A Virginia McDonald’s is now requiring customers to be 21 years old — with an ID to prove it — to dine inside their store.
The McDonald’s, located near Thomas Edison High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, now has a doorbell next to the entrance and a sign explaining the new age requirement.
“Due to repeated incidents of student violence, the location is temporarily closed for dine-in service to anyone under 21 years of age,” the sign says, according to NBC 4 Washington.
The most recent incident happened Monday including a large group of young people, some whom appeared to be from the nearby high school. The group fought, stood on tables and swore loudly, NBC 4 Washington reports.
A customer named Stacey told the outlet she witnessed young people being rowdy inside the store while eating with her grandkids.
“Like we’re sitting down eating, y’all smoking, y’all drinking, y’all cussing,” Stacey said. “Like, come on, y’all.”
“These kids are off the chain,” she added. “They have no respect, no discipline. And it seems like how they acting, their parents are allowing them to act.”
Bridget, another customer, told NBC 4 she wants the McDonald’s to be a safe place for families to eat.
“This McDonald’s, I would’ve never expected it,” she said.
“It’s a company,” she added. “It should be a safe establishment for families to enjoy their food. Young people, we can’t just…We want to take that energy and redirect it.”
The policy is in place on weekdays, and parents can still bring their children. Adult chaperones can also be joined by up to four children, NBC 4 reports.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said the policy is just a temporary fix.
“We love being part of the Edison community and we value each and every customer,” the spokesperson told NBC 4. “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,” the spokesperson continued. “This serves as a temporary fix as we work towards a long-term solution for all.”
