The fast-food chain McDonald's has apologised to a disabled man who was denied access to using the disabled toilet while on a night out.
Sam, who is 31 and from Bristol, has Crohn's disease and uses a stoma bag but was told by a security guard, "you're not disabled." Sam was diagnosed with Crohn's disease nearly 20 years ago and has used a stoma bag for seven years.
He was enjoying a night out in Cardiff with his husband and his friends when he entered McDonald's on Cardiff's Queen Street at 4.30am on Sunday, April, 24, BristolLive reports.
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Sam explained that when he tried to use the disabled toilet he was denied access by a bouncer who did not believe he had a disability. He said:
"I noticed that the accessible toilet was barricaded, restricting the access and stopping vulnerable people from being able to use it. When I politely asked the security guard on duty to use the toilet - as I have my own radar key - I was told 'no'. I explained that I had my own key, I have a disability and I need to use the toilet. He replied saying 'You’re not disabled' and asked for my blue badge, which isn't possible as that was in my car."
Sam carries a "Just Can't Wait Card" which is issued by UK charities giving people access to toilets not normally available to the general public. He said: "It wasn't until I was very blunt with him and reached for my Just Can't Wait Card that he reluctantly removed the barricade and allowed me entry."
McDonald's has now issued an apology and said that the situation was "not handled correctly". Sam said he was offered three £10 vouchers redeemable under the circumstances of spending at least £10 with the fast-food chain.
Sam said that he is now wary about using public bathrooms in the future and has even cancelled some trips. He said: "I am now even more worried about using an accessible toilet and as a result, I have cancelled some planned trips, as I am scared I will not be able to use the bathroom.
"I now feel scared to ask to use an accessible toilet worried that this will happen again I feel that I did everything I could by having my Just Can't Wait Card and radar key on me to prevent this from happening but none of this worked and makes me even more apprehensive about going out in public."
He was also not impressed with how McDonald's dealt with his complaint, he said: "The way McDonald's dealt with my complaint was shameful and disrespectful as a multinational company with such a big presence they should have been more supportive, accepting and more sympathetic. They tried to pass my complaint off as a minor inconvenience like it didn't matter, not appreciating how it made me feel and how much upset it caused me."
Sam believes McDonald's staff need more training around disability awareness and need to make their toilets more disabled-friendly.
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