Here we will see about the Does Mcdonald’s Allow Dogs?
You want your best friend to go everywhere with you. You guys are practically inseparable. You make memories together and have a lot of fun. Perhaps, that explains why most of us take our dogs, man’s renowned “best friend”, everywhere we go. Only dog people like us understand just how precious to us our furry friends are. Our attachment to them and theirs to us is truly remarkable. We take them with us when we go shopping and even when we travel. If we are being honest, most of us can’t do without them! We want to take them everywhere.
But what about when you go to grab a bite at McDonald’s? Does McDonald’s allow dogs? Stick with us, we’ll tell you if your furry best friend is allowed in McDonald’s.
Does McDonald’s allow dogs?
Yes, subject to certain preconditions, McDonald’s allows dogs. Some of these preconditions include:
- The dog must be a service animal
- The dog must be restrained properly
- The dog mustn’t be excluded by law
- The structure of the establishment
Conditions before McDonald’s will allow dogs
The dog must be a Service Animal:
A service animal is one used or owned by a person due to an apparent disability. If it is not apparent that the dog is a service dog, a letter from a healthcare professional verifying that the animal is required because of a disability would suffice as proof. McDonald’s allows service dogs in-store and in parts of the restaurant that to the public.
For the avoidance of doubt, a dog is termed a Service Animal if it serves as a guide for a blind owner, it is a mobility animal, an autism service dog, and a seizure alert dog.
The dog must be restrained properly:
Restraint such as a leash must be attached to the dog to avoid a situation wherein it goes unrestrained and disturbs the use of the restaurant by other customers. Your dog must be under your care and control at all times when you’re in McDonald’s.
The dog mustn’t be excluded by law:
It is the law that makes provision for what is termed a ‘Service Animal’. So, if for any reason, the laws of the United States of America exclude a particular breed of dog from serving or being qualified as a ‘Service Animal’, once your dog falls within that category, you will not be allowed to bring it into McDonald’s.
The structure of the establishment:
This fourth condition is more of an exception to the general rule that only service dogs are allowed in-store at McDonald’s.
Where the McDonald’s you visit has an outdoor seating arrangement, it MAY permit your dog in those outside areas. The instructive words are ‘may’ because it is left to the discretion of the manager of such a location to decide whether or not to allow dogs in those outside areas.
And of course, it goes without saying that just as with service dogs a restraint such as a leash must be attached to the dog to avoid a situation wherein it goes unrestrained and disturbs the use of the restaurant by other customers. Also, your dog must be under your care and control at all times when you’re in McDonald’s.
Can your dog eat at McDonald’s?
Yes, your dog can if it is allowed on the premises by virtue of being a Service Animal or a non-service animal in the outdoor seating area of McDonald’s restaurant.
Is McDonald’s healthy for dogs?
While our canine friends are tough and would survive almost on anything, it is not advisable to feed your dog McDonald’s as it contains no nutritional value for dogs. As a matter of fact, ingredients such as salt, mustard, and onions could cause an upset to your dog’s stomach and affect digestion. So, to avoid a situation where your dog becomes sickly or begins to suffer from some form of irregular bowel movements, it is advised that you do not feed him McDonald’s as it is not a healthy food choice for a dog.
Can you get thrown out of McDonald’s for bringing a dog?
Yes, you can get thrown out for bringing a dog.
As a general rule, dogs are allowed in McDonald’s where they are shown to be service dogs or that particular franchise that you are visiting has an outdoor sitting arrangement.
However, it is possible to get escorted off the premises for bringing a dog where you have failed to keep the dog under control as in where the dog is allowed to walk about unrestrained or unleashed. Or where the dog begins to bark or growl at other customers.
Additionally, where the laws of the United States of America exclude a particular breed of dog from serving or being qualified as a ‘Service Animal’, once your dog falls within that category, you will not be allowed to bring it into McDonald’s. And so, if you have somehow gained access, you may be politely asked to take the dog away and return unaccompanied by him.
Conclusion
As we have shown you, McDonald’s does allow dogs, albeit, subject to certain exceptions. If you intend to visit a McDonald’s it’s best that you call ahead of time so that you’d know what kind of set-up they have in place and whether it will allow dogs or not.
