Many business owners say they have plans in place to safely operate once lockdown lifts.

McDonalds' plans to have staff handing customers food, cash and receipts when it reopens under level 3, which will be a breach of Covid-19 risk mitigation rules, a union says.

Unite Union national director Mike Treen said a draft plan for level 3 sent to the union by McDonald's appeared to breach alert level 3 settings and public health requirements.

Training material given to staff tells them to pass product directly to customers in drive throughs at a distance of closer than two metres and requires them to handle cash, he said.

"This does not meet the requirements to maintain physical distancing and have contactless interactions," Treen said.

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When New Zealand moves to alert level 3 at midnight on Monday, some businesses can reopen if the work can't be done from home, but can be carried out safely and doesn't involve contact with the public.

Treen said McDonalds' plan could potentially create a danger point for customers who would be receiving food from staff who had not been physically distancing from other customers.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF McDonalds will open when New Zealand moves into level 3 but concerns have been raised about its health plan.

McDonalds spokesman Simon Kenny said its number one priority in reopening was the safety of staff and customers.

"We have sought advice through official government channels and had third party auditors review our plans," Kenny said.

Last week the fast food giant invited Unite Union to observe in person its changes but had not had a response.

Cash would not be handled at the same window as food was given out, he said.

New protective screens would be placed at drive through windows, he said.

"As with everyone, we are working in a live situation and will continue to seek out expert advice to ensure we have interpreted alert level 3 guidance correctly."

A McDonalds drive through instructions document, supplied to media by the union, says staff must take cash notes from the opposite end that the customer is holding.

"Accept coins by holding your hand below the customer's hand, avoiding direct contact," it says.

"When providing change, hold note/s at one end and hand to the customer. For coins, responsibly drop them into the palm of the customer's hand."

It features other instructions including not to put straws in drinks, how to hand over receipts and washing surfaces and point of sales areas at least hourly.

Other fast food operators had extra measures, but there were still problems, Treen said.

Burger King planned to accept cash at a separate window and separated from food, while Restaurant Brands, which operated KFC, Pizza Hut and Car's Jr stores, was refusing cash, he said.

However, Burger King and Restaurant Brands planned to receive payments and hand over food using a tray through a window that did not maintain a two meter distance, he said.

Wendy's appeared to be the only company that seemed fully compliant, he said.

It was requiring customers to wait until drive-through windows were closed before taking food that was placed on a table outside and it would not accept cash.

Unite Union also had concerns that physical distancing of workers in fast food stores would be difficult to achieve, he said.