McDonalds BANS HGV drivers

pinkichiban

Mc Donalds appear to have brought in a blanket ban at night (drive-throughs) and are now refusing to serve HGV drivers, who have to park up and walk-through the drive-through, wearing high visability clothing. Obviously a drive-through is not for people, up until last night this has never been an issue and as far as I am aware, no-one has been killed buying the burger (obviously eating the burger is probably the greater risk to health).

What is the big deal you may well ask? Well for an HGV driver at night, there is virtually no cooked food available and McDonalds is about all that is going. In this cold, icy weather even junk food is sometimes necessary and better than nothing. Would they refuse to serve a trucker who became stranded in the snow? Last night HGV drivers on the road were left hungry, I hope none of them had an accident due to McDonalds new policy.

HGV drivers have to abide by extrmely strict european working time directives, after 4 1/2 hours driving they have to find a place of safety for the vehicle and stop, the driver has no choice in this. They can't just nip to the next 'stop' as they would be driving illegally, and fully responsible for the potential tragic consequences.

clever_username

Bit pointless constantly slagging off their food while at the same time complaining that HGV drivers can no longer walk through the drive-thru to buy it surely?

FatAndy

Just a thought but aren't the cabs of HGVs much higher than normal cars which would mean that unless you have exceptionally long arms you'd have to park up and get out to collect your food from the serving window anyway?

pinkichiban

Not really, my point is that McDonalds is the about the ONLY choice available. Given a choice I would not use them. There is no other choice. They have the monopoly, so it cannot be acceptable that they then ban core night workers who cannot go elsewhere.

Just because I dislike the food does not stop me having the right to eat it or complain about the service.

maninthestreet

Many MAcdonalds Drive-Thrus would not be able to accomodate a HGV, due to their sheer size. Why were drivers left hungry last night, when they can still use the Drive-Thru on foot??

pinkichiban

FatAndy, don't want to be rude, but read the post next time?

clever_username

pinkichiban wrote: »

Not really, my point is that McDonalds is the about the ONLY choice available. Given a choice I would not use them. There is no other choice. They have the monopoly, so it cannot be acceptable that they then ban core night workers who cannot go elsewhere.

I think you'll find they can serve whomever they wish as long as they don't contravene any discrimination rules regarding gender, race or sexuality etc. Just like any other shop.

This isn't about that. It's about not serving people walking through drivethrus.

pinkichiban wrote: »

Just because I dislike the food does not stop me having the right to eat it or complain about the service.

"I dislike the food but I still have the right to eat it." How very pointless...

pinkichiban

Maninthestreet, that's what I am talking about! It's in the post...

irishjohn

I am a bit puzzled by this. If the HGV driver has to park up then should they not use the same counter as any other driver who parks up? What if every person who parks decides to use the drive thru window as a short cut and perhsaps even bring all the car occupants to the windo to decide what to have?

This would have an impact on the management of staff in the outlet with some allocated to the drive thru window and some to the counter inside. There is also a dager issue to pedestrians in an unexpected area of the site, creating a driving hazard. In the Compensation culture we weem to be evolving quickly into I can see this as another hazard / opportunity depending on who is looking to claim and who is required to pay.

clever_username

For the record if any member of the public walked through the drivethru at any time of day I have a feeling they'd be refused service. I mean the clue is in the name surely? I don't think this is exactly a deliberate attempt to screw over HGV drivers.

What happens when a boy-racer comes hurtling through and hits a lorry driver (albeit in a high-visibility jacket that eliminates any chance of injury...) who is standing on the tarmac collecting his McChicken Sandwitch meal? The staff are in trouble for serving someone who should clearly not be there. The manager is in trouble. McDonalds have a lawsuit on their hands and so on.

I can't say I blame McDonalds. They're not performing a public service by opening through the night, they're in it to make profit.

However unlikely you deem it to be that someone will get hit by a car while wandering around this area that is not for pedestrians McDonalds are clearly not as convinced and don't want a compensation claim and a torrent of bad publicity if someone does get hurt.

Does it really make that little sense that you can't walk through drivethrus?

maninthestreet

pinkichiban wrote: »

Maninthestreet, that's what I am talking about! It's in the post...

Your opening post seems to indicate that HGVs have been banned from using the Drive-Thru, but HGV drivers can still use the Drive-Thru on foot. Or is that NOT the case?