No loitering signs on the inside, I went their today along with my girlfriend, her mother and my 3-year-old niece. Soon after we got our food I noticed the no loitering sign above our booth which stated there was a 30 minute time limit while consuming food. This meant we had to finish our meal and be out of there within 30 minutes or we were subject to having the cops called and/or my car being towed. My girlfriend and I can finish our meal in under 30 minutes but her mom is 80 and it takes her a little longer and I wasn't about to tell my niece to hurry up because I was afraid if she tried to eat her nuggets too fast she could choke. When I go into McDonald's or any other restaurant I like to take my time and enjoy my meal, I don't like being put on a time limit. We were there between 12:15 and 12:45, they were not busy and there was plenty of tables that were unoccupied so this new policy makes little sense to me.

I've seen these signs around the McDonald's around here. It's to keep bums out.

I've eaten in there w/ some friends way over 30 mins. and we weren't told to get out. I don't see them telling a family w/ a small child to get out after 30 mins.

A way to get around this policy is to buy something else when your time is about to expire. You would get an additional 30 mins by buying a small fry or coffee since it's a new purchase.

It's also to deter the high school kids from turning it into a hangout. I doubt they would ever throw adults out who were eating their meals, unless they were there for a long time. I think 45 minutes is more reasonable.

They also want to turn the tables over. Although it wasn't busy where you ate, most McDonald's are very busy during lunch hours. Fast food. Get in, get out, fast.

Well I think 30 mins is more than enough time for someone to finish a meal at McDonald's:lol:


15 mins is about the average time it takes to finish a meal at mickey d's so 30 mins sounds about right

I should clarify that no one told us we had to leave but one woman behind the counter kept looking towards us every few minutes. I was going by what the sign said and probably should've spoken to management but decided to call corporate and speak to their customer service reps who only went by their scripts and apologized for my inconvenience and took my name and other info. I can understand about wanting to keep the bums out and to not use the place as a hangout for high school students but the signs suggest that everyone is subject to the rule and not certain groups.

Well I think 30 mins is more than enough time for someone to finish a meal at McDonald's:lol:


15 mins is about the average time it takes to finish a meal at mickey d's so 30 mins sounds about right

30 minutes is more than sufficient time for my girlfriend and I but like I said it wasn't just us.

I should clarify that no one told us we had to leave but one woman behind the counter kept looking towards us every few minutes. I was going by what the sign said and probably should've spoken to management but decided to call corporate and speak to their customer service reps who only went by their scripts and apologized for my inconvenience and took my name and other info. I can understand about wanting to keep the bums out and to not use the place as a hangout for high school students but the signs suggest that everyone is subject to the rule and not certain groups.


well i was in Mcdonald's yesterday eating with my mom and I think we were in there about 40 mins

I can understand about wanting to keep the bums out and to not use the place as a hangout for high school students but the signs suggest that everyone is subject to the rule and not certain groups.

Of course they can't openly say that, but it's obvious as to whom this rule is intended for.

Of course they can't openly say that, but it's obvious as to whom this rule is intended for.

I realize that but it didn't seem that obvious to me especially when that woman at the counter kept looking our way.

Dunkin Donuts has that sign in our local shop. A group of senior citizens come for coffee and gab and are polite and mind their business. The clerks know them and they are welcome to stay as long as no one is waiting for a table. Most people are in and out of the place in 5 minutes. It is a little harder for Macdonalds for a lot of people sit down.

It is a little harder for Macdonalds for a lot of people sit down.

I've never once been in one in any location and seen it so busy that customers weren't able to sit down. You don't see people lined-up outside the door at fast-food restaurants or at least I never have.

I can't see that ever happening in philly it would be way too many confrontations lol

I was going by what the sign said and probably should've spoken to management but decided to call corporate and speak to their customer service reps who only went by their scripts and apologized for my inconvenience and took my name and other info.

I once tried to use a current coupon, printed on the back of the receipt, at a McD's less than 2 miles from where I got it. The @$#&^% magager refused it. So I later called corporate, and they basically told me tough luck. Some people who run the franchises are absolute dicks and they won't get my business. I've never had something like that happen with any other chain.

I don't typically eat at McDonalds, but I have had experiences there where I have had to wait more than 30 minutes just for my food.

I don't understand why anyone would want to hang out in McDonald's for any length of time.

.

I don't understand why anyone would want to hang out in McDonald's for any length of time.

High school students with nothing else to do.

The hangout when I was growing up was Dairy Queen but the manager took advantage of it and had High school specials if you had your student ID, which in my school we had to have it every day so it was as valuable to us as our Drivers License

Some older folks like to sit and chat a while during and after their meal. They come from a time when every meal wasn't wolfed down like there was a race going on; they knew how to relax and enjoy things.

