Tailbacks outside McDrives in towns around Rome as Italy eases lockdown.

McDonald's in Rome. The capital witnessed the phenomenon of major traffic jams outside McDrive outlets in the city suburbs and the greater Rome area on the evening of 4 May, the day that Italy entered Phase Two of its coronavirus emergency, easing the lockdown restrictions under which Italians had been living for almost two months.

The sight of cars stretching back kilometres was documented by local newspapers as well as on social media, with many witnesses believing initially that the cars were at a standstill due to a serious traffic accident.

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The traffic tailbacks were filmed outside McDonald's venues in towns near Rome including Ladispoli, Pomezia, Aprilia, and Anzio as well as in the Roman suburbs of Nomentana, Romanina and Anagnina.

Italian regional newspapers reported similar tailbacks outside McDrive outlets in other areas of Italy, from Calabria to Sardinia to Sicily.

Employees at Roman McDrives confirmed to online newspaper RomaToday that the first couple of days of Phase Two were intense but that things are slowly returning to normal.

Photo Civitonline.it