Popular BBQ restaurant franchise in Taichung implements new rule to prevent spread of Wuhan coronavirus

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/30
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Well-known Taiwanese restaurant chain Umai announced Thursday (Jan. 30) that it would no longer provide service at any of its locations to customers who have recently traveled to China.

Beloved by young Taiwanese, the Taichung-based BBQ franchise posted on its Facebook page that the management team has decided to suspend services to all customers with a recent history of travel to China. The restaurant said that the change was meant to prevent the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from spreading.

Following its announcement last Thursday (Jan. 23) that all Umai employees would begin wearing face masks at work, the popular BBQ restaurant said that customers who had experienced fever, coughing, diarrhea, or sore throats recently were not permitted to enter its stores. The post has since attracted comments from Taiwanese netizens praising the restaurant chain for its cautious approach to the viral outbreak, reported UDN.

Founded in 2008, Umai has conquered the taste buds of many Taiwanese. Known as the restaurant most difficult to get reservations, the Taichung franchise shows off its Japanese origins with a wide variety of items on the menu, including Japanese short ribs, chicken soup, Argentine red shrimp, and Wagyu beef.    [FULL  STORY]