Panhandlers at McDonalds
 

This morning on the way to work, I whip into Mickey D's to get coffee and a McMuffin for the commute. I'm sitting in the drive thru, waiting to place my order. This guy walks up to the car window, panhandling. He asked me for fifty cents. I said, "hey, if you're going to beg for money, at least think bigger. Ask me for a five, or a ten. Hell, ask for a dollar. The dollar menu is a dollar. I offered to buy him a sandwich, but not give him money. So he blinked a couple times, then he moved on the car behind me to keep schmoozing for cash. When I got my receipt at the top it said "MANAGEMENT POSITIONS AVAILABLE." Hey, McD's, why not give this beggar on your drive thru line a management position? Win-Win, problem solved!

He asks for a dollar, you know what it's for...

Dollar cost averaging in the stock market?

THAT makes me madder than anything. I've offered to buy people food and gas on separate occasions in the past, but they just want money.

F THEM...I want to help, but they are ruining it.

I don't think anybody would think, "Guy who'll sell everything for .50." As a good investment for management.

They should promote from within, and hire the bum as an entry level bathroom cleaner. Let the bum work his way up the chain.

Haha. I gave him fifty cents to be some soup...

I was driving through town yesterday and saw a young man maybe early 20's with a sign that said "Homeless Anything will Help" over one block away was another man with a "Help Wanted" sign.

When I told my wife about it I said they were only a block apart she informed me that they were Miles and Miles apart.

I've done the same thing before... and I've only been taken up on the offer once.

About 2 years ago, it was maybe 10pm and my wife and I were in resort town just wandering around a few places. It was a very active area and this older guy, maybe 60 wandered up and asked if we could spare any money for food.

Our first thought was what everyone else thinks - you want it for booze. So, I said, we are more than happy to help you, but only if you go over to that store (it was small supermarket type of place you see in a beach town) and let me buy you some food.

The guy smiled and said "I'd love that and appreciate it so much". I think my wife started to get misty eyed at his response.

Anyway, I think we bought him $20 worth of stuff... and as we sat at a bar across the road, we looked out about an hour later, there he was on a bench. Eating the food, drinking the water and putting the rest in his back pack. Whether or not he traded some later for booze, I dunno.

But, it was a good deal.

Gave five bucks to a kid at McDonald's who was asking for one. Looked hungry and sad as hell. Then I went to Walgreen's and he was there too, asking for money.

I don't usually give to panhandlers because if I gave to every panhandler I saw, I'd go broke. But this kid just seemed so ****ing sad, and he was probably only 14 or 15. I guess I don't care what he ended up doing with it, as long as it wasn't for something that'll make him sadder, like drugs or something.

Got a McDonalds right across from me with bums hanging all over it. Went to lunch yesterday and they were opening a new Umpqua bank on Sansome and had two food trucks, Indian cuisine and Japanese out there serving free food if you had a coupon. Employee comes up to me and asks if I would like one so I said yes. They gave me a huge free lunch of tiki masala, curried potatoes, rice, and a bunch of other stuff and didn't ask me for the coupon. When I came back I go up to one of the bums in front of McDonalds and give him the coupon and told him all he had to do was walk around the corner to get it. Dude was too damn lazy to even get up and walk over there. You give anything to these guys you are really a part of the problem, not the answer.

I had a guy in Memphis recently specifically say he wasn't begging for money, but he was very hangryand if walk across the street and buy him a meal at Denny's. I did, and the host at Denny's was pissed at me.

Probably bought a Redskins ball cap.

There will be a lot more beggars after OCt 17 if the Gov-does not pay their bills.

Would you want to have a bunch of bums hanging outside your restaurant?

Maybe, but there's not a Lidz in my neighborhood.

The panhandlers at McDonalds are bad, but the panhandlers at Wendys are atrocious!

About a year ago, the wife and I went out to dinner and we had some food leftover....so we got a to-go container and left. As we were walking to our car....a guy asked if we could spare some change. I handed him the to-go container....and the guy literally broke down crying and thanked us repeatedly.

I don't like giving them cash for booze, but I have no problem poisoning them with McD's.

Boy was he surprised when he went around the corner and opened it and it only had food in it

It's not bad here, but anyplace much bigger and it gets out of hand. I saw it all the time in Naperville, IL of all places when I lived there. That is a pretty well off place overall, but i think a lot of it was people coming in from other places to try to take advantage of that. It happens in almost every decent sized city I have lived in, and I always just blow them off.

I hate it when they try and panhandle off you and your high on mushrooms and can't quit laughing.

