McDonald’s “New Policy” Bans Customers From Buying Food For Homeless

[diabeticman]

http://www.trueactivist.com/mcdonalds-new-policy-bans-customers-from-buying-food-for-homeless/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=antimedia


A number of stories have recently come to light, showing that McDonalds allegedly has a new policy which is preventing customers from buying food for homeless people. In the UK this month alone there have been two separate incidents to make international headlines, where homeless people were denied service at McDonalds.

The first case involved a 27-year-old landscaper named Daniel Jackson who was almost denied service at a McDonalds on Oxford Road in Manchester because he was wearing dirty clothes and according to the staff he “looked homeless.” Jackson had to explain to the staff that he was actually just coming from a hard day’s work and was not homeless.

“I’d just clocked off work and I was absolutely ravenous. I’d not eaten since breakfast so I thought I’d go to McDonald’s for a quick meal. But when I got to the till the cashier went to get the manager from the back. He then said he wasn’t going to serve me because I looked homeless. I explained to him I had been at work all day but he said they had a zero tolerance policy on serving homeless people,”
___________________________________________________________________________

Granted this is in England now. But how soon before this policy comes to the U.S. after all McDonald's had no problem telling their employees to return Christmas gifts they received for money.

[xfundy]

1. What do they want the homeless to do, go somewhere and die?

Silly question. Of course they do.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. That would be the proper and polite thing to do, yes. nt

[silvershadow]

28. Yes, actually. They do. Everything you can't turn a profit on is expendable. They've ran

the numbers, and the homeless have got to be let go.

[Spirochete]

2. Now all they need to do

is stop selling food to the people who do have homes, and just go the fuck away...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

41. Seriously, WTF?

[gratuitous]

3. This makes no sense

A customer comes to the counter with ready cash for your product, and because you think he's homeless, you turn him away? Not sure I'm buying this story.

[betsuni]

7. True Activist is not a reliable source.

I wouldn't buy anything they're selling.

[starroute]

10. They're not the only ones with the story

Here's an earlier version. McDonalds is blaming it all on staff misunderstanding the policy, and it does seem to be just one particular McDonalds, but it's still indicative of a certain attitude.

http://kitchenette.jezebel.com/this-one-mcdonalds-allegedly-really-detests-the-homeles-1705636334

[Oktober]

56. The best/worst example in my memory is a McDonalds in San Francison I saw...

Overrun with drug addicts and homeless ...

They might have bought a random cheeseburger or two but I can't imagine that they made up for the business they drove away.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. a raggedy woman recently gave me her money and asked me to order her food

I did so and brought it outside to her. The McDonald's staff told me she was banned cuz she smelled bad. She did
..

[SusanCalvin]

13. Whoa.

Previous posts said source is sketchy for OP, but you're saying you have personal experience of this?

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. I don't claim it is a policy of mcd. this happened at one restaurant to one homeless

As I said, she was very smelly

[SusanCalvin]

19. Still, banned?

When she had money? Pretty uppity for a Mickey D....

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. yes. eventually she was allowed inside but she was cursing and kicking over the wet floor signs

She hit an employee and was banned by the cops. Then she disappeared. I hope she is safe and getting treatment.

[SusanCalvin]

26. Ah. So not just because of smell.

I hope she is getting help as well. Damn Ronald Reagan to hell, if I believed in such.

[alphafemale]

57. If she or anyone was dangerous that is valid reason for banning them.

There are also valid laws in place against loitering.

But as far as feeding the homeless?

I'd say the large majority of technically homeless are indistinguishable from anyone else.

[Renew Deal]

45. Have you ever been on a subway train with someone that stunk?

Usually that will clear out the entire car.

[SusanCalvin]

49. Oh, I believe it.

But people still have to eat.

[Oktober]

62. If she buys one or two burgers for $3...

... And drives off 10 families who spent $20+, it makes a lot more sense.

[Art_from_Ark]

48. I remember when I was in El Paso one time

and a couple of Mexican kids were holding up a sign in front of a restaurant that said, in English, something to the effect of "We're hungry. Could you buy us something to eat?" I took them into the restaurant, but was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be served because those kids were banned from the restaurant. Kids-- they couldn't have been more than 9 years old!

I did manage to get the kids something at another place, but it was from a vending machine so it was not as wholesome as a cooked meal would have been.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! That pisses me off every time I think about it!

[Takket]

5. .

[uppityperson]

69. This is about ONE McDonalds store, is NOT McDonald's policy

A McDonald's spokesman said: "We are very sorry for this incident and can confirm that it is not McDonald's policy to refuse to serve homeless people. We are currently investigating this incident and are speaking to Mr Jackson to rectify this mistake."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mcdonalds-apologises-after-customer-told-5661531

[LuvNewcastle]

6. I've bought food for a lot of homeless people

when I've had the money, and I wouldn't feed them McDonald's garbage unless I had to. They're already homeless. One shouldn't compound their problems by giving them poison to eat.

