McDonald’s in Maroochydore makes customers buy food before being allowed toilet use

A McDonald’s store in Queensland has enraged customers by imposing a condition on the use of its bathroom. The Macca’s in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast now requires patrons to buy food first before they can use the toilets.

Local resident Kim McDonald has shared on social media a photo of a sign in the store when she went to lunch with her family on Thursday. She wrote that they had planned to buy food but her 90-year-old grandmother had to use the bathroom first. They then learnt that they would have to line up and order first before her grandmother would be allowed to use the toilet.

“Toilets proudly provided for the use of McDonalds customers. Code on bottom of receipt,” the sign reads.

Kim said the new rule was “a bit of an overkill.” There were other elderly customers who were confused why the bathroom door wasn’t opening, she said. Even the disabled toilets were closed for those who don’t have the code.

And although she understood why the fast food restaurant had to impose it, it was inconveniencing paying customers.

“But most people go to Maccas after long trips and they want to go to the toilet before they eat, so it’s a bit inconvenient having to order before you can even go,” she said. “If you’re with kids and they’re hanging off the side of you and want to go to the toilet, you have to go order and get your receipt before they can go.

“I understand the whole concept … but really, how many people go into Maccas for just the toilet? You’re going in there to buy McDonald’s, not going in there to just hang out.”

She said it would have made more sense if the store unlocked the toilets until a later time at night to avoid inconveniencing children, pregnant women, the disabled and the elderly.

Store owner Gary Binet explained to the ABC that they had to restrict toilet access after a previous syringe incident. “We have had some security issues over the years and decided to take this step about six months ago,” he said. “The toilets are not visible from the front counter area and there is an entrance (and fire escape) at the end of the building, that is also out of view for our shirt managers. The lock has helped with the issue and we have not had an incident since installation.”

A McDonald’s spokeswoman said it wasn’t the fast food’s policy to lock bathroom doors. However, licensees have the power to make certain decisions, and that was what Binet had done.