US chains in Brussels: What now?

brussels heart

U.S. restaurant chains with branches in Brussels, Belgium, are reviewing whether or not to keep the restaurants open in the aftermath of this morning’s terrorist attacks.

Starbucks has already disclosed plans to keep its 15 stores in Belgium closed until further notice. An employee at one unit suffered minor injuries, but the safety of all other staff workers has been verified, the coffee chain said in a statement. Bombs planted by terrorists in Brussels started exploding there at 8 a.m. local time, typically a busy time for the chain.

Domino’s told BloombergBusiness.com that it had closed all of its stores in Brussels, and McDonald’s said it had closed one. Pizza Hut, which Bloomberg cited as the U.S. chain with the most units in Belgium, has not revealed if any of its restaurants there have suspended operations.

Explosions in the departure terminal of Brussels’ main airport and in several subway stations have left at least 30 people dead. The terrorist group ISIS has claimed responsibility.

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