When I go out, not necessarily to McD's, I like to spend an hour or so at the place I eat at. Part of the enjoyment of the meal is the relaxing conversation you can have. Again, that's more for nicer restaurants, but I hate rushing anywhere really. I can understand the thing about the bums and high school kids, of course. It's always small groups of people that ruin things for the majority. It puts the restaurant in a bad position, too.

McDonald's nearby my job used to have a lot of black guys that were bums that hung out there for hours and when McDonald's did their renovation, i noticed that the bums stopped coming around because they had security guards and i'm sure the security guards told the bums they couldn't stay there long. I didn't know they had a new policy that says customers have only 30 minutes to eat their food but i agree with what JamesG said about the rule is intended for the bums and high school students because they act like they have nothing to do and they like to just hangout at places like that. The one thing i've never understood about a lot of ignorant black men when i drive through the bad black neighborhoods is that i see them hanging out in front of liquor stores or conveinence stores. It's sad that they act like there's nothing else to do LOL.

That is a stupid and ufair law. Sometimes people just like to sit and visit with friends. 30 minutes isn't enough time to eat and visit.

I realize that but it didn't seem that obvious to me especially when that woman at the counter kept looking our way.
maybe she was flirting with you - or you did something to make her angry?

maybe she was flirting with you - or you did something to make her angry?

I doubt she was flirting lol and I didn't do anything to make her angry or at least nothing I can think of.

I know a lot of retirees hang out at our McDonalds. I've never seen anybody tell them to leave. I think as long as you order something they should leave you alone within limits. I don't like to be rushed when I eat. They even have TV's at our McDonalds.

I don't eat at McDonalds, but I'd be irritated to see a sign like that. I can easily eat a meal in less than 30 minutes and I'm not someone who likes to linger in a restaurant after I'm finished, but it's rude to treat people that way...especially if the restaurant isn't busy, no one is waiting for a table, and you're not causing trouble.

I know a lot of retirees hang out at our McDonalds. I've never seen anybody tell them to leave. I think as long as you order something they should leave you alone within limits. I don't like to be rushed when I eat. They even have TV's at our McDonalds.


I know i got the rush out feeling certain times when i was at certain restaurants and it was probably because it was a saturday night and they were trying to get people in and out as fast as they could lol

I know a lot of retirees hang out at our McDonalds. I've never seen anybody tell them to leave. I think as long as you order something they should leave you alone within limits. I don't like to be rushed when I eat. They even have TV's at our McDonalds.



They have TVs at ours too next to a raised bar like area that Ive seen people at watching sports

They have TVs at ours too next to a raised bar like area that Ive seen people at watching sports

Talk about sending mixed signals. "Here's a TV to watch, but hurry and get your ass outta here in 30 minutes or less." :lol:

It's also to deter the high school kids from turning it into a hangout. I doubt they would ever throw adults out who were eating their meals, unless they were there for a long time. I think 45 minutes is more reasonable.

They also want to turn the tables over. Although it wasn't busy where you ate, most McDonald's are very busy during lunch hours. Fast food. Get in, get out, fast.

Still, I can see Charles' point of view on this. A official rule on loitering seems unnecessary to me.

I don't typically eat at McDonalds, but I have had experiences there where I have had to wait more than 30 minutes just for my food.

I don't understand why anyone would want to hang out in McDonald's for any length of time.
I've gone through the drive-through window and told to go to the parking lot. I've ordered food and they've gotten it wrong. McDonalds has the worse help of all fast food restaurants IMO. I don't go there that much...maybe 4 or 5 times a year.

http://i41.tinypic.com/29p46yq.png

Relax. No one is going to arrest you for not finishing your meal in 30mins. The police have much more serious crimes to attend to. The sign is merely a suggestion on the length of time that they prefer you occupy a table. I have no idea how the concept of your car getting towed fits into your fantiful scenerio, but you don't have to worry about that either.(Assuming that your car was parked legally in the 1st place.) A problem can ONLY arise when you all have finished eating and sit there with NO FOOD infront of you.

Talk about sending mixed signals. "Here's a TV to watch, but hurry and get your ass outta here in 30 minutes or less." :lol:
On Super Sunday our McDonalds had a big sign up telling people to come in and watch the SB in HD. lol

Still, I can see Charles' point of view on this. A official rule on loitering seems unnecessary to me.
A sign just saying No Loitering would have been better. Lots of businesses in town have them up.

Relax. No one is going to arrest you for not finishing your meal in 30mins.

I realize that but I felt like we were being watched the entire time and the other tables at our section were not occupied so the woman at the counter could only have been staring at us.




The police have much more serious crimes to attend to. The sign is merely a suggestion on the length of time that they prefer you occupy a table.

