OfficerBluePalm Bay, FL – A Palm Bay police officer says that he was denied service at a McDonald’s drive-thru on Friday when trying to order lunch.
Lieutenant Tim Lancaster said that he went to the McDonald’s on Palm Bay Road and Babcock Street on Friday to get some lunch.
He said that he was in uniform, in an unmarked patrol car, as he went through the drive-thru.
“I ordered my lunch, paid at the first window and moved up to the second window to pick up lunch,” Lieutenant Lancaster posted on his Facebook page. “When I got to the window, the clerk looked at me with my drink in hand and stopped.”
“She handed my drink to another clerk and walked away in disgust,” the 23-year veteran officer said. “I asked the other clerk what was wrong, she [stated] that the other clerk refuses to serve cops.”
Lieutenant Lancaster said that the incident left him embarrassed and upset. The lieutenant said that he called the store and spoke to a manger who said that he would “address it.”
“I will never eat at McDonald’s again,” the lieutenant said. “Never been treated like that before.”
The manager at McDonald’s referred any request for comment to corporate. Florida Today received a response from McDonald’s corporate.
“We have respect for all first responders and are investigating,” a McDonald’s spokesperson told Florida Today. “The behavior described in this Facebook post is unacceptable and not tolerated in our restaurants.”
The restaurant’s manager, Omar Perez, would not confirm if they employee still works there.
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