Brave Penn Kids Get McDonald’s Workers Fired

A group of Penn kids had a bad experience at the McDonald’s at 40th and Walnut the other night. This happens nearly every night, because when drunk kids from North Jersey and Long Island meet night shift workers making somewhere around minimum wage, no good things can happen.

Thanks to this being our modern era of technology, the Penn kids then made a group on Facebook imploring students to boycott McDonald’s. (It’s a well-known fact that nearly any event can lead Penn kids to boycott something, no matter how slight the offense.)

And, thanks to that, several workers at McDonald’s have been fired.

Wharton sophomore Keith Williams, who witnessed the incident, explained that he and a group of friends entered the McDonald’s that morning so his friend, a College junior who did not wish to be included in the article, could use the restroom.

The security guard told them that the friend was not allowed to use the restroom until he ordered food. The student proceeded to order a meal, Williams said, but the cashier made a mistake and needed an override from the shift manager.

Because the friend had already complained about the service, the manager on duty “deliberately told [the cashier] to take her time,” explained Williams. When he complained again, the security guard jumped in and began threatening the students.

The guard said things like “don’t make me take you out of here,” and referred to the rest of the customers as “stupid school kids,” Williams said. The cashier also screamed at the students for standing too close while trying to read the menu, Williams added.

Ha ha, I know what you’re thinking: This is the greatest McDonald’s of all time and it is totally worth eating their disgusting food to support it. Apparently, though, the McDonald’s caved to the record 17 (!!) complaints about its service and fired some people. For shame, McDonald’s.

And shame on the Daily Pennsylvanian, too, for using the phrases “a College junior who did not wish to be included in the article” and “a College sophomore who witnessed the incident but wished to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.” Look, the least you can do is write these peoples’ names, so we can more easily mock them online.

McDonald’s boycott [sic] leads to firings [DP]

Steve Harvey, Opinionist

Over at the Daily News‘ Attytood blog, Will Bunch notes a fairly Big Brother-ish story in Texas. Police raided 36 bars and arrested 30 people for public intoxication, even though it appears none of them were causing a disturbance.

The raids were allegedly aimed at preventing drunk driving, even though, uh, nobody actually drove while drunk. And some patrons at a hotel bar that was raided were registered at the hotel and had no intention of driving, yet were still arrested. Hmm.

A member of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission had this to say:

“Going to a bar is not an opportunity to go get drunk,” TABC Capt. David Alexander said. “It’s to have a good time but not to get drunk.”

Clearly, I’ve broken the law… let’s see… counting fingers… at least nine times this week already. I guess I’ll have to stay out of Texas for a while.

Obviously, this is an issue where Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertarians and pretty much anybody but the Prohibition Party can agree: This is effed up. What’s not as effed up, but certainly more confusing is how the story continues after the Beverage Commission captain’s quote:

Dallas comedian Steve Harvey agreed with the Texas residents who said the arrests infringed on individual rights.

“If a guy’s got a designated driver, go ahead and let him get toasted,” Harvey told NBC 5.

Texas law states that inebriated individuals could be subjected to arrest anywhere for public intoxication. Harvey and other North Texans called the measure extreme. [...]

TABC officials said the sweep concerned saving lives, not individual rights. Harvey and others interviewed by NBC 5 said they believe drunken driving to be unacceptable, although Harvey wanted to confirm that the United States remains a free country.

“Freedom of drinking should always be allowed, and it is only American to let a guy get drunk where he wants to get drunk,” Harvey said.

Do you think the NBC 5 crew got together and said, “Hey, a bunch of people had their rights violated in North Texas bars. I wonder what Steve Harvey thinks?”

I like this new “interjecting random comedians into stories” hopefully-soon-to-be-trend. A murderer about to be executed? Ask Pauly Shore what he thinks. Nine die in Iraq? Hey, Gallagher has an opinion on it! NCAA Tournament about to start? Let’s get D.L. Hughley’s picks!

1984 2006: The Thought Police turn on drunken NON-drivers [Attytood]
Bar Sweep Sparks Controversy [NBC 5]
Steve Harvey’s Official Website