Homeless man, customer told to leave McDonald’s

A McDonald’s customer posted a video to social media showing him and a homeless man being told to leave a restaurant after he says he bought him food.

The video, which was uploaded to Facebook on Wednesday, generated over 40 million views, with users reacting angrily to the actions of a police officer and management at a McDonald’s location in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

In the footage, Yossi Gallo, the customer who recorded the incident on his cell phone, berates McDonald’s management as a police officer is seen telling a man eating food at a nearby table that he needed to leave. 

Gallo himself was also told to leave after the restaurant’s employees accused him of disorderly conduct. 

The Myrtle Beach mayor and police say that the incident as depicted in the film does not accurately portray exactly what happened, and Mayor Brenda Bethune defended the officer’s response to the situation.

A McDonald’s customer who bought a homeless man food began recording video on his cell phone when a police officer asked the homeless man to leave the restaurant

The police officer from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was called to the McDonald's by an employee who complained that a homeless man was asking people for money in the parking lot

The police officer from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was called to the McDonald's by an employee who complained that a homeless man was asking people for money in the parking lot

The police officer from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was called to the McDonald’s by an employee who complained that a homeless man was asking people for money in the parking lot

When the officer asked the homeless man to leave, Yossi Gallo, the customer who bought him food, became angry and began to record the incident on his cell phone

When the officer asked the homeless man to leave, Yossi Gallo, the customer who bought him food, became angry and began to record the incident on his cell phone

When the officer asked the homeless man to leave, Yossi Gallo, the customer who bought him food, became angry and began to record the incident on his cell phone

'You guys suck,' Gallo is heard yelling at the McDonald's employees. The homeless man above is seen eating his food before he is escorted out of the restaurant

‘You guys suck,’ Gallo is heard yelling at the McDonald’s employees. The homeless man above is seen eating his food before he is escorted out of the restaurant

The owner of the McDonald’s location said that Gallo has behaved improperly on prior occasions and that this was not the first time he was asked to leave. 

In the video, the officer said the homeless man needed to leave because he was asking McDonald’s customers for money.

Gallo said the homeless man didn’t ask him for money, and he couldn’t understand why they couldn’t finish their meals.

The restaurant manager then tells Gallo to stop yelling and says he is being disorderly.

McDonald’s didn’t immediately respond to an email.

The incident began after Gallo said he invited an unidentified man believed to be homeless into a McDonald’s.

Gallo paid for a meal, which the man then began eating at a table inside the restaurant.

‘I waved him down, and I said, “Hey, are you hungry?” and he said, “Yes”,’ Gallo told WMBF-TV. 

‘So I went in there with him, and as soon as we went inside, the lady at the register says, “You’re not getting food.” She tells him he’s not getting food.’

Gallo said he was so angered by the cashier’s actions that he began to record the incident on his cell phone.

In the video, a police officer is seen telling a man that he needed to leave the restaurant after he was done eating. 

The homeless man is seen above getting his food and leaving the restaurant after he was told he was trespassing

The homeless man is seen above getting his food and leaving the restaurant after he was told he was trespassing

The homeless man is seen above getting his food and leaving the restaurant after he was told he was trespassing

Gallo is then heard in the video yelling at McDonald’s employees.

‘You guys suck. He didn’t even ask me for food. I brought him from outside. You guys suck,’ Gallo is heard saying.

Moments later, a McDonald’s employee who is believed to be the branch manager comes over to Gallo and asks him to keep his voice down.

‘Calm your voice,’ he tells Gallo in the video. ‘That’s what I’m asking you to do.’

‘This is how I talk. I talk loud. If the officer has a problem with that, the officer’s going to arrest me,’ Gallo responded.

‘Sir, you’re being disorderly,’ the employee said.

The officer then tells Gallo that she was called to the restaurant because ‘multiple people have complained’ about the man asking for money.

The manager once again comes over to Gallo and asks him to quiet down, though Gallo replies: ‘You guys suck.’

The officer and the homeless man are then seen having a conversation. It appeared that the officer was waiting for him to finish his meal before escorting him out of the restaurant.

She then asks Gallo to leave the restaurant even as he continues filming.

When Gallo asks the officer if he could get a refund for his food, she says: ‘That’s not me. I’m not civil court.’

‘[The manager] wants you removed,’ the officer tells Gallo. ‘You have to go. That’s all.’ 

Gallo is then told to leave after a McDonald's employee who appears to be the manager of the branch in Myrtle Beach asks him to calm down

Gallo is then told to leave after a McDonald's employee who appears to be the manager of the branch in Myrtle Beach asks him to calm down

Gallo is then told