Should Homeless People Use Public Restrooms in Fast Food Restaurants?

This is a topic that was brought up on a blog Ipay to gain entry to their restrooms. Seems
read where a friend tried to take two homelessreally silly and over the top to me but they get
men he had met into McDonalds to have a mealto make this decision about their restaurant.
on Christmas. They were not allowed entryIt could have been that someone at that
because they have previously used the restroomMcDonald's just doesn't like the homeless. We
and not been paying customers.can't blame McDonald's as a whole. Our local McDs
My personal opinion is I see nothing wrong withused to serve a couple of homeless gentlemen
them using the toilets and I am not offended byquite often. In cold weather, they would come in
homeless people in any way. If I were to runand by a coffee and sit for hours. They would
across them, I would likely offer to buy them aget free refills and they never bothered anyone
meal.and no one seemed to care. Occasionally other
From a business standpoint, I think McDonald's haspatrons would buy them meals or give them
the right to reserve their toilets for payingmoney to get something and sometimes people
customers. Therefore, if they did not purchasewould just sit around and talk with them.
anything, they could legally ask them to leave theWhen I was a teen, I worked at McDonald's in
restaurant. However, when they came back withVA and we found a homeless man scavenging in
you later to have a meal which you were payingour dumpster area. So every night when we had
for, they did not have the right to refuse theirleftover food that would have been thrown out,
entry. The only exception would be if thatwe put it in a bag and placed it outside for him.
particular McDonald's filed a complaint and obtainedWe weren't supposed to according to official rules
a court order banning these two gentlemen frombut our manager knew we did it and never said
the property.anything.
I believe this is why the McDonalds' in D.C. hasIt's sad more people can't have more compassion.
pay toilets. If you buy something, you get aOf course these are only my personal opinions on
token to use the toilet; otherwise, you have tothe matter. What are your thoughts?