:Poke:....did you not see his nametag???? That WAS the manager, afterall why would anyone who works there want to eat there? They know what's in the food!:eek:

Give a five dollar McDonalds gift card. Hungry, he can eat. Maybe trade for booze or crack, but you did your best.

A lot of times there is a mental illness and dependency issues. They need booze or counseling, but to go without either would be horrible for most of them.

That's a good point....

But seriously I have a hardcore anti-solication rule. I don't care who you are, you can be the poorest kid on the block or the hottest prostitute in town, if you ask for money the answer is no. If you want educate me on something and let me decide if I feel like offering money where it's appropriate. But never ask me for it, if you do the answer is no regardless of the circumstances.

But really if you want to make a difference for the homeless/poor/etc take all the money you would have given to individuals and give it to an outreach organization or a food bank. If you want to feel good donate your time to the same groups and you'll see and help many more people who are legitimately struggling but not putting the dollars you give them into a bottle or their vein.

If I'm going to give them a treat, I need to at least see them perform a trick.

Try this "you want a dollar? I'll give you $5 if you try a back flip"

Some old guy came into my job the other day asking for money. He was VERY old, probably 70-something, with liver spots and weird bruise-ish cut thingies on his skin (think Al Davis pre-death). He was also wearing a nice dress shirt, tucked, and slacks.

So he started going on about how he locked his keys in his car, only had $80 on him but the locksmith was charging $92 + tax and wouldn't follow him home, blah blah blah. He seemed pretty embarrassed, which could easily have been an act, so I just gave him $18. He asked for my card and I told him don't worry about it. He said thanks and once again looked rather embarrassed as he said "I tell you, if you ever told me I'd be begging for money on the streets of Orlando........" as he walked out.

He left the building and I watched him walk across the parking lot toward some other businesses. I ended up having to do some actual work so I couldn't see where he went... But I do wonder what the actual story behind that was..

My wife and I were pulling out of Target last weekend with our two small children.

There was a man panhandling on the corner - held a sign that read "Please help - no money for food or rent". Sitting at the stop sign on the corner were (what I assume to be) his wife and HIS two small children. The wife was waiving to the cars passing by - and his kids were coloring - happily unaware of what their parents were doing.

It ripped my heart out and made me enraged all at the same time. Those kids don't have a chance - and how low do you have to be to bring your family begging with you - rather than working however many jobs necessary to provide for them.

I ran into the "HEY MAN, we're broke down here and just need a dollar to get gas to make it to my uncle's place so I can go see my cousin in the hospital can you help us out?" guy at QuikTrip last week. I literally laughed and drove away.

I think next time I'll ask them for money when they walk up to the truck before they ask....

"hey man, how's it going...do you have $25 I could borrow because the price of .45 auto rounds has gone through the roof and I only have these 10+1 left.

The one on broadway always seems to attract the bums

Chicago is awful to deal with.

The ones that piss me off the most are the kids and their ****ing sports team crap camped out in front of the grocery store asking for money. I mean, jesus.

Can't stand beggars. The last one that asked me for money I beat his ass and took his wallet, left him lying in a pool of blood. After I left I started feeling bad and realized I'd taken out my frustrations from a bad day at work and he was the recipient so I drove around the block and he was just rolling over and staggering to get up with blood running down his face .

I gave him his wallet back and told him I had job opening on my farm. He said he was unable to work because he was a disabled vet. I said get in my truck . We'll put your wheelchair in the back. I took him to the farm and rolled him into my collection room. He turned out to be a real solid worker. I've gone from 300 bags a week to 500-600. Of course he works 7 days a week. I let him out to roll around the farm every year on MLKs birthday.

LMAO

tough shit for them. They can go take a long walk and find a job fertilizing some farmers crops. Saw this shit at a Walmart near Arlington Texas. Dam younger mexican lady standing outside Walmart with a cardboard sign saying need money for 4 kids.

I got one of those in the parking lot of a grocery store a couple of months ago. Young guy and his girlfriend. I rolled my eyes and was like, man, that is the OLDEST one in the book. Try something different.

I'm not letting any bum drive my rig.

I have never understood the holding signs shit. Just say some chick doing it this morning at the edge of a Wal Mart strip mall.

Seriously try to at least scam somebody in a shifty, thought out, way.

Hell anyone see that 60 minutes report about people pretending to be homeless and they make over 50,000 a year doing it.

Yep, that's 50k tax free.

Pulling out of Taco Hell the other night, a stumbling drunk blonde staggers across the driveway in front of my truck. Before I could check traffic and pull out, she crossed to my passenger side door and pulled it open like she was going to climb in.

