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news
Cyclist at McDonalds (Flickr Creative Commons)Congleton cyclists say McDonald's is discriminating against people who avoid using their car for unnecessary journeys
Cyclists from Congleton have objected to McDonald’s ‘discrimination’ against people who choose to avoid the car for unnecessary journeys. The fast food restaurant said its decision not to serve people on bikes at its drive-throughs was taken, “for the health and safety of our people and our customers.”
Jill Dooney and her husband cycled to Congleton’s drive-through McDonald’s after getting a first shot of a Covid vaccine at the town hall earlier this week.
She told Nub News that they were told they would not be served because they were on bicycles.
The drive-through is open to motorists, but Dooney was told it was against McDonald’s insurance policy to allow people to cycle through.
A spokesperson later explained: “For the health and safety of our people and our customers, we are unfortunately unable to serve customers not in road-going motor vehicles in our drive-through.
"With takeaway temporarily closed we know this is disappointing for some customers, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."
Dooney said: "I object to the fact that they discriminate against people who choose to avoid the car for unnecessary journeys.
"I feel that this policy encourages more car journeys, particularly where children/teenagers want a McDonald's and have to ask their parents to give them a lift.
"Should McDonald's not be encouraged to upgrade their insurance policy or find another way to serve walking and cycling customers in a COVID-compliant way?"
In July last year, a warehouse worker in Stoke complained that he had been left “shocked and embarrassed” after queuing at a McDonald’s drive-through on his bike only to be turned away when it was his turn to be served.
"I believe this is highly discriminatory against young people or anybody trying to do their bit for the environment by riding a bike,” said James Owens. “If cyclists are not welcome, why is this not made clear at the entrance to the drive-through?
“Cyclists and motorists manage to share every other part of the highway so why does McDonald’s think they cannot negotiate a drive-through together?”
On that occasion McDonald’s went into greater detail about why it won’t serve cyclists.
A spokesperson said: “By the very nature of a drive-through layout, vehicles need to pull up close to the service points and as there are no specific pavements or safe areas for pedestrians to use at the same time, safety becomes a concern.
"We are unable to permit pedestrians, bicycles and class-one mobility scooters to use our drive-throughs for these reasons. We are able to serve customers on motorcycles or those using a class-two or class-three mobility scooter."
The policy is presumably not one that applies worldwide however as the firm has previously trialled drive-through packaging specifically designed for cyclists.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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118 comments
Nope, it's perfectly legal discrimination as being 'cyclist' is not one of the protected characteristics.
In fact, the only thing stopping a cafe refusing to serve a cyclist because their lycra might upset Susannah Constantine, is loss of business and possibly the bad publicity they might get!
Is age not a protected characteristic?
Drivers only will indirectly discrimate against those unde the age of 17, although it seems it is legal to do this, based on the policies of some shops to children.
It is, but you can discriminate based on a protected characteristic if there's a good reason for it - and as you can't legally hold a driving license below a certain age, then that would cover them.
I once worked at a company that only recruited people with bad eyesight - because they were required to test opticians!
I won't be using Mcdonalds from now on.
They only do it while they think they can get away with it. If you just sat there blocking anyone else from using the drive through I'll bet they'd make an exception to their policy.
Same thing happened to my father in law last year but at a drive thru Costa Coffee. He and a friend both in their 70's were out for a ride and the weather took a turn for the worse. The Costa at the time was only serving through the drive thru hatch and refused these two old boys a Coffee.
Costa cited a health and safety issue ( n.b there were no other vehicles in the queue). Utter bo**ocks.
My father in law is much more laid back about these things than I am but I'll never use them again for this reason. Shop local, avoid these faceless, moralless chains.
Also their coffee always tastes a bit weak and watery.
the problem with that is not everywhere has a proper "local coffee" shop, there are very few on the majority of routes I ride and Costa is often or not the only choice versus some horrendously overpriced or less than satisfactory alternative.
Im sure when this topic has come up before though theres rarely any real insurance or health & safety case to be made, but as the drive-thru is always on private land, the landowner can set any condition they like.
Mate, I'd rather do without a brew than give those turds my money. Theres always another option even if it means riding a few more miles.
Health and safety my arse. Only if it appears in a risk assessment that a risk has been identified which needs to be mitigated.
Curry's did something similar. I was shopping for a TV for my mum, who was getting on in years. As old folk do she needed to use the bath room. When I finally found a member of staff and explained the situation,
"there are no customer toilets"
"Can she use the staff loo?"
