A McDonald’s restaurant in the progressive Washington, D.C. suburb of Fairfax County, Virginia has banned under 21-year-olds from indoor dining after “repeated incidents of student violence.” Adults must ring a doorbell to be let in by staff.
The McDonald’s is located just outside the Beltway in the Franconia neighborhood between Alexandria and Springfield. It has been a popular hangout for students of several nearby schools, including Thomas A. Edison High School.
A sign posted at the door says, “RING THE DOORBELL SAFETY NOTICE: Effective immediately. Due to repeated incidents of student violence, this McDonald’s location is temporarily closed for dine-in service to anyone under 21 years of age. The decision was made to protect our staff, our guests, and our community. Adults — we are still here to serve you! Please ring the doorbell, and a member of our team will assist you. We thank you for understanding as we work to keep our restaurant a safe and welcoming place for all. Management.”
Under 21s can still use the drive-thru and pick up meals ordered on the app.
A video report by WRC-TV shows young people involved in massive fights inside the McDonald’s:
A report by WTOP-FM states students were allegedly involved in an incident where a gun was fired in the Franconia Road McDonald’s in 2023 (excerpt):
One recent incident in 2023 involved a gunshot heard in the bathroom of the McDonald’s. Police reported that the teens seen leaving the premises shortly after the gun discharged were students at nearby Edison High School.
In a statement to WTOP on Friday, McDonald’s said: “We love being part of the Edison community and we value each and every customer. We’ve enhanced our Franconia Road McDonald’s security measures in an effort to promote a safe environment for our customers and staff. This policy was developed in partnership with local school officials with oversight from local law enforcement. This serves as a temporary fix as we work towards a long-term solution for all.”
WJLA-TV spoke to a customer who has dined at that McDonalds for nearly fifty years who said the problems with the students have been building for about ten years (excerpt):
“When I used to come here I was only 16 maybe 15,” said longtime, loyal customer Robert Hancasky.
Hancasky says for nearly 50 years he’s been frequenting this McDonalds.
“I come here every morning, get my sausage biscuit and my hash brown. This has been slowing manifesting probably over 10 years,” he added.
Hancasky says high school students routinely trash the bathrooms, start fights in dining area, and generally provide an unpleasant experience for everyone.
“The fighting is a problem and they’re pretty brazen. The management tries to step in and these kids are pretty violent. And let’s be honest, they’re young adults.. They’re just trying to stop the violence because it’s not fair to any other customer who comes in for the sandwich, a hard-working person, they got to put up with a bunch of idiots,” concluded Hancasky.
WJLA also reported a statement from Fairfax County Schools:
“Edison High School’s attendance policy makes it clear that students who leave campus during the school day without a parent check-out will receive an unexcused absence. In a recent school community newsletter, Edison High School shared a statement from the owner of the McDonald’s on Franconia Road detailing the restaurant’s new security policy. FCPS encourages families to talk to their students about appropriate conduct, including in the community.”
Fairfax County used to be a safe place to raise a family with excellent schools. Since being taken over by Democrat progressives, it no longer is.
