"Implemented an in‑store customer face‑covering policy on July 24 and circulated internal guidance instructing crew to approach guests “with an attitude of gratitude,” offer alternate ordering from outside using an order sheet or the app, avoid touching guests or their phones, and not refuse service when customers decline masks or cite medical reasons; employees are also told not to critique how a guest is wearing a covering. The chain saw digital orders surge (digital sales tripled), but at least one frontline worker called enforcement uneven—saying rules were often applied to staff more than customers and labeling the policy “a joke.”" - Kristen Hawley