Every McDonald's restaurant north and south of the border will close at seven o'clock tonight.
Management at the fast-food chain says it's the only way to keep staff and customers safe during the pandemic.
Six days ago the chain said it would serve takeaway meals only during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, they took the decision last night to shut completely.
The Irish Farmers' Association says the closure is a big blow to the agriculture sector.
Dawn Meat's in Carroll's Cross in Waterford produces more than 400 million beef burgers a year for McDonald's.
The IFA claims Irish beef price is already well below the cost of production, and farmers can't sustain more further cuts.
IFA President Tim Cullinan wrote to the European Commissioner for Agriculture last week pointing out that the Commission needed to stand ready to support the EU beef market as it was likely to be impacted by COVID 19.
“The Irish beef price is already well below the cost of production for farmers. They cannot sustain any further cuts,” he said.
