Burger King was mobbed by customers trying to get served at a drive-thru today – despite stores only being open for delivery.
Furious customers were told only delivery drivers were allowed on site before being turned away by a restaurant in Coventry as they attempted to order food.
Drivers beeped their horns at each other as they jostled for a position, with one Deliveroo driver giving up after waiting more than an hour to collect food.
Kimberley Dhia, 34, turned up hoping to be able to drive through herself and pick up lunch for her two children – but was turned away.
She told MailOnline: ‘I’d like to be able to drive through and pick it up myself.
‘I don’t see why not if the delivery drivers can. They are only wearing masks and we know masks don’t protect you.
‘I’m not waiting three hours like I did last week for delivery. Deliveroo have put the delivery charge up to five quid and I don’t live far away; only two miles away.’
The fast food giant has reopened four restaurants including two in Bristol, one in Coventry, and one in Swindon.
Despite only offering 30 per cent of the regular menu, the chain is already doing a roaring trade with one branch doing a week’s worth of orders in just four days.
Delivery drivers collect orders from Burger King at Central 6 Retail Park, Coventry at lunchtime today
The news has come as a shot in the arm to people self-isolating at home who have taken to social media to share their excitement
A Burger King employee holds up takeaway meals outside the store today – which has seen orders skyrocket
The fast food giant has reopened four restaurants including two in Bristol, one in Coventry, and one in Swindon
Burger King is operating with a pared-down menu and offering delivery on the apps JustEat and Deliveroo.
Between 1pm and 2pm at the store in Coventry, there were as many as eight cars waiting at the drive-thru. Delivery drivers had to give an order number to prove they were working for Deliveroo or JustEat.
Deliveroo driver Paulius Petraukas, 26, said: ‘It depends on the time of day how busy it is.
‘It’s getting busier as it gets to 1pm. People are ordering burgers for lunch. I think it’s getting the majority of orders at the minute. It’s the busiest in town.
‘Until five o’clock there’s a reasonable wait of about 30 minutes, but after that it gets crazy.
‘Sometimes I give up because it’s over an hour. Yesterday there was a queue going out on to the road.
‘Normally I’m not taking orders very far, just a few miles.’
Just Eat delivery driver Moe Ali, 26, said: ‘It’s quite busy today already. This is my first Burger King order today.
‘Some days I’ve done four from here, not taking them far. Just round the block. Just Eat is constant work, it’s steady through the day. So far today I’ve got £30 from four trips.’
Deliveroo says it’s a 25-30 minute wait and delivery costs £1.49 locally. Just Eat is a similar wait with £2.49 delivery fee.
Staff will wear masks and gloves and will be trained in running delivery-only kitchens hygienically, the company said.
It will be also be donating 1,000 meals week to staff working at NHS hospitals in the vicinity of the restaurants.
Restaurant manager at the Burger King branch in Coventry, David Gobey, 54, said: ‘We have been extremely busy. Yesterday there were 20-30 cars queuing back to the car park barriers.
‘We’ve got seven staff on, we can have more than that due to social distancing.
‘Normally we have 15. We’re open from 12pm to 10pm but are only doing 30% of the menu. It’s all the main call items like whoopers and bacon XL.
‘Last week we were open for four days and did a week’s business. All the staff wear masks and gloves, as do the delivery drivers.
‘They wait at the intercom, give their order number, then collect it at the booth where there’s an extra plastic panel between them and the staff.’
A deliveroo driver collecting an order from Burger King at Central 6 Retail Park, Coventry
Deliveroo driver Fernando Rayappu, 52, said: ‘I usually do two or three orders at a time, sometimes one.
‘This charge is two orders for a total of £9. I don’t know what’s inside.
‘It’s not busy now but will be at 5pm. Yesterday there were 25-35 cars waiting down the road.’
Deliveroo driver Ali Raza, 26, said: ‘It’s not busy now but will be later. Burger King are good business for us but when it’s busy it’s hard to get the orders.’
The news has come as a shot in the arm to people self-isolating at home who have taken to social media to share their excitement.
People have taken to social media, begging the fast food giant to open more stores
Writing on Twitter, one customer wrote: ‘My youngest now wants to move to Swindon, Bath or Bristol purely cos KFC and Burger King are opening for deliveries there.’
However some beleaguered fans have pointed out that prices appear to have hiked.
Items including the Whopper and Chicken Royale are more expensive per item on food delivery apps than in branch.
A double Whopper meal for delivery in Coventry costs £8.29 when ordered via JustEat.
In store, the same meal would cost £7.49.
A triple Whopper meal comes in at £9.29 online, compared to £8.49 in store.
Burger King has been contacted for comment.
The Burger King stores currently offering delivery are; Coventry, Central 6 Retail Park; Swindon, Queen’s Drive; Bristol, Bath Road; Bristol, Eastgate.