Police remove homeless man from a McDonald’s after customer buys him food: see the video
A video by a South Carolina man is going viral after he bought a homeless man food at a McDonald’s in Myrtle Beach and was kicked out along with his guest before either could finish their meals. In cellphone footage uploaded by customer Yossi Gallo to his Facebook, a police officer is seen asking the homeless man to leave the restaurant and never return.
Although the man seems to be eating in peace, the officer alleges that he had earlier been asking for money in the parking lot, causing customers of the fast-food outlet to complain to the police.
In the video, Gallo begins shouting at McDonald’s staffers, telling them they “suck” and that the homeless man never asked him for money or food. A branch manager asks Gallo to lower his voice, but Gallo refuses and continues to berate the employee.
In the midst of the debate, the manager tells a police officer who has been observing the argument that he wants both men to be removed immediately. Gallo asks if he can finish his food or get a refund for his purchase, but is told no.
“McDonald’s in Myrtle Beach, I’m getting kicked out for giving a homeless guy food,” he says on the video, while requesting a copy of his receipt. “You guys suck, though.”
https://www.facebook.com/100009579155336/videos/1931110113884942/
After leaving the store, Gallo calls to the homeless man outside in the parking lot and invites him into his car to go somewhere else and eat.
The video, which was posted on February 28 and captioned “Sometimes I hate the world,” has been viewed over 61 million times in just two days. It has also been shared over 1.3 million times.
In comments beneath the post, many reached out to voice their appreciation for Gallo’s good deed. Others made hostile comments about his behavior, and many painted the police officer as a villain. But in an interview with The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News, Gallo came to her defense, saying that if he were ever in trouble, he would want to be confronted by that cop specifically because she was very nice and polite.
In another Sun News interview, Myrtle Beach mayor also expressed her support for the officer’s conduct, saying, “The real story should be: What are we doing for our homeless population? They are a part of our community.”
In a statement to The Daily Meal, the owner and operator of the Myrtle Beach McDonald’s , Joe Pellicci, said: “We caution people against rushing to judgment after viewing this video. The safety of my guests and crew is a top priority. Unfortunately, the person shown in this video has previously demonstrated disruptive behavior toward our guests and employees. As a person who has lived in Myrtle Beach for nearly 40 years, I believe in helping those here who need assistance, and have supported non-profit organizations in Myrtle Beach to help people in need. Our team appreciates the support of our community. We work hard to give our guests the best experience and will continue to do so every day.”
For more on the Illinois-based chain that just slashed cheeseburgers from the Happy Meal menu, here are 15 McDonald’s menu items you’ll never see again.
more on mcdonald’s
Eat your way across L.A.
Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
