Responding to a series of spirited disagreements among teenagers that erupted into physical violence, a Fairfax County, Virginia McDonald’s location has implemented what amounts to a de facto requirement that youngsters fight each other outside of the establishment, NBC4 DC reports.
On paper it’s a minimum age of 21 to enter the establishment and dine-in, in practice it’s a door locked at all times for which customers must ring the doorbell and present identification if staff are unsure of the person’s age, but in reality it’s an effective ban on physical combat in the dining room, as the sign now hanging on the front door even says “Due to repeated incidents of student violence, the location is temporarily closed for dine-in service to anyone under 21 years of age.”
“These kids are off the chain. They have no respect, no discipline,” said regular customer Stacey, adding “And it seem like how they acting, their parents are allowing them to act,” as if the whole point of going to McDonald’s after school to throw strawberry milkshakes at other teenagers as a means of initiating a savage, bloody fistfight isn’t to do so without parental supervision. “Like we’re sitting down eating, y’all smoking, y’all drinking, y’all cussing. Like, come on, y’all,” Stacey continued, telling NBC4 she fully supports the new rule. “I understand where they coming from, because that’s turning customers away. If you’re here, you’re acting up, they losing they business.”
The rowdy teenagers remain free to fight each other in the parking lot of the McDonald’s location.