"No it's against our policy"
"Surely in this case you can make an exception"
"No, it's health and safety"
This last line delivered with one of those conspiratorial smiles that says "health and safety will be the death of us, isn't it stoopid that your mum can't use our perfectly safe toilets BY LAW."
Aaaarrrgggh!!!!!! As if the law is going to stop old folk using a f*cking toilet!?!??! She got treated to a particularly hard stare.
Maybe Currys staff receive special training on how to use the toilet?
Otherwise, I'd love to know how it is dangerous for the general public to use their toilet under any circumstances but not dangerous for their staff to use the same toilet?
I know, that was exactly my thought at the time
"I'm shocked - your management have provided you with toilets that are dangerous to use" I didn't quip....
It drives me nuts that people defend decisions they know to be ridiculous with "Elf n sayfety, innit", thus perpetuating the myth. This in turn allows corporations to falsely claim that H&S is just red tape which needs to be got rid of.
So if the visit was made by e-scooter which is considered a motor vehicle and requires a driving licence, would that be acceptable to McD's? It is probably easier for McD's just to state that as the drive through is on private land they may liable for any injuries that occur through vehicle shunts and therefore require all vehicles to have registration plates visible for the cameras incase one should shunt and leave before handing over payment details. Cyclists don't have registration details visible. Pre-ordering with Just Eat/Uber eat seems sensible, but not as sensible as getting something at home instead.
No. Because, although private land, it is open to the public and so the regulations still apply to the operation of an e-scooter and an offence is stil committed.
Being refused service at McDonalds will increase your life expectency.
They do a 'click & serve' now where you order on the app and park in the car park in a numbered bay, then the food is brought out to you - no drive thru required. I wonder if that would work on a bike? They probably wouldn't realise you were on a bike until they brought the food out!
I would say this will work, and for pedestrians too.
Reason being that I actually tried to do this by car but couldn't find the numbered bays to park in, so ended up parking elsewhere and walking around to find the bays before completing my order. Then I just waited next to the chosen bay because someone else parked in it before I could go back to my car. The food runner was fine with it but I would double check the food you receive.
and if they complain, you could just ask them to wait a minute whilst you get your car, then whip this out of a pannier bag and slowly inflate it...
I would be tempted to have that fully inflated already and somehow fitted on my bike while I'm riding
maybe they'll let me through the drive through!
Yes the App works. I took my son for a ride last week and we stopped at the local MaccyDs for lunch. Ordered from outside with the App and they bought it out to us. Simples!!
At this McDonald's in Wuxi, China, they had an outside service window for pedestrians. Every time I walked past there was a car up on the pavement using it.
https://goo.gl/maps/fm6nGGR9xp2XKp1B9
In Barcelona they didn't want to serve me when I walked up to the drive through counter. When I returned with my bicycle it was fine.
In Germany they were experimenting with a service for cyclists. I'm not sure how successful that was.
https://www.food-service.de/international/int-news/mcdonalds-germany-tes...
Whereas I'm not a customer of MaccyDee's, this same thing winds me up about the local tip. You can't ride or walk on. Why not? See plenty of cars turning up with only one bag of rubbish, causing a queue behind down the street cos there's not enough parking spaces inside. Give bikes priority, they take a fraction of the space
Same here - even if you live very close by and don't have a car!
Remember it is safe to share national speed limit roads with cars, but not the drive through. Allegedly
Bikes are road going vehicles.
The lack of a pavement is irrelevant, as bikes can't use pavements anyway.
No, no, no! This is about the safety of their people. It's clearly much worse to inhale sweaty lycra aroma than diesel fumes.....
I always thought the drive though was take away. Bottom line there much better places that will happily take your money even if you have a bike.
"The drive-through is open to motorists, but Dooney was told it was against McDonald’s insurance policy to allow people to cycle through."
They should check with the insurers and get it from the horse's mouth, not some jumped up manager. I've been told the same thing many times by ride organisers about their helmet rules, and every time I checked, it was a lie; the insurers demanded no such thing.
"You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to shop for basic necessities" (UKGOV National Lockdown guidance).
Struggling to see how going to McD's in a car, on a bike or on foot falls into shopping for basic necessities?
How about key workers popping in to grab some breakfast/lunch/dinner? If they're allowed to be open and serve people, then it seems reasonable that people can go there to buy food (or an approximation thereof).
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