While restaurants throughout South Snohomish County have had to institute major changes in their business model in order to stay open during the current COVID-19 outbreak and corresponding government response, one is operating as usual since their opening in October 2011.

Dick’s Drive-In Edmonds, 21910 Highway 99, is continuing to serve its signature burgers, fries and shakes to hungry customers during its regular hours seven-days-a-week. But the restaurant is “implementing a number of extra precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” said the company’s president Jasmine Donovan.

“In addition to sanitizing all surfaces inside and out of our locations on a regular basis and requiring crew members who handle cash to use hand sanitizer or wash their hands with soap and water before collecting food, we are now screening all employees at the start of each shift for COVID-19 symptoms,” Donovan stated on the company’s website Tuesday.

While other restaurants have had to adapt to state and local directives to close onsite seating areas and convert to strictly to-go orders, Donovan noted that Dick’s has no plans to deviate from its standard menu and walk-up window service.

“Our restaurants are designed for quick and effective cleaning, all of our products are either hot or cold and the walk-up style allows for easy social distancing between customers,” Donovan said.

On Tuesday, Dick’s Drive-In Edmonds was buzzing with lunchtime customers, lining up in front of six open serving windows. Customers were waiting in lines that included X’s on the parking lot pavement – designated spots to stand approximately 6 feet apart.

The Edmonds location is one of seven in the Dick’s Drive-In chain — there are no plans to ramp down or close any of the restaurants during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Donovan said.

— By Doug Petrowski