Not-so-Happy Meal as cyclist refused service at drive-thru McDonald's

Most likely an issue of insurance, covered for vehicle use only in the lane.

I worry that sometimes cyclist just want an argument

Christ there are some right snobby ba****ds out there.

I've been served in a McDonalds drive-thru on my bicycle before. In my defence I was young and didn't realise what rubbish it was that they are serving. I now usually just buy coffee as I can handle their simple choice - black or white.

For next time, he should plan to walk up to a Drive-Thru on foot and order there.

I assume there is not a "no cyclists or horses allowed" signage, so I can assume their drive thru facility is an invitation to all road users. As has been previously mentioned, the cyclist is not informed of the rules until they are at the serving window; that is to say, until they are in a position that McDonalds considers to be dangerous for cyclists.

As cyclists (and horse-riders) are legitimate road users, this means that McDonalds have lured them into a place where they consider them to be in danger due to the inadequacy of the design of their drive thru facilities. Does this not mean they are admitting liability for any injury that may occur? Even without a cyclist being there is this not negligence and a Health and Safety issue?

I had a similar experience at a McDonald's in Boston, up in Lincolnshire a couple of years ago. When I stopped to photograph the entrance to the drive through, which did not indicate a ban on cyclists in any way, the teenage "manager" came out and threatened to call the police if I didn't vacate the premises. Annoyingly, it was the only food available near where I had to catch my train back to London, and I didn't have a lock, so I went hungry instead. I didn't alert the media, but I do think about it every time I see a McDonald's ad.

This happens in Australia too as some friends have just pointed out to me so it is some kind of policy.
My friends were at Lakes Entrance in Victoria and rode their bikes through the Macdonalds drivethrough. They were refused service no matter how hard they argued.

The McDonalds in Camberley has a pedestrian serving hatch for night time use, like they have in petrol stations although I wouldn't eat that shit if you paid me to.

[[[[ Nah...McDonald's probably thought that if there were any horses around the gaff, they'd take one look at the would-be customer's luminous pantaloons and freak out, causing "evacuations" all round. Nay,nay! The customers, I mean!
P.R.

McD don't use trans-fats/hydrogenated fat in their stuff - so many ill-informed muppets making comments. Is it healthy? Not really, it's mostly med-high GI empty calories but then so is a lot of food we consume.
If you don't like it don't eat there but trying to take any high ground against people that do is laughable.

Hmmm, this happened to me on the RAB last year. We arrived in Glasgow on Day 7 and needed to get some plastic bags and things (we'd been shat on the day before).
I went to the local retail park and spotted McDs. I'd come up on my bike, walked around Sainsbury's with my bike (security guard got a bit narky, but no one else said a word) and decided a Big Mac would be just the ticket.

I went through the drive-thru and promptly got into an argument about whether they could serve me. I told them I couldn't leave my bike outside for fear of theft and what I was doing, but still no dice. They did let me take the bike into the restaurant and purchase the burger inside so it was a concession of sorts. But their statement was the same, no bikes in case their was an accident. Though from what has already been said above I understand why now, except I was fully insured....ironic.

There are definitely worse things you can eat than McD's. All things in moderation, though if you're burning 9,000 cals a day you're more likely to need the food than worry about its long term effects of eating it as part of a stable diet.

Leaving aside the arguments about the nutritional value of McDs there really should be clarity on what type of vehicles they want/don't want in the drive-thru. It would seem perfectly reasonable to me to ride through to pick up a meal so some sort of signage would seem sensible.

The fact is its actually easier to park and secure a car (get out and press a button on your keys) than it is a bicycle (carry a lock, remove QR front wheel and seatpost, detach trailer and panniers etc.) so you could argue that this sort of facility is better suited to cyclists than drivers!

'It's not food, so can't be food snobbery.'

oh, ffs.

Of course it is food. Not very healthy, granted. But it is food.

remove head from arse before posting again, please.

What about an E-Bike?

Or have we covered that?

Not a very busy day in the office today is it.

Anyone else feel a flash-mob event at a MacDo coming on.....

The horse was probably worried it would end up in a burger....

If McDs don't show notices at the entrance to their drive-thrus that cyclists are not welcome, then methinks an oft repeated "flash mob" preventing drivers from contributing to McD's profits will make them give more consideration.
This would be akin to the old tale of a large group of people arriving in cars at a country cafe and then making a fuss, asking loudly why; as they were the same people why they had been previously refused service when they just happened to arrive on bikes.

To be honest it's common sense where is he going to put the food while on his bike? He would need to park it up and go inside or to a bench for his kid to eat it anyway.

Maybe it is old news, but if you had read Mark Beaumonts book 'The Man Who Cycled The World' then you would know that McD have had vegetarian burger meals for a very long time - it surprised Mark when he walked in to the first McD he saw in India and realised they had no meat based food for sale and only vegetarian, which made him happy and the scoffed down 3 whole meals as I recall before getting back on his bike for the afternoons ride.

Where else does this nobber drive his bike through? Perhaps he'd like to take chance on driving his bike on the local M27 motorway? Does he clean it in the local automatic car wash?

Some people on bikes just seek out conflict.

I can understand why they'd refuse to hand over the food as that would mean you potentially riding off through the car park one handed as you'd be holding your food and this would create a safety risk for all users of the carpark. However, there shouldn't be any issue paying for your order.

They should just make a concession for cyclists whereby you pull up in the carpark and a member of staff brings your food out to you. You'd need to be stationary to eat it anyway, and they do this in cases where there is a delay with your order so as not to hold up the drive-thru line anyway.

nothing new about this news

12 years ago riding on City Road in London, cycled into the drive-thru MC'D to get a vege burger

was strictly told "no service unless in a motor vehicle due to H&S concerns"

was then told "you can use the restaurant but you cannot take your bicycle inside". When I pointed out I was not leaving a £3,500 mountain bike unlocked they had no answer.

complained to the company itself, and was told it was a franchise and the franchisee can do whatever they like basically

I like a McD's now and again, I like Big Macs and it's quick and easy.

I haven't been through a drive-thru on a bike but have been through on foot, 4 of us lined up as though we were in a car and moved in position from window to window. I even pretended to wind the windows down. We were quite drunk and thought this was hilarious, the women behind the window did not but did serve us. I'm sure we weren't the first to do this and we won't be the last!

Maybe next time I'll try it with 3 mates on bikes as though we were in a car.

You can't beat a double sausage and egg McMuffin, sugary chemical ridden crap but they are bang on.

I'm also a big fan of their lard filled milkshakes.

I've been stopped a couple of times from riding through the drive through on my bike, didn't feel the need to contact the press about it though.