CliffordK

And no concern about the difficulties of carrying food and drinks and retaining full control of a car? Distracted driving?

I've also chosen open-air seating before (sometimes an option at fast-food restaurants), but since they don't offer table service, I have to somehow order the meal and get it to the table. So, I'm not necessarily riding and eating. Or, perhaps I'd take a meal home.

The person who spilled coffee on themselves and sued McDonalds... were they riding a bicycle?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebec...7s_Restaurants

Nope... Actually a passenger in a parked car.

We have a number of coffee kiosks sprouting up everywhere. The one thing that is common with them is that I've never seen one refuse service to any bicycle or pedestrian that made it up to the drive-through window. And, depending on the kiosk, they often serve a lot of pedestrians. Some have a special pedestrian window, but most serve pedestrians at the main windows.

And, how many pedestrians and cyclists are getting killed by motor vehicles a the coffee kiosks? Dying due to spilled coffee?

Ok, so I did drop a smoothie in the middle of the road once. So I lost my drink. But you know, the world didn't stop turning.

Littering? I would have to think that most cyclists (obviously not all), are more litter conscious than the average car driver. And, I did pick up my spilled smoothie, finished it off and properly disposed of it.

wphamilton

Around here the service is so horrible at McD, Wendies, BK etc, that service refusal at the window would be nothing special to grumble about. If they have an attitude the food is probably substandard anyway so just shrug it off and ride on to the next place.

I was commenting on what a pleasure it is at our local CVS where they have no problem with ride-through window pickup. But that thread was chopped

indyfabz

BTW...There are other risks besides bike/car collisions. Cyclist pulls into the drive-thru lane and wipes out on an oil slick that built up over time from countless cars and is injured. I can see the legal complain in my mind's eye.

I-Like-To-Bike

I doubt if the world of many (or any) fast food establishments' will stop spinning if a few entitled cyclists decide to take their take out business to some other food establishment that will cater to their whiny needs. As far as the food snobs, I'm sure they don't give a dang and hope that they darken some other place's door.

CliffordK

True. But, at least or the coffee kiosks, I wonder what portion of their business is people who aren't driving. One quarter? That would be HUGE. And even of those customers that do regularly drive, what about those that occasionally walk up. Upsetting paying customers isn't the way to run any business.

Keep in mind that people remember bad service much longer than they remember good service.

I don't always bring my lock with me if I don't plan on stopping or, perhaps I just forget it since I didn't bring it for the last ride. And it is not that I just ride my bike some of the time. If I'm within 5 miles of McDonalds (by myself), then I'll be on the bicycle. What about the times when cyclists are a bit extra wet and muddy?

I certainly would rather stop at bicycle-friendly facilities.

Even the 1 to 10% of bicycle commuters... not a huge amount, but I just can't imagine businesses who just make an arbitrary decision to turn away a few percent of their customers.

blue192

MacDonald's is not turning away bicyclists. I actually see every MacDonald's restaurant with bike racks outside. And decent racks that a modern bike can use not ones from the 50s or 60s. Same cannot be said for those "healthy" option places like Pita pit or Subway, I should write a letter to Jared to see if his prison work detail might install some racks for us.

I-Like-To-Bike

You mean there are that many extra wet and muddy cyclists who want to get fast food to take out in the drive thru window to eat later in the rain or mud?

Or that there are many bicyclists who just happen to occasionally forget to carry a lock and oh by the way just happen to get an urge to get some take out, and are all set to take their precious business elsewhere for not being catered to by every Tom, Dick and Harry they come across?

Or that anyone else gives a darn about whiny cyclists' easily hurt feelings or delusions of persecution?

prathmann

But the policy does absolutely nothing to protect those workers. The policy is to not *serve* people who walk or bike up to the window, but it doesn't actually prevent anyone from reaching the window by walking, bicycling, or pogo stick/etc. It just means that instead of handing them their food and accepting their money the person at the window will tell them to go away. That's not going to stop the guy who's planning a robbery or assault from pulling out his gun and demanding money or grabbing the poor cashier through the window and harming them. This is a policy that has no effect at all on the person who is planning to commit some crime by approaching the drive-thru window on foot or bicycle - the only people it affects are potential customers who get turned away instead of being given the food they want to order.

StanSeven

I know a lot about food including preparing dishes myself as well as eating in some really good restaurants. But I love McDonalds. The food is always fresh, it's consistent no matter where you go, and the menu choices are getting larger all the time.

My favorite after ride meal is hot cakes and sausage.

gregf83 

A kiosk costs nothing to set up and I'm fairly certain they have limited liability due to limited assets. McDs or any other large chain has deep pockets with a large potential liability.

What a number of people don't seem to get is it's a simple risk/reward business decision. You can argue about the degree of risk but you also have to consider what's the upside? Pretty sure McDs has done the calculation and determined it's not worth it.

