The story quickly began circulating yesterday via the New York Times. Apparently about a week ago, Man Hyung Lee and several of his friends were approached by two police officers and told to leave the restaurant.
“They ordered us out,” Lee told the Times. “So I left. Then I walked around the block and came right back again.”
Though this rotating group has apparently been choosing the particular McDonalds for about five years, the situation has escalated since November. Police have apparently responded to four 911 calls, and have visited the location as many as three times a day.
The restaurant says that the occupation has been killing business, as the patrons often share just one order of $1.39 fries. As well, customers have been asking for refunds as there has been nowhere to sit. The restaurant has a sign that says customers have 20 minutes to finish their meal.
“Do you think you can drink a large coffee within 20 minutes?” 77-year-old David Choi said. “No, it’s impossible.”
The group says they meet regularly to gossip and talk politics, as well as just simply for companionship; some just recently immigrated to the States. Interestingly, the group cannot definitively explain why they choose their particular spot. There is another McDonalds nearby, as well as a Burger King. Additionally, there are several civic centres around the block, some of which the group members visit to fill up on free dinner before heading to the McDonalds.
As the Consumerist notes, this raises the question of what privileges are given to paying customers and when those can be taken away.
