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The Rideau Street McDonald's was an infamous McDonald's restaurant franchise located at 99 Rideau Street in the ByWard Market neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was once dubbed the "'World's Worst McDonald's" by the Toronto Star.[1]
The restaurant's location at 99 Rideau Street was part of a building called "The Atwood", built in 1908 as an apartment building. It was given a heritage property designation in 1983 under the Ontario Heritage Act, following the demolition of properties across the street to make way for the construction of the Rideau Centre. That year, the city approved construction of a shopping centre on the site which would incorporate the building's façade.[2]
McDonald's opened its location at 99 Rideau in 1985.[3] The restaurant once spread across three floors, with seating on the main floor, a mezzanine above and the food service counter and kitchen below. The location downsized in the early 2000s with everything condensed to the main floor. It had two entrances, one on Rideau Street, and a back door on George Street, leading to the rest of the ByWard market.[1]
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For much of its history, the restaurant was open 24-hours a day, and attracted night life revellers who would stop by after going to the bars and night clubs in the area. Customers included "drunk youth, tourists, homeless people... and gang members". Staff struggled to keep up with the demands on the restaurant. Its floor was always filthy, and customers witnessed drug use and sexual acts in a "long narrow" hallway to the bathrooms. The hallway was isolated from the rest of the restaurant, and dubbed 'the hallway to hell'. Because the location had two entrances, people frequented the restaurant as a shortcut to the market. It also allowed criminals an easy escape from the police. In addition to its proximity to Ottawa's night life district in the ByWard market, its location is close to several tourist attractions, plus the city's largest shopping mall, the Rideau Centre, the University of Ottawa, and several emergency shelters and social support services.[1]
At its peak in the late 2010s, the restaurant averaged 800 police calls a year.[1] In 2018, police were called 843 times,[4] while they were called 928 times in 2017. The restaurant witnessed "violent altercations, assaults and stabbings". Police had indicated they were "fed up" with the issues at the location, indicating they received 'little co-operation or response" from restaurant managers.[1]
In 2019, Ottawa's police chief Charles Bordeleau wrote an open letter[5] to McDonald's Canada that the location was 'getting out of control'.[1] As a result, the restaurant cut its overnight shift,[3] announcing it would begin closing at 10pm each night. It also hired additional security and closed its back entrance. Ottawa's mayor, Jim Watson applauded the move saying "[f]ar too many police resources were being spent in that restaurant and it was becoming a public safety concern".[1] However, city councillor Mathieu Fleury claimed the owner rejected having more surveillance cameras or changing the store layout following a security audit, suggesting the manager claimed that the 'problems at the store stemmed from social issues out of their control'.[1]
Despite its issues, the area's low income and unhoused population valued the restaurant and patronized it for inexpensive meals. The building's property manager said "[t]hey've been a great tenant. People don't appreciate how good of a community member [they have] been".[6] It was also a 'safe space' that temporarily sheltered the unhoused.[7]
The raccoon incident
In 2013 an incident occurred when someone mouthing a cigarette pulled out a baby raccoon during a fight. The man and the raccoon named "Pocket Rocket" were innocent bystanders. The incident was caught on video and went viral on social media in 2014,[1][8] making 'headlines around the world'.[1]
The raccoon video was not the only incident caught on camera at the restaurant. A second video showed people beating each other with "Wet Floor" signs, while another showed customers screaming at staff.[1]
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In January 2023, the franchisee decided to not renew the lease of the building, which was owned by District Realty.[6]
The restaurant closed in May 2023. In March of that year, a crowd of around 200 people gathered to pay tribute, including some people dressed as boxes of French fries,[7] Ronald McDonald, one as the Hamburglar, and one dressed as a raccoon. Others carried signs with a raccoon's face over the McDonald's logo, referencing the viral video. The event, which was organized by university students,[1] fundraised for charities such as Operation Come Home, the Voice Found and the Shepherds of Good Hope shelter near the restaurant.[9][7]
In 2024, a new tenant signed a lease for the location, which will feature Chinese/Asian cuisine.[10]
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