The world’s worst McDonald’s, located in Canada’s Ottawa, is shutting down this April. Due to constant disturbances and ongoing criminal activities inside the restaurant and in its close vicinity, the McDonald’s branch at Rideau Street earned the title of the world’s worst McDonald’s. In 2018, a total of 800 emergency calls were made to the police from the restaurant. In 2013, a viral video from the branch showed a man pulling out a raccoon from his sweater during a brawl involving 15 people. On Reddit, a former manager of the outlet claimed people would often make death threats to staff. A customer on Trip Advisor wrote the restaurant was “vomit-inducing and dangerous.”
Rideau Street McDonald’s: A constant pain in the neck for Ottawa police
After several incidents of fights and unruly behaviour, Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau sent a letter to McDonald’s and expressed his concerns over the ongoing criminal activities in the outlet. Even in 2022, a total of 150 emergency calls were made to the police from the branch, involving serious crimes such as drug abuse and sexual activities near the toilet.
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Why is McDonald’s shutting its Rideau Street branch?
Ottawa as well as McDonald’s administration took several steps to check the criminal activities near the outlet. The operation timing at the 24-hour franchise was changed to 6 AM to 10 PM and only takeaways were allowed to reduce the violent activities but to no avail. Instead, the measures took a heavy toll on the outlet’s revenue.
Rideau Street shutting down this April
As per the building owner Peter Crosthwaite, McDonald’s has not requested to renew the lease of the space, and hence, the shop will be available for rent from July. Crosthwaite also added that the pandemic, truckers’ protests and the opening of a subway branch in the locality further exacerbated the woes of the McDonald’s outlet.
