McDonald’s has been hit by a shortage of milkshakes and bottled soft drinks across its British outlets.
The fast-food chain is one of a growing number of companies facing supply chain delays that have been blamed on the pandemic and post-Brexit issues.
A spokesman for McDonald's said the company is “working hard to return these items to the menu” at 1,250 outlets in England, Scotland and Wales.
He said: “Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply chain issues, impacting the availability of a small number of products.
“Bottled drinks and milkshakes are temporarily unavailable in restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales.
“We apologise for any inconvenience, and thank our customers for their continued patience.”
Nando’s was last week forced to shut around 50 fast-food restaurants amid a chicken shortage. It blamed staffing shortages at suppliers and a reduced number of lorry drivers.
Rival KFC also said recently that supply chain issues meant it was unable to stock some menu items.
Companies across a raft of sectors in the UK have been suffering from a shortage of lorry drivers due to post-Brexit EU immigration rules, Covid-19 restrictions and self-isolation rules.
Industry body the Road Haulage Association says pandemic restrictions over the past 18 months have delayed many new recruits taking their driving tests. The group says Britain is short of about 100,000 drivers, from a pre-pandemic total of 600,000.
Supply pressures have also been affecting supermarkets in recent weeks, and manufacturers have reported sharp increases in the prices of raw materials.
Business groups representing the retail and transport sectors have called on the government to review plans not to grant temporary work visas to drivers from the EU.
