Regurgitating an old thread I know...
I was working out of a different "office" a few days ago. Rode in as usual and went out for a bit of fresh air at lunch.
Decided on an unplanned stop at a nearby McGonads for a brew and some fries.
Pushed the bike into the otherwise empty seating area, propped it up against with the seat against the robust outside table and between the table and the wall. The Table featured a metal edging around it and as I didn't have a lock settled in to order to the table via the app. After a few mins I was approached by the cleaning Doris who told me to move the bike because it would damage the table, apparently they've had a lot damaged in this way and they are expensive.
They had a bike rack, but it was away from the tables and of the worst wheel-bender types, so I declined and went down the road to Asda where an obliging security guard looked after my bike inside the store for a few mins while I got a sandwich and bottle of pop.
I think Doris was a bit surprised and clearly the risk of the bike damaging the table was not the real issue, my keys on the wooden varnished table top were more likely to cause damage. It was probably more the fact she was of the bikes must be in the bike rack mindset or the bike posed some sort of imaginary elf n safety risk. Anyhow it wasn't work getting into a discussion.
I have however contacted McGonad's and explained the reasons and explained the racks are rubbish and suggest they consider upgrading them (as well as getting a refund as I had just pressed "pay" - They actually gave me a £7.50 voucher as a goodwill ).
I wonder if they'll respond to the rack issue.
McDs is one of the places I visit as they do a sensibly priced cup of drinkable tea (not a coffee fan) . 99p vs the £3 undrinkable slosh at the local trendy coffee cafe or Starbucks.
I've had Mcd's toss me from the lobby, and never again patronized the place, but here in 'Merica most Mcd's are franchises so and most of the others have a railing or I lock to the outside tables.
Really disgusting is these people who set a baby on the counter while they order etc.... Nothing dirtier than a small child, particularly one with a potentially leaky diaper.
Still, I think nothing of taking a folded Brompton in anywhere and never get hassled about it. Oddly, in such a bike hating country I've also wheeled an unfolded bike into some stores with no one blinking an eye, (Lowes,Home Depot, one Walmart).
I frequently put the Brommie in a shopping cart and wheel it around grocery stores (Walmart, Publix,Kroger) most of which are pretty similar to
Halfords-Tesco cross. No one questions it when I get there, ever. But I had a door greeter hassle me on the way out of Walmart, thinking I should have a receipt for the bike!
