employment in the local area.

He added: “We have 42 more staff working for us than this time last year, with several new management positions filled. We continue to have availability for crew members, customer experience leaders and trainee managers.”

Bath is currently home to two McDonald’s restaurants, with the second located on Southgate Street in the heart of the city.

Before building commenced on Bath’s first ever drive-thru, there were already a total of 200 hourly paid staff employed across both restaurants, plus nine salaried managers, a HR director, area manager and resourcing manager.

Mr Pearson said he was positive about the future of the Bath restaurants.

He said: “First and foremost, we will continue to invest in both restaurants in Bath to ensure our customers and staff have a great experience.

"We are incredibly proud to have been part of the city for over 35 years now. We love the city and are very grateful to all our customers and employees. Of course, we would love to have the opportunity to open more restaurants if the right locations become available.”

The litter guidance attached to the approved planning application suggested four litter patrols per day for 24-hour restaurants, extending at least 150 metres from the restaurant boundary in all directions. It also encouraged managers to support local picking schemes.

Last year, local McDonald’s staff got involved in a litter pick near Bath bus station.

Have you visited Bath’s first ever McDonald’s Drive-Thru? What did you think? Where would you like to see a McDonald’s open up? Have your say in the comments below.

 

Got a Bath story? Get in touch ellie.kendall@reachplc.com

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