ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A McDonald's in northern Virginia has temporarily banned customers under the age of 21 from dining inside, citing repeated incidents of student violence.
A sign posted on the restaurant’s door, captured by a reporter for Washington station WUSA, describes the rule as a “safety notice” implemented “[d]ue to repeated incidents of student violence.” A white doorbell with a yellow label reading “Ring Doorbell” is affixed next to the notice.
In a statement to WUSA, the franchise said the policy was introduced “in an effort to promote a safe environment for our customers and staff,” and was “developed in partnership with local school officials with oversight from local law enforcement.” The restaurant described the restriction as a “temporary fix.”
The McDonald’s is located near several Fairfax County Public Schools and is a popular spot for students. It remains unclear if any specific incident prompted the enforcement of the new policy.
Some customers expressed support. Tim Perkins told Washington station WJLA, “This is probably the first time in five years that I’ve sat down for 15 minutes in this McDonald's and enjoyed a hamburger.”
Another customer, Robert Hancasky, said fights have been a recurring problem. “Management tries to step in and these kids are pretty violent,” he told WJLA. “They’re just trying to stop the violence because it’s not fair to any other customer who comes in for the sandwich...they got to put up with a bunch of idiots.”
A franchise spokesperson told WJLA that incidents of “student violence and disrespectful behavior” happen at least once a week, and that both staff and customers are “sick of it.”
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