Disabled man denied triple cheeseburger at McDonald's drive-through in Gosport - because he was on a mobility scooter
A DISABLED man has been denied service at a McDonald’s drive-through in Gosport because he was using a mobility scooter – despite the vehicle being valid according to the company’s own policy.
Mark Waite, who suffers from lupus and osteoporosis, has a road-worthy Class 3 mobility scooter, which is registered with the DVLA.
Last Thursday, Mark suffered a sleepless night with his lupus keeping him awake until 3am, so the former factory worker decided to get some fresh air and visit his nearest McDonald’s branch to try their new triple-cheeseburger.
But he was shocked to be told that the drive-through facility doesn’t serve people on mobility scooters.
The 50-year-old said: ‘I was having a hard time sleeping so I went down to the docks and thought I would get some food on the way back.
‘There was one car in front of me, and I let them do their thing, and there wasn’t a car behind me.
‘It registered on the sensor that it was a vehicle – but I was told they don’t serve mobility scooters.
‘I explained to the gentleman at the window it was a DVLA registered vehicle.
‘I was told, ‘sorry sir, it’s a mobility scooter, we don’t serve them’.
But according to its own website, McDonald’s states that ‘drive-through lanes are custom built for motor cars, vans, trucks and road-worthy mobility scooters’.
Now Mark, who has been reliant on his scooter for the last five years, feels like the victim of discrimination.
He said: ‘I cannot drive because of the pain medication I am on – I need liquid morphine.
‘And at 3.10am the lobby was closed.
‘No disabled person should have to feel like their disability is their fault.’
‘It has put me off visiting that branch.’
Staff at the restaurant did not recognise the scooter was valid for service and acted in a way to preserve ‘everyone’s safety’, according to a spokesman from McDonald’s.
He said: ‘We’d like to apologise to the customer in question.
‘We have reminded the team of the procedure to ensure this does not happen again, and they have apologised to this customer directly.
‘We are liaising with them directly to help find a resolution.’
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