However, a sign asking customers not to be rude to staff at the Oamaru McDonald’s is more of a reminder to be courteous than a reaction to bad past behaviour, the store’s owner says.
A photo of the sign, which tells customers staff are doing their best and says threats of violence and abusive language directed at staff will not be tolerated, received hundreds of comments when it was posted on social media this week.
Oamaru McDonald’s owner operator David Bond said the sign was his own initiative, rather than being a reaction to incidents at the store.
He had seen a similar sign at a bank and thought it would be a good idea for his store.
"It’s no big deal. I’ve got young people working for me who don’t need ranting and raving."
Several of his employees were only 16 years old and in their first jobs and the last thing they needed were abusive comments.
It was about reminding customers to be courteous and to take a moment to think about what they were saying to a person, Mr Bond said.
"It’s all about looking after my staff foremost."
Otago Polytechnic hospitality lecturer Fiona McLaren believed signs similar to what the Oamaru business had were becoming "the norm".
The motto that the customer was always right was wrong, she said.
She taught her students to make sure a customer left an interaction "feeling" they were right.
But there was a "complex" some people displayed when dealing with service industry staff, particularly fast food workers.
"They [fast food workers] cop it a lot."