I told her no like I was commanding the dog and she pulled up short. Gave me a look I guess used to be endearing at some time and said I'm hungry. I said "I'm sorry."

She stared at me in confusion for probably 30 seconds while I tried to decide if I needed to shut off the engine and go around and close the door and if some kind of physical altercation would ensue. Would I wind up in jail because my automatic locks weren't quick enough? Then she closed the door and I peeled out of there.

Very weird people.

you couldn't even ask for a beej?

I've had that exact same bullshit story at QT. From a lady that was obviously strung out on crack.

There are people here in Tulsa that are well known to do that. People have seen them park their 40,000 dollar SUVs a couple blocks from the interstate exit where they stand with a sign all day.

Last winter, on a pretty cold day in November, there was a bum outside my old work begging in a sweater...odd because in my city of nearly 60,000 people, you might only see a bum begging twice a year.

Anyway, I gave him $2, and by the end of the work day about 4 hours later he's still outside, but was in clean, new, warm jacket. He must have went into the discount used clothes store beside my work and bought himself a jacket, after amassing probably $20 in change all day.

Felt pretty good about it, especially because I figured my money was going towards drugs/alcohol.

Yeah there was a young black gentleman outside QT one day. He was just sitting there, and I could tell he was reluctant to bother people for money. But he clearly needed it, and was polite in asking "Hey man I hate to ask for this but do you have any change?". All I had was a 5 so I just gave it to him. I figured I spend 5 dollars on crappy energy drinks and cigarettes and what not all the time so I might as well give it to him. I just dislike the ones that make up a complete bullshit story and are obviously strung out on whatever. They just waste my time and it irritates me. Because as soon as they start the story I know immediately it's a crock of utter shit, but they just keep going with it and I have to wait for them to finish before I tell them "sorry...no". I would just say "**** off" and cut them off when they start but I'm just not that way I guess.

Serious story, yeah I know, it's HogFarmer. But back when I was a youngster I remember my mom taking a homeless guy, she visited with him for a while and I guess she felt he just needed a break. She was influential in the community ,used to be campaign manager or Bob Dole when he was Kansas senator.

Anyway she took this guy, got him an apartment and lined him up a job with a local business and turned him loose. Don't know what happened to him afterwards but that impressed me and probably had some influence on the way I live my life now.

I don't give money to them because I don't support failure.

buddy of mine and i were eating at kfc last week. we were pretty much finished up and getting ready to leave, all of a sudden this dude was up on us.

said something about having a rough time. needed a ride just a few blocks and/or maybe some money. i was in my work truck (and blue collared work shirt). told him that i couldn't give rides in a company vehicle....he then asked for money again. i then said that i only had a debit card. he walked away mumbling something. as he walked through the restaurant across the street to the next restaurant. i did truly feel bad for him. but i did notice one thing. he was dressed extremely nice. like a pressed collared shirt, and dress pants. thought that was odd, but i feel that i did the right thing.

WHAT AM I GOING TO COLLEGE FOR?

So you don't have to be a drag on society?

Obama Voters are everywhere these days. I try to help when I can. If I was at McD's for a breakfast, Ill be damned if I could look down on anybody. Gettin low when you are eating that shit and can belittle those less fortunate.

Solid point.

I only ever smacked one hobo.

I think

Most of them want to be hobos. To many of them it's an honor.

I give them money because one of them maybe Jesus.

I told the last guy that hit me up in a Wal-mart parking lot for money that he could expand his business exponentially if he got a portable credit card reader. Nobody uses cash anymore. He got pissed and asked me if I at least had a quarter. I laughed and kept walking.

After dealing with these people for two years when I was working downtown, I have no sympathy for any of them. They don't have any ****ing respect for anyone or their property.

I bet he'd still get a bonus,

EDIT
Oh, that doesn't make any sense. I thought it said investment management.

I have a rule that I will only help people that will accept food and if they don't accept food you know what the money is for

This McDonalds must not have been deploying homeless repellant which is also known as classical music.

They need to run that guy off. Panhandlers piss me off almost as much as washroom attendants.

I had a guy come up to me in Pensacola a few years ago at a sonic and said "I'll be honest guys, I just want some beer and cigarettes if you could spare any change." I gave the guy a few bucks for being honest.

