A McDonald's Refused to Serve a Man Because He 'Looked Homeless'

A McDonald's in Manchester, England is in hot water after an employee refused to serve a customer because of his appearance. According to the Mirror, 27-year-old landscape gardener Daniel Jackson went to a local McDonald's in his work gear last week. When he tried to order, the cashier said he would not serve Jackson because he "looked homeless." Jackson alleges that staff told him that the restaurant had a "zero tolerance policy on serving homeless people."

Jackson notes that "it took some serious persuasion" to convince the employees that he was not homeless: "I admit I was wearing scruffy clothes because I'd been working outside all day. That's no reason to assume I live on the streets." He adds that he is "disgusted" by the way he was treated and that he has filed an official complaint with McDonald's corporate offices. Jackson notes that he will not be returning to the restaurant any time soon.

A spokesperson for McDonald's denies that such a policy towards homeless people exists, but apologized for the way Jackson was treated. "We are very sorry for this incident and can confirm that it is not McDonald's policy to refuse to serve homeless people. We are currently investigating this incident and are speaking to Mr. Jackson to rectify this mistake."

It's been a rough month for McDonald's. The chain recently revealed a major restructuring plan — which includes shuttering hundreds of stores — after facing several financial hurdles. However, reaction to the plan has not been very positive: Shortly after it was announced, the chain's stock prices fell, while the stock prices of other burger chains increased.