Are McDonald’s and Greggs closing for Queen’s funeral? Bank holiday opening times for UK stores - latest

King Charles III has announced that there will be a bank holiday to commemorate the funeral of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

The late monarch will be laid to rest after a state funeral at Westminster Abbey.

World leaders and Royal families from across the globe will be attending the service in London today (19 September).

The Queen will be taken to Windsor for a private ceremony at St George’s Chapel following the funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Lots of things across the UK are expected to close for the occasion including pubs, restaurants, supermarkets and schools.

A full list of what is open is gradually being announced across the UK but how will fast food restaurants be affected by the bank holiday?

Will McDonald’s be open for the bank holiday?

If you are considering getting a take away this bank holiday then it is likely that McDonald’s will be off the menu during the funeral.

Many McDonald’s are usually open 24 hours a day, however, the fast food giant has announced every store across the UK will close today (19 September) to allow members of staff to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The fast food resturant released the following statement on Twitter, which said: “All of our UK restaurants will be closed on Monday until 5pm, to allow everyone at McDonald’s to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

After 5pm operating hours may vary so it is important to check the McDonald’s app to see if your local store is opening later in the evening.

How did people react to McDonald’s closing?

The decision to close the chain has received mixed reactions on social media. One customer tweeted the firm to ask: “Will your staff be compensated for missing their shifts.”

McDonald’s UK was quick to respond to these queries and issued the following statement on Twitter which said: “All company owned restaurant employees will be paid for their scheduled hours."

What other fast food restaurants are closing for the bank holiday?

Greggs has confirmed that it will be closing all its stores in the UK to pay their respects to the Queen. In a statement on Twitter the company said: “To give our colleagues the opportunity to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Greggs shops will be closed today.

“A small number of our shops, operated by our franchised partners, may remain open. Thank you for understanding.”

Other big name restaurants such as KFC, Subway and Burger King are yet to release an official statement regarding the Queen’s funeral and whether they will be closing.

Will chippies be open for the Queen’s funeral?

The majority of fish and chip shops in the UK are privately run businesses and therefore the decision on whether to remain open will be at the discretion of the business owners.

The UK Government has said that there is no obligation to suspend businesses during the national bank holiday and added that they will not interfere with the contract signed by an employer and a member of staff.