Woman Calls 911 Three Times Because McDonald's Is Out of McNuggets
A Florida woman called 911 three times because the McDonald's where she was dining ran out of McNuggets.
Latreasa Goodman was obviously not an early reader of the Consumerist, otherwise she would have known that calling 911 over fast food menu disputes is a no-no. Instead, she called 911 up thrice because the McDonald's cashier informed her they were out of McNuggets and tried in vain to offer her a McDouble and fries. Goodman was charged with misuse of 911.
The sad/funny thing about this is that Goodman had a valid complaint: the cashier didn't tell her they were out of McNuggets until after she'd paid, and then refused to refund her money (and claimed she was the manager). Goodman actually sounds pretty restrained on the calls, even as she calls again and again to request an officer.
It's too late to help Goodman, but the next time you have a fast food emergency, at least try 3-1-1 (after talking to the manager and perhaps calling corporate) before you call the first responders.
Update: McDonald's has apologized.
Fort Pierce Woman Calls 911 Three Times When McNuggets Run Out [TCPalm] (Hasaudio of the three calls)
(Photo: Morton Fox)
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Comments:
I'm ashamed to live in this country.
Wait a second... She paid and did not receive what she paid for, and they wouldn't give her the money back.
How is this not theft?
Think if this situation were reversed... a lady eats McNuggets and refuses to pay. The store would call 9-1-1 in that case, would it not?
So what, exactly, is the difference?
i'd ask for a compromise - give me [menu item x] now and a coupon for a free [item you ran out of] for my next visit.
also- glad i am no longer a floridian. the shame....
While calling 911 is a bit extreme, why wouldn't they just him the woman her money back?
It's not really about the nuggets. They took her money and then told her they did not have the item she ordered. Then proceeded to try to give her a McDouble and fries. She asked for her money back and they refused claiming all sales are finale. Theft is a crime. I don't think you can call it a misuse of 911 no matter how stupid she acted on the phone. A crime was committed.
If she reported this to the consumerist instead of 911, she would have probably made the front page. The consumerist should still report the customer issue even if she is crazy. I for one would be extremely pissed if a any restaurant tried to keep my money after telling me they don't have what I ordered.
Some people either just don't know how 911 is supposed to work or they don't know what constitutes an emergency.
@ahoy-captain: She is poor and therefore will be treated like crap and will have no real defense against the misuse of 911 charge despite McDonald's stealing her money.
@Moosehawk: Don't be ashamed to live in this country. Be proud that you do not live in Florida. Unless you DO live in Florida, in which case you have every right to be ashamed.
@dohtem: That's a public education issue. Some people probably don't know any other way to call the police besides dialing 911. And she had a legit theft claim.
Even if you believe that the restaurant committed a crime (which I do), not all crimes are emergencies.
@dohtem: For what it's worth, I recently had a minor accident (little more than a fender bender) that I wanted to report. I tried calling the city's non-emergency line but was told (rather harshly, I should add) that I should have called 911 instead.
When I was a kid my head was filled with stories about how calling 911 when it isn't a dire, life-or-death situation would result in someone dying while I gabbed about whatever my stupid problem was.
The woman at the 911 line explained that they simply don't have a way to report car accidents on anything other than the emergency line. *shrug*
So, how many restaurant managers per day are charged with misusing 9-1-1 for calling police over diners skipping their checks?
Is that not the exact same situation here?
If you read the description, the woman was acting pretty crazy.
Nonetheless in some municipalities there is no 311/non-emergency service and the *ONLY* way to contact police if you need to file a police report/complaint is to contact 911. That's just the way it is. I've been through it in my own city when I called the "Police Non-emergency number" to report some overnight thefts. I ignored the message that stated "If you need to file a police report, please hang up and dial 911...your call will not be returned." and left a message which was, in fact, not returned. I called the 911 operator and apologized for wasting her time with this non-emergency request and she assured me that this was the correct course of action.
So...yeah...if someone stole my money in this way where I live, I'd have to call 911 to report it. That's what the police want me to do. I don't write the rules.
Damn- Since this is about McNuggets and not hamburgers, I can't make a pointless, immature joke involving the Hamburglar.
Oh well. Maybe next time. Because we all know there will be a next time, unfortunately.
@concordia: "I tried calling the city's non-emergency line but was told (rather harshly, I should add) that I should have called 911 instead."
I had the same situation occur when my wallet was stolen in the fall -- except that then 911 rather harshly reprimanded me for not calling non-emergency first. And when I said I had done and non-emergency had said I had to call 911 to file a report, they got very snippy with me. I wasn't very happy with the whole situation.
@blacketj913: But when a crime has been committed, it's absurd to charge the victim with a misuse of 911. Idiots who call asking for today's date or the current time aren't usually charged unless they make a significant number of calls.
@Moosehawk: Like me I am ashamed to live in Florida. However I am proud to say I was not born in Florida.
It is a beautiful state we just have a ton of idiots.