Where I live alleged loitering would be a serious crime and the sign said 30 minute time limit while eating. It did not say we suggest 30 minutes. That meant they wanted us or anyone else occupying their tables to finish their meal and be gone within that time frame. How else am I supposed to comprehend that?

I have no idea how the concept of your car getting towed fits into your fantiful scenerio, but you don't have to worry about that either.(Assuming that your car was parked legally in the 1st place.) A problem can ONLY arise when you all have finished eating and sit there with NO FOOD infront of you.[/FONT][/SIZE][/B]

The sign states that your vehicle is subject to being towed, that's how it fits into it and mine was legally parked in the handicapped parking spot. It's also unnecessary for you to use all caps with some words to get your point across. I'm perfectly capable of understanding you without the added help. :rolleyes:

A sign just saying No Loitering would have been better. Lots of businesses in town have them up.

Agreed, a no loitering sign would've been sufficient enough. The added conditions were totally unnecessary.

I realize that but I felt like we were being watched the entire time and the other tables at our section were not occupied so the woman at the counter could only have been staring at us.

Yeah, that's rude and it would bother me too. Who wants to be stared at when they're eating?

I've never seen the sign, but it seems rather bizarre. Most McDonald's now have WiFi, and if people have laptops, I don't see them staying for only 30 minutes. As long as you buy food, I don't think they will be throwing you out (unless you are approaching two or three hours).

Still, I can see Charles' point of view on this. A official rule on loitering seems unnecessary to me.

Once again everyone is entitled to their opinion including those who disagree. Others have voiced their opinions, Why do you only quote Janice and call her out?

The sign states that your vehicle is subject to being towed, that's how it fits into it and mine was legally parked in the handicapped parking spot. It's also unnecessary for you to use all caps with some words to get your point across. I'm perfectly capable of understanding you without the added help. :rolleyes:

Duly noted. I happen to be both a writer and an artist, which explains my emphasis on the visual when making a point with words. Although I have the most visually exciting and artistically creative posts on SO, it does't make me or my reponses and opinions any more correct than even the most bare or basic post.

i dunno, i have been thrown out of and banned from McDonald's on multiple occasions, and more often than not they will just throw you out rather than call the cops - unless you do something REALLY bad, in which case you should already know that you should RUN.

Although I have the most visually exciting and artistically creative posts on SO, it does't make me or my reponses and opinions any more correct than even the most bare or basic post.

I never mentioned this, putting certain words in all caps is not creative or artistic. You're not the only one that does it and I've done it myself on Ebay because most people there can't understand plain English. :lol:

I guess instead of Happy Meals Mcdonalds should sell Hurry up and eat meals.

I never mentioned this, putting certain words in all caps is not creative or artistic. You're not the only one that does it and I've done it myself on Ebay because most people there can't understand plain English. :lol:

http://i.imgur.com/4rhz3R9.png

I have to remember that sometimes my creativity might over shadow my
message, so I have to take into account this might occasionally happen.

Others have voiced their opinions, Why do you only quote Janice and call her out?
Isn't that the truth? Drives me crazy.

I've gone through the drive-through window and told to go to the parking lot. I've ordered food and they've gotten it wrong. McDonalds has the worse help of all fast food restaurants IMO. I don't go there that much...maybe 4 or 5 times a year.

After I saw "Super Size Me" a few years ago, I almost never eat there. I realize most of the other fast food joints are probably just as bad, but the film centered on the effects of Mickey D's, and at least places like KFC have eliminated their trans fat (for the most part, though they still are terribly high in sodium, etc.). McD's just keeps clicking along, trans fat all the way, LOL!

After I saw "Super Size Me" a few years ago, I almost never eat there. I realize most of the other fast food joints are probably just as bad, but the film centered on the effects of Mickey D's, and at least places like KFC have eliminated their trans fat (for the most part, though they still are terribly high in sodium, etc.). McD's just keeps clicking along, trans fat all the way, LOL!
The only thing I ever have when I go there is McNuggets and Fries. I used to love McDonalds as a kid. I used to love the Big Mac. I haven't had one in over 20 years.

The only thing I ever have when I go there is McNuggets and Fries. I used to love McDonalds as a kid. I used to love the Big Mac. I haven't had one in over 20 years.

Me, too. When I was young, the closest McD's was about 40 miles away and going there was an "event", like an amusement park. Now there's one about a mile from my front door and I probably go there once a year, and that's when I am desperate.

My thing used to be the Shamrock shakes. Had to go there every March...fueled largely by those "Sid and Marty Krofft"-like McDonaldland commercials! :)

Once again everyone is entitled to their opinion including those who disagree. Others have voiced their opinions, Why do you only quote Janice and call her out?

I don't call her out, I simply state my point of view. I have not forgotten
that everyone on here is entitled to their opinion. I quote Janice because
she is my friend and I know she agrees with most of what I say on here.