I never wear shoes or socks and have run 50 marathons without sneakers, but McDonald’s asked me to leave even though there were barefoot kids on the playground.
A man who leads a barefoot lifestyle has been asked to leave a McDonalds branch after ordering his food.
James Graham, 55, was at McDonald’s at Ravenside Retail Park in Bexhill, Sussex, when he says he was told to leave the premises shortly after sitting down once he had ordered.
He revealed that a service person approached him and said ‘no shoes, no shirt, no service’.
Explaining, he said: ‘I went to McDonald’s in Ravenside and ordered my food. Minding my own business, I sat waiting for table service when one of the service staff came up and said he couldn’t be there without shoes.
‘I asked her about this and she said the words. “No shoes, no shirt, no service,” to which I told him that that was an old saying from the hippie days in the US, which restricted people from entering places.
James Graham, 55, from Sussex, who leads a barefoot lifestyle, was asked to leave a McDonalds branch after ordering his food.
‘But she wasn’t having any of it. She went to find the manager who said she could cut me off.
He said he thought the incident was a “little bit silly” as he added that he was sitting right next to a play area, which James said was often filled with barefoot children playing.
He said: ‘I spoke to head office and emailed them. They said it was up to the franchise manager of that site.
“I think it’s weird to make these split-second decisions when I’m not hurting anyone.
‘In 2013 I had an experience that changed my life. My wife passed away and since then I have just been living life. Life is too short not to do the things you think you would like to do.’
James said he has run 20 barefoot marathons. He ran the Eastbourne Half Marathon last Sunday and plans to run the London Marathon this year barefoot.
James was at McDonald’s at Ravenside Retail Park in Bexhill, Sussex, when he says he was told to leave the premises shortly after sitting down once he had ordered
James said he has run 20 barefoot marathons. He ran the Eastbourne Half Marathon last Sunday and plans to run the London Marathon this year barefoot.
James said he had a life-changing experience in 2013 when his wife passed away and since then he has been living life the way he wants, saying “life is too short.”
He added that his barefoot lifestyle has had mixed reactions from the public.
James said: ‘Some are completely horrified and don’t understand it. Other people fully support it and say they wish they had the courage and freedom to do it.’
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: ‘At McDonald’s we want to create a welcoming environment for all of our customers to enjoy their experience.
The Bexhill team informed the customer that for their own safety and the comfort of fellow diners, all customers are asked to wear footwear in the restaurant.
“When it was refused, the customer was allowed to stay on this occasion and finish his meal before leaving.”
