Posted on 03/10/2014 1:36:24 PM PDT by Red Badger
WASHINGTON -- After an elderly couple got the boot from their local McDonald's for sitting too long, management and the owner are not answering the question if there really is a 30-minute sitting limit at the Culpeper, Va. fast food restaurant.
Carl Becker, 87, a World War II veteran, and his wife Barbara Becker, 81, say they both were at the Culpeper McDonald's on Feb. 21 at about 2:30 p.m. when they were approached by the manager.
The location is a place the pair has frequented for years.
"And he says 'You two are going to have to leave.' He said 'Your half hour is up and we need to clean this floor,'" says Barbara Becker. The restaurant was not crowded at the time, she says, and the two were stunned. This was the first time they had ever been asked to leave a McDonald's.
"We've never, ever, ever been kicked out of a McDonald's," she says, adding that they've have been patrons of the fast food chain for decades and since their own children were kids. The couple has six children ranging in age from 43 to 61 and 14 grandchildren with one on the way, due March 10.
"Now our grandchildren are McDonald's lovers," she says adding that they spend lots of time at McDonald's because they are on a fixed income and it's affordable. Her husband loves getting the chicken sandwich, she says and that it's a treat for the both of them to just eat, talk and enjoy each other's company.
Carl Becker wrote a letter to the editor of the Star Exponent about the incident.
But Barbara Becker says, "We were kicked out unnecessarily and we're just not that kind of people."
The couple has been back to a McDonald's since the incident but not the Culpeper location. The restaurant owner has reached out to the couple.
Bob Drumheller, the owner of the McDonald's Culpeper franchise, issued a statement:
"I care deeply about the comfort and satisfaction of my customers. My organization takes these matters seriously, and is investigating the customer's claims. I have also reached out to the customer to extend my apologies for this misunderstanding. Our focus will continue to be on serving our customers and providing them a welcoming experience."
In another incident involving a McDonald's in New York, the franchise had a bigger battle on its hands. That location had to remind its customers of a time limit for patrons who dine in by posting a sign stating customers have 20 minutes to finish their meals. The catalyst behind the sign was a group of elderly patrons who would come to the restaurant as early as 5 a.m. and would stay until after dark, the New York Times reports. The Times says a number of elderly Korean patrons were taking up tables for hours on a daily basis.
WTOP asked its Facebook followers to weigh in on the issue by asking whether there should be a 30-minute sitting limit at McDonald's. See the responses here.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter and on the WTOP Facebook page.
© 2014 WTOP. All Rights Reserved.
well, that’s a second reason for my non-patronage of McD’s
(the first being, their burgers cause me an instant barf attack)
Yeah. I can barely get my cheeseburger wrapper opened up and ketchup drizzled on my fries (provided I can get the darned ketchup packet ripped open with my teeth!); then there’s my straw paper cover to rip open and stuck in my cold drink (bits of wet paper stick to the straw!), then there’s my napkins to go back up and get, then I sit down and shut up and eat. With only 10 min. left by that time, I’d have to barely chew my Big Mac (which by now I can’t even remember if I still remotely LIKE Big Macs, then, of course, there’s the extra pack of ketchup I’ll need to finish my fries). Sigh. :o/
Excerpt from the letter to the editor in post 51 above....
....While we were eating, an employee was cleaning the floors and my wife asked
her if she would mind not cleaning around our table until we were finished because
of the
dust it stirs up.
I have noticed that certain ethnic groups go in and buy a coffee and 10 or 15 of them [some not buying coffee] stay there for hours and into the afternoon. It seems to be a meeting place thing. They do it every day.
It’s what people used to do at parks. Meet up with pals.
I could understand if dinning area is being used as rent meeting place for hrs everyday, but if its a few hrs once in a while, I don ‘t see a problem esp if noone is using those tables. 30 mins is kinda short Though. Sometimes I like to have a long lunch/dinner
But if a bunch of “teens” belonging to America’s #1 victim group were yelling, throwing food around and harassing normal people, they would NOT have been asked to leave.
If that happened to me, I would now be getting one free meal a day at Mcd’s compliments of the manager. Also, the written apology would be framed and on my wall.
Oh, and it’s pretty obvious that the elderly couple was not a member of any specially-privileged minority, or da rev al and da rev jesse would be doing a war dance in front of the restaurant.
It’s nice to use their WiFi and catch up,on some emails waiting in line, but I’m aware that they don’t offer it because they want me to play the entire World of Warcraft game. :)
Neither does an empty table.
I could see the manager having a legitimate beef if his restaurant was full and customers were looking for a place to sit down. But that was evidently not the case, the restaurant was mostly empty at the time according to the news report.
Reminds me of the story of a couple opening up a small restaurant. They would invite their families in to occupy the tables for hours so that that place would look busy and generate a buzz.
I’ve never see mcdonalds fiiled.........
it’s safe and warm....that’s what us old folks are about.
When there is a customer in my store, my attention cannot be on the work I have to do because I am required to be at the customer’s disposal throughout the entire time. Most of the time, this arrangement works quite well.
However, I used to have a customer that came in at 4am and would take the newspaper and open it up and start reading it. After about an hour, he’d finally leave. Sure, there was nobody else in the store but, for that hour, I also had to basically sit and not do anything.
It impacted my ability to run my shift.
No, it doesn’t. This has been going on for at least 20 years, as I recall my father telling me about it. Retired folks meet in the morning and take up residence at adjoining tables for hours. I’ve also seen it first hand. When the restaurant becomes busy, they don’t give up their tables.
It’s up to management to decide if their patronage is a money-making enterprise, and if they determine that it isn’t, to set policy that will eliminate the problem.
No business is obligated to provide a place for people of any age to congregate. If this group truly wants to establish a meeting place, they may always either join a club, or open their own doors to their friends.
Well, it’s pretty much safe and warm all over Los Angeles. When I’m retired however, I will not be sitting with an empty coffee cup for 6 hours straight.
I feel for both parties here … too bad these oldsters can’t buy a second cup of coffee.
Maybe they should switch over to the A & W. That’s where I ate, the one time I happened to pass through Culpeper.
Anyway, if the manager really wanted that elderly couple out of there in a non-confrontational way, he could have shown up at the table with a mop and asked them politely to take another table so that his staff could clean the area. Chances are, they would have taken the hint and just walked out of there on their own.
I'm also thinking this, isn't the Internet an amazing thing! 25 years ago, nobody ever would have heard about this incident. Now we have it being blogged and people from all around the world are commenting upon it.
They recently rebuilt the McDonald's I go to, and made it much less eat-in friendly.
The booths which were around the corner and sheltered from the order counter were replaced a single big eating area.
I figured they did it for the reason you stated.
It’s how customer service oriented businesses work. To ensure customers are served, you have to have your attention on them, not your work.
“The odd thing to me is that they like McDonalds. I guess I did too maybe 50 years ago but the last time I was in one will be my last time ever.”
I always go there for a laxative when I get constipated. Works like a charm...
I've been in customer service for 30 years and kicking customers out of your establishment so you can get "your work" done is not a good strategy!
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