By Eloi_Omella / Getty Images
Face masks are synonymous with the lockdowns, constraints and restrictions that prevented us from living normally during the Covid-19 pandemic. While in some parts of the world, such as Japan, face masks are a part of everyday life, in the United States, In-N-Out Burger sees them as a barrier to first-rate customer service.
Face masks are synonymous with the lockdowns, constraints and restrictions that prevented us from living normally during the Covid-19 pandemic. While in some parts of the world, such as Japan, face masks are a part of everyday life, in the United States, In-N-Out Burger sees them as a barrier to first-rate customer service.
Early last May, the World Health Organization officially declared the Covid-19 pandemic over. The news marked the end of three years of anguish, isolation and fear of too-close contact. During these landmark years, one item became an essential part of our daily lives: the face mask. Whether on public transport, in stores or at the office, this piece of non-woven polypropylene long hid our smiles and the tips of our noses, highlighting just how much we could communicate with our eyes, but also the extent to which smiles help form social bonds. In Japan, people have actually been learning how to smile again after wearing face coverings for so long. Workshops that teach the art of smiling are currently being held in the country, consisting of an hour's training.
Synonymous with this period of restrictions and constraints, the face mask is now in the crosshairs of a well-known fast-food chain in the USA. While it was once forbidden not to wear one, the opposite is now the case for workers in some of the chain's outlets! According to a memo sent to staff and picked up by the US media, In-N-Out Burger has asked employees to stop wearing face masks at work. If they have a valid medical or health reason for wearing a face covering, they must now obtain a doctor's note to prove it. This measure is due to take effect on August 14 in restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah, according to CNN. In California and Oregon, where masks cannot be banned due to local legislation, the burger chain's new policy stipulates the sole use of the company's own N95 model.
In-N-Out Burger's decision is driven by a desire to maintain the quality of its customer service. To this end, the American chain wants to ensure that its employees always smile to their customers, and that this can be seen by everyone. According to the management memo, this measure will be reviewed periodically and failure to comply "may result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment."