[MaggieD]

9. Is giving French fries to birds in the....

Parking lot still okay though?

What a ginourmously ahole policy.

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Only if they're pigeons

and the fries are the toxic McDonalds variety.

[SusanCalvin]

14. Poisoning pigeons in the park?

http://m.

[Jackpine Radical]

18. I knew someone would get it.

[SusanCalvin]

22. Yeah, but

It would have been better if I'd titled it "Poisoning pigeons in the parking lot." Oh well. It's late.

[Jackpine Radical]

25. Indeed it is late.

G'night, Ms Calvin, wherever you are.

[SusanCalvin]

27. .

[SusanCalvin]

11. SCREW THIS.

Dress code at fast food? I do not think so. If the money's good, it's none of their business.

[Moonwalk]

15. I'm guessing that because they sell food cheap, they get a lot of homeless people...

...buying food with what little money they can scrounge; also, McD's is a clean (relatively), well-lit place and that offers homeless people some place to hang. They can buy a cheap coffee and stay there for a few hours. McDonald's, not wanting other customers to see homeless at their tables, and connect their brand and restaurants with homeless people, decide this is the way to solve that problem.

Of course, they could solve the problem by not selling cheap food. Or, hey, here's an idea...why not give away food to the homeless and even build some shelters, and then the homeless wouldn't need to go to McDonalds for food or shelter. Radical concept, I know, but it just could work....

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. They sell food cheap? We ran through there the other day, and it was $5 for a straight up

chicken sandwich. No fries or drink. Not cheap. Not at all.

[thesquanderer]

35. They have a "dollar menu" with cheaper items (n/t)

[ScreamingMeemie]

43. It's still not cheap. Restaurants sell things for a buck too. nt

[thesquanderer]

46. Like what? Toast?

You can get a cheeseburger or a chicken sandwich for about a buck at McD. You must have gotten one of the premium chicken sandwiches, but they have cheap ones. (Not that $5 is expensive... at a "regular" restaurant or even a table-service chain, I would call that a cheap sandwich. Maybe it's a mater of where you live.)

[Moonwalk]

68. As pointed out, McD has a dollar menu, as do several other fast food places...

...and if those are the other restaurants you're talking about (fast food places) then, yes. Taco bell, Jack-in-the-Box, etc. sell meals for a dollar. And? What exactly is your point? I'm sure they also get their share of homeless customers. Because food is inexpensive, because they are numerous and easy to find and open every day of the week. Many stay open late or open way early, giving people a place to go and hang during hours when nothing else is open (like a public library or park) and saving them from being out on the street. Such fast food establishments usually have an acceptable restroom that--up till now--anyone could use.

Does all this make sense to you as to why they might get more than their share of homeless?

This is not the case with most non-fast food restaurants. First, at non-fast-food establishments, a customer has to deal with a waiter/waitress, who might not let them stay. And these places often won't let anyone but paying customers sit at their tables or use their restrooms. And few if any of these places sell anything like a burger, etc. for a dollar. Not unless it's on the kids menu.

So...exactly what was your point? That you didn't find McD's cheap? Here's their dollar menu, both regular and breakfast. Next time, buy one of these and maybe you won't find it so expensive.

[Ms. Toad]

59. Because their other customers wouldn't like it.

Just like the customers at this restaurant hates its practice:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/01/14/377033772/philadelphia-pizza-lovers-pay-it-forward-one-slice-at-a-time

[lpbk2713]

17. McDonald's has standards??

Now I've heard it all.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

21. What's next? Requiring a tie and dinner jacket?

[yuiyoshida]

24. Are they gonna call the cops if you do?

Put your name in the paper if you do? I wouldn't walk into a McDonald's now if you PAID me..with free Chocolate shakes and grilled fish sandwiches!

[onecaliberal]

29. I rarely go there but if they start this crap here I will be done. How completely pathetic.

[Enthusiast]

30. ...

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[BlueJazz]

31. I'm going to break up with McDonald's. "it's..it's..not me, it's you."

[closeupready]

32. Would not be enforceable as a policy in the US.

First, they would get really bad PR and for an organization that already sees more than its fair share, this would be very unwanted.

Second, many US jurisdictions have laws prohibiting discrimination against the homeless.

Finally, I'm not sure I believe this is an actual policy at all in the UK, since we have a blogger as the source here.

