Now that we know one can eat nothing but McDonald's and get healthier, it's a wonder more people haven't taken to living in a McD's 24/7. Some senior citizens in Queens are apparently coming close to making the joint feel like a home away from home: the Times reports that elderly Korean men have been clashing with management at a Flushing McDonald's, where they're accused of loitering all day while sharing meager orders of fries.
The Times reports that the men occupy the benches at the McDonald’s on the corner of Parsons and Northern Boulevards around 5 a.m., and often linger there till late at night. This has apparently been going on for the last five years, but tensions have escalated over recent months; there have been at least four 911 calls since Nov. to kick them out.
“It’s a McDonald’s,” said Martha Anderson, the general manager, “not a senior center.” The men argue that they are paying customers, and it takes them a little extra time to get through their food: “Do you think you can drink a large coffee within 20 minutes?” David Choi, 77, said. “No, it’s impossible.”
Of course, these elderly men don't particularly care for the food: “We prefer our own Korean food,” said Hoick Choi, 76. They even stock up on free lunch at a nearby senior center before returning to McDonald's. Instead, they are drawn to the place for companionship; many of the men are widowers.
Unless cops crack down and clear the McDonald's Zuccotti-park style, these guys aren't going to roll over: “I will just listen to them,” Il Ho Park said after an officer told him to leave. “But I will come back inside after they leave.” As long as these guys don't pull a Cocoon and return as rowdy teenagers, maybe the Flushing McDonald's management should count their blessings.