Miele Man

BICYCLISTS UNITE! Form a coalition and launch a Class Action Suit against all fast food places that won't serve bicyclists in the Drive-thru lanes and call it a Discrimatory practice against bicyclists. You'll make millions of $ to buy even more fast food with.

VBEG LOL

Cheers

CliffordK

There are a few kiosk chains.

I have no doubt Dutch Brothers is worth millions.

In a corporate/franchise structure, one would have to prove the corporation is the cause of the problem and not the franchise.

How many cyclists have been run over or collapsed due to smoke inhalation at Dutch Brothers? McDonalds? Spilled hot coffee on themselves when buying hot coffee at a coffee shop on a bicycle?

One can dream up risks. Was there any real risk evaluation done?

Is a cyclist at a drive-through at any greater risk than a customer walking on a tile floor? Mopped tile floor? Spilled drink on a tile floor?

Perhaps the bicycles aren't even the risk. They should instead prohibit cars from using the drive-through windows, and only serve bicycles and pedestrians.

gregf83 

It's a non issue because there are only three cyclists in America who want to go to a drive thru at McDonald's on their bicycle.

CliffordK

I get embarrassed to sweat or drip on counters. I frequently order inside, but there have been times when I've chosen to eat outside because I either wanted fresh air, or I didn't think I was presentable enough to be eating inside. Ok, rain might convince me to go inside, unless I was heading somewhere that I could just carry my meal in the backpack. But, rain doesn't always come down constantly either.

Anyway, a drive-through might be a good option for those times when I don't feel comfortable in crowds of people.

Or I might just choose "finger food" and eat and walk for a while at no great risk to anybody.

CliffordK

It is true that I rarely go to Mc D's.

I used to like Wendy's, but the bad experience of refused service I had there did taint me a bit. Unfortunately I don't know where the closest one is. Most of the ones I knew about have closed. Hmm, not a single one left in Eugene/Springfield

I do occasionally get to DQ.

I should consider fast food a bit more for touring food in which case a bike-through might be a nice option. Perhaps bike-through then head to a park. Although, I suppose restrooms are also nice for touring.

bakes1

It is painfully obvious that bicycles do not belong in drive thrus.
It is also painfully obvious that certain 'cyclists' will get butthurt and argue about anything

Glottis

I take 2-3 dates or a handful of raisins with me on my rides. From now on, I'll make it a habit of riding through drive-thrus while eating my dried fruits, just to spite fast "food" restaurants.

bobwysiwyg

I would guess they'd be out of business in about a week.

Jim from Boston

I was Refused Service at McDonalds

Best reply.

Gweedo1

I don't know that it's fair to say that policy does absolutely nothing to help keep workers safe. My guess is it was a response to incidents that happened, and like so many if not all safety polices, it's as much about harm reduction as harm elimination.

I can see where a drive through worker could be kept safer, say for example at all night drive through, when a crack head or some other wasted low life walks up to a window at 3 in the morning demanding service and who's intentions may not have been robbery or assault, but then at some point into the transaction, things change for the worse, due to the effects of the drugs/alcohol, what have you. "What do you mean i can't get fries with that!!!...F you!!!" etc and so on, all the BS of stoned/wasted people who can turn into animals at the drop of a hat plus the lack of respect so many, too many, people have for front line workers at fast food joints, thinking they can be treated with disrespect.

So what if a few disgruntled customers don't get served and then vent their indignation on the internet because that policy is extended to all who walk up to a drive through window, including, heaven forbid, cyclists...as though we are somehow superior?

Better to have a safety policy in place to help keep workers safer than make an extra 10.00 a week. And customers shouldn't be dicks about it IMO because we all live in a world where we don't always get what we want. So really, what's the big deal?

Hypno Toad

Time to get an E-bike for your McDonalds rides.

kevindsingleton 

No, I didn't. I think I see the problem we're facing, now. Thanks for clearing that up.

Hypno Toad

I can see this point at the McDonalds drive thru, but what about banks? Many have the same policy and there is no threat of robbery at the drive up windows. Also, there are a number of fast food places that are the opposite, they encourage walk up orders (Dairy Queen, Sonic, ...). I don't do any fast food*, so it's all speculation for me.

* Truth be told, I do get one egg mcmuffin every year. The crew I ride the "Royal" Benjamin with, they like to stop at McDonalds right before the start of the Westside Dirty Benjamin. We leave our bikes outside a suburban McDonalds while we get our fast food to fuel 100 miles of gravel grinding.

kevindsingleton 

This is true. People are not dying on bicycles in drive-thru lanes. You're in no more danger on your bike in a drive-thru lane than you are on any city street, or most parking lots. In fact, you are no less visible, and maybe far more visible. The speeds involved are snail's pace. The pavement is usually very good, and the lighting is excellent, when compared to most streets. If McDonald's really cared about the safety of cyclists, they would beg you to come to their drive-thru lanes, where nobody has ever been killed on a bicycle. The drive-thru is actually one of the safest places for cyclists to be.

Boondoggle.

kevindsingleton 

If you operate on the facts, instead of the emotions, you are completely correct.