Wendy’s Co. is becoming the next casualty of the coronavirus pandemic as nationwide meat-supply and slaughterhouse closures force restaurants into a shortage of beef-based menu items.
The burger franchise that often uses the slogan, “Fresh, never frozen, beef,” has started taking hamburgers off the menu at select restaurants, reports Bloomberg.
Bloomberg said the Wendy’s app showed only chicken items available for takeout or delivery from some stores in California.
“Beef suppliers across North America are currently facing production challenges,” a Wendy’s spokesperson told Reuters. “Because of this, some of our menu items may be in short supply from time to time at some restaurants in this current environment.”
Customers have taken to social media about the shortage circulating the hashtag #WherestheBeef in response to the company’s announcement.
Several slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants have closed in the wake of the COVID-19 virus outbreak as employees became increasingly infected by the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that among an estimated 130,000 workers in meat and poultry processing facilities, nearly 5,000 have become infected by the coronavirus. Among those who contracted the virus, 20 died.
Cases were reported among workers in 115 facilities in 19 states.
As public health concerns force many plants into suspension and closure, North America’s meat-supply chain has suffered, leading to fear that meat products may soon disappear from grocery shelves and restaurant menus.