@Corporate_guy: True, but calling three times? I would have asked for the number for McDonalds corporate and bitched to them.
@satindevil: The store sat there and fought with her while he was calling 911. So why not charge them for inciting it?
@Corporate_guy: They OFFERED HER A DIFFERENT MEAL. They should have offered a refund. But still, had i been the cop, I might have tazed her.
Why couldn't she just take some other substitute? Food is food, lady! Everything there is the same slop anyway! Sounds like she should be institutionalized!
@catnapped: (damn, tried to put some customary "blame the victim" quotes around that, since nobody's said it yet)
@YourTechSupport: Offering someone something they did not pay for is a nice gift, but you still took their money for something you are not intending to provide. That is theft.
@Corporate_guy: That would be funny if McDonalds was slapped with something like that along with a theft charge.
@YourTechSupport: the difference is, she could just as easily call 311 because, unlike someone stealing something, the mcdonalds is not going anywhere, and therefore does not require a "first response", which is the whole point of 911.
how's that for an explanatory run-on sentance!
@Eyebrows McGee: I think that sort of problem happens because 911 has a much stricter statutory mandate than other government services.
When you call non-emergency, they aren't required to deal with your problem, and can hang up on you or give you a runaround, which they did.
When you call 911, they are required to deal with whatever you're talking about, even if dealing with it involves sending a police car to arrest you for false reporting.
So lazy cop says "I don't want to deal with this, I'll send her to the people who have to."
911 says "Why didn't the fucking non-emergency cop handle this."
@catnapped: *shrug*... maybe she was unable to eat the McDouble (cheese allergy or something). Who knows? But if food is all the same to you, then next time you're out and you order/pay for a nice fat steak, I'm sure you won't mind if the restaurant decides they're out of steak and would rather provide you with a salad.
@catnapped: She doesn't appear to be mentally balanced, though I doubt it rises to the level where she needs to be institutionalized.
But yeah, they committed fraud, and she had the right to be pissed, though not calling 911 pissed.
@m4ximusprim3: Yes. But calling 911 is still abuse. The fact that the McWorker couldn't understand the concept of a refund is not surpising. I think both parties are at fault, and both would deserve a dual-wielded tazing.
@Corporate_guy: "claiming all sales are finale" I'm not making fun of your spelling, but am mentioning because now I'm picturing a big, theatrical song-and-dance routine at the end of every fast food transaction.
@Corporate_guy: 911 is for first response emergency situations. I agree she should have called the cops, but not 911. Big difference between the two.
@catnapped: Ah, yes I did. A lot of the time after I post my comment a bunch of other ones will come up prior to it that weren't there before - apologies!
If the desk thought she was abusing 911, they could have at least told her that when she called. Anyway, I expected to hear an irrational call; instead her calls were perfectly civil and appropriate. She just needs to know the right number.
@Corporate_guy: Wait, what? Should they have dumped hot "fryilator" oil on her or something?
Still, call 911 only if 1) someone's life is in danger, or 2) see number 1. If that's not the case, call information and ask to be connected to the local police department. If they tell you to call 911 over your missing McNuggets, then at least you tried the reasonable approach first.
The second recording the 911 dispatcher repeats her phone number. he does leave out the area code but how hard is that to figure out?
@Jersson Gomez: oh yea correct me if i am wrong but is a mcdouble on the dollar menu? how is that a larger portion of food than a 10pc nugget witch i know for a fact is not on the dollar menu.
Adding this to the reasons Florida (the dingleberry on the asshole of America) should be kicked out of the union.
Even though at first glance it sounds like calling 911 is a bit extreme, she wasn't wrong in wanting to ask for help from law enforcement when she was unable to extract a refund from McDonald's on her own after they could not provide the food she ordered. She just didn't know any other options for contacting the police besides dialing 911, and maybe there aren't any other options where she lives. Maybe 911 in that jurisdiction does "triage" and decides what's a real emergency and what will be sent to a local precinct house or whatever.
She might also have limited understanding, but I'm not convinced she wilfully abused the system. She actually did need police assistance. Not everyone who needs a cop is bleeding out on the sidewalk (and thank God for that).
she should have called the police dept not 911. If the store is refusing to refund and is basically stealing from her she should call the police to have a report filed and then sue them. Unless she lives in an area like troy where they tell you to call 911 to file the report.
@cuchanu: The manner of her speech suggests she's not very educated. That might also mean poor too. So she goes home with no food for her kid and no money?
@Jersson Gomez: I guess the fries they offered her along with the McDouble was a little closer to the price?
@emona: I guess you failed to read the other comments here. A lot of people have claimed the non emergency number most of the time forces them to call 911 or that some places don't have a non emergency number. Remember, a crime of theft did occur. It's maybe abuse to report certain crimes over 911, but it's not a criminal act. Such as calling 20 times a day to learn what day of the week it is.
READ MORE: ... CRAZY ...
That about sums it up. Seriously, who in their right mind would call 911 about a couple of dollars in fast food. If anything sue them and get a couple of hundred in small claims.