I took a bus from Idaho to Dallas, Tx, leaving most of my money in a Nevada casino en-route. Fact is, I had one thin dime on me when I arrived at the bus terminal in Dallas, which I had made sure to keep so I could call my sister when I arrived to come pick me up. I had never seen a payphone that took a quarter instead of a dime for a call until that day and I found myself .15 cents short. There was a guy flipping burgers at a cafe next to the terminal and I asked him for .15 cents for my call, explaining the circumstances. He slapped about $5.00 worth of change on the counter and told me to take what I needed. I took .15 cents and made my call. I think about that from time to time because its easy to get jaded over all the ass-holes trying to fleece you out of your money.

Damn. That was a tough day.

I've got a several stories:

1. Dude approaches me the the parking lot and says he needed gas money. I take him to the filling station and put a few buck in his tank (emergency short trip). I bid him farewell, and when he thinks I'm not looking, he swings back to the same parking lot to hit someone else up. I drive back to the parking lot to ask him what's up and he takes off.

2. I take a dude to a gas station to put some gas in his tank. He stops me after $5. He didn't want me to put too much in, in case someone else called him on his bluff.

3. Took a father to the grocery store to buy food for his kids. He was very grateful and bought things like raw hamburger, pork chops, etc.

4. Dude approached me in a restaurant parking lot a couple miles from a hospital, claimed to have a family member there, and a non-patient son that was hungry. He wanted money so he could buy him food. Smelled like a scam, and the world wouldn't end even if his story was true. I reached down and pulled out my inner asshole and said: "It's not like he's going to starve to death if he misses a meal." Dude said "You better get in your car and leave, or I might not be able to contain myself." Still think he was scamming. Why not hit up people at the hospital? Fellow patient families are likely to have empathy for your family situation.

5. People who come to your house offering to do work for $ will either do shitty work or are trying to con you. No good experiences to report.

6. Ran into a guy who I tried to help over a several day period. It quickly became obvious that it was way beyond my capabilities to turn his life around or even turn his life 5 degrees. Lesson: there is a reason that people end up in the situations they are in.

7. Dude needs a bus ticket in Memphis. I offer to buy it for him, we start walking to the bus station. He wants to go down a shady ally. OH HELL NO. I end up buying him dinner instead. He acts resentful. But he walks away eating the food I bought him with an expression of satisfaction on his face.

8. i was looking for a parking space in downtown KC in the early '80s (wayyy before cell phones). It is pouring down rain. Big ole dude frantically flags me down on the street holding his stomach. I crack my window, he has trouble communication, but I finally figured out he wants a ride to the hospital. He acts like he's been stabbed but I can't tell, and even if he is, there is no way I'm letting a stranger twice my side inside my car. Tell him I can't help him and move on.

9. One time a long time ago the shoe was on the other foot. I pulled into a parking garage. This was before ATMs. Too late, I realized I didn't have any cash on me. The garage didn't take credit cards. I needed like a $1.50 to get my car out. I checked between the seats for change. No dice. I finally pulled behind an obviously well-to-do woman who was paying her bill and begged her to pay mine. She paid, but made it obvious she didn't appreciate being approached in that manner. Thank you, rich stuck up woman, wherever you are.

This thread reminds me, I need to visit McDonalds and order a BigMac, then record my findings for Chiefsplanet.


It's quite possible that this could occur this week/end but I make no promises.

I live in Hollywood. There are homeless at every freeway entrance and exit, at nearly every fast food entrance and exit, at nearly every drug or grocery store entrance and exit.

I learned 20 years ago to avoid eye contact.

Problem solved.

Yep. Like I said earlier, Chicago is awful, St Louis is bad. Atlanta sucks. Even smaller places can be bad enough.

You just have to leave it alone and walk away.

yourself right?

This is the advantage of never carrying money on my. Sorry guy. No money. These are the ones that force the issue. The rest I just make no eye contact with.

Cannibal!

I never give money to beggers and you shouldn't either. It perpetuates the behavior. Besides, I gave at the office.

I say to them..."I was just about to ask you for some "whatever the asked for"

The best bum ever was the guy on the plaza who asked for a down payment on a cheeseburger.

The most common line is that they have kids in a car and the car is out of gas.

Dane is right usually avoiding eye contact works but not always.

I one time had a bum just run up to me while rapping "rappers delight". Another informed me that he's out here robbing and stealing for his kids. I just laughed.

We'll, I'd say that 99% of the time, they're mentally ill. There's a soup kitchen and homeless shelter off of Hollywood and Gower. Those that frequent that facility aren't truly capable of a job. As a matter of fact, I rarely encounter a homeless person that appears to be capable of holding a job.

But, that doesn't mean I'm going to give them money, especially if I'm with my children. There's help for those people but it's clear they aren't interested.

What's funny is he did that for years while wearing a Denver Broncos jacket. Guy was a regular at Dave's Stagecoach.