[PersonNumber503602]

38. Reading the articles about this, it looks like it's just limited to a single location

At the most, it seems like this is just some snotty jackass manager trying to make himself feel better by denying those that he feels are beneath him. Hopefully he'll never be homeless (or look homeless from a hard days work) and end up being denied access to a service because of it.

[cwydro]

47. No need for homelessness in the UK because

they have the dole. Council housing is available for those who don't work.

[Bluenorthwest]

58. And yet in reality....

Last year, 112,070 people declared themselves homeless in England – a 26% increase in four years. At the same time, the number of people sleeping rough in London grew by 75% to a staggering 6,437. Why? A £7bn cut in housing benefit, welfare reforms and a huge lack of affordable housing.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/25/homelessness-crisis-england-perfect-storm

[Hekate]

33. Probably would be a good idea for someone to contact corporate HQ and check....

Individual stores are franchises and sometimes their owners do things the corporation does not know about. We have been through this so many times here at DU that I am leery of jumping to conclusions on the basis of one anecdote.

[C Moon]

37. That's what I was thinking: it's probably a franchise owner's decision.

I don't support McDonald's myself, but I kind of doubt corporate (I hate saying that word) would back this.

[imthevicar]

34. now I will no longer go to

that shithole at All. good luck staying in business.

[PersonNumber503602]

36. I hope this story turns out to be BS or exaggerated

'cause if not, this by far the most screwy thing ever.

"Oh, you don't have a home? Well, you don't get to eat either."

Really? I don't understand how this would be considered acceptable to anyone in any country.

*looks like it's just a particular location. I'm guessing a semi-sociopath manager made this call. Well, maybe a manager that is just really stupid and misinterpreted some policy about loitering.

[KamaAina]

39. They serve food at McDonald's?!

[KamaAina]

40. Sorry to say, it's been here for a few years.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9084653

[whereisjustice]

42. Charles Dickens told us about this. History repeats itself.

[man4allcats]

44. Sounds like it might be time for a boycott of McDonald's;

not that I frequent their establishments anyway.

[NaturalHigh]

50. What a bunch of butt munches.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

51. I was in downtown L A , near 7th and Figueroa

There was a homeless guy in a wheel chair panhandling. I told him to come inside the 7-11 with me and pick out what he wanted. The manager got pissed off but he did serve us.

[mimi85]

52. How would the place know

that you're buying food for a homeless person if they didn't accompany you in the store?

[Omaha Steve]

53. K&R!

[oberliner]

54. Headline is a lie

A McDonald's spokesman said: "We are very sorry for this incident and can confirm that it is not McDonald's policy to refuse to serve homeless people. We are currently investigating this incident and are speaking to Mr Jackson to rectify this mistake."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mcdonalds-apologises-after-customer-told-5661531

The incident is ridiculous, but it is not their policy.

[Glimmer of Hope]

55. Thank goodness!

[cwydro]

61. I know. I don't eat at Mickey D's ever, but

this is a bullshit story from a bullshit source.

No offence DB, but this source is wrong.

[nilesobek]

60. As a former veteran homeless traveler for a decade,

I always avoided the place and retreated to areas of camping and forest ground. At a certain level I'm damaged but there are legions of homeless more damaged than I am and have no choice but to inhabit hostile areas and rely on the kindness of strangers for help.

Of course food is the quick establishment answer for the problem. The establishment is embarrassed by the problem and will throw food at it the best they can ignoring the real problem: Homeless need a home.

There's always the further complications to the problem. The permanent class of billionaires created in America while cutting social programs. There is the Reagan legacy of marching the mentally ill out into the streets. There are the war veterans with PTSD back from seemingly countless foreign interventions.

I was able to take my salt, bread and water jugs, with my books into the hills, not all homeless can do that.

[SusanCalvin]

63. Yep.

And it's not altruism - from what I've read, cities that simply house the homeless save money.

[nilesobek]

64. We homeless and former homeless have a myriad of problems.

The main one is we are homeless. We are usually not called, "foodless." I had people offering me food all the time and was turning it down. Its a shameful situation here in America with less than one percent owning everything. Its outrageous we spent trillions on the Iraq mistake.

Even though I'm still in poverty I have a home now and feel fortunate, however I'm seriously worried about the future. So much of the populace is one paycheck away, one sickness away from the same fate.

[SusanCalvin]

65. I'm glad you're doing OK.

You're absolutely right about so many living on the edge. Thanks, St. Ronnie, and Republicans in general. And Clinton too.

[nilesobek]

66. I have a nostalgic fondness for the Clinton years.

I had a good job and was raising my family, my small children. We were poor still but we had hope. I didn't fall apart until after 2001.

[SusanCalvin]

67. Yeah, I forgot Dubya.

I hear ya regarding personal experience - I'd go back to the 80s, personally, in a heartbeat, even though I hated Reagan then and now.