Intellectually disabled group allegedly asked to leave McDonald’s
It’s just plain awful if the claims are true. KXTV News 10 is reporting that a McDonald’s franchise owner in Elk Grove, California allegedly asked a group on intellectually disabled adults to leave his establishment.
Constance Gastinell, a person who works with the intellectually disabled, “through programs that help integrate them into the community,” brought some of her clients to a local McDonald’s for lunch. While there she claims the location’s owner asked them to leave. She told KXTV, “He came in and said, well, ‘You guys can’t eat here. You have to leave.’” The reason Ms. Gastinell was given? They were “conducting business.” She refutes that, telling the station, “We weren’t conducting business, number one. We came in to eat…” She instead believes they were kicked out because of their disability.
McDonald’s is refuting the claims of discrimination. In a statement sent to KXTV, the owners Dennis and Vicki Caldwell said, “This recent situation involved a food fight within their group, and disruption to our other guests…We have consistently attempted to work with these guests and accommodate their needs as best we can.”
Ms. Gastinell says the allegation of her group being disruptive is false and is standing up for her clients, "When you see them hurt, it hurts you. That's why it's personal.”
More info: KXTV
