Consumers left with worthless passes and gift cards following COVID-19 business closures To give back to his front-line staff, McDonald’s franchise owner Bob Chisholm and his wife handed out $33,000 worth of gift cards to the approximately 200 employees who work in their businesses.The goal is to thank workers for everything they’ve done during the coronavirus pandemic while the donation of “Downtown Dollars” is intended to ease financial burdens on staff and help local businesses.“I was surprised, not surprised that there was anything, but surprised that it was as much as it was,” said Emily Jeffries, a salary manager at McDonald’s.The amount each staff member received depended on the number of hours they have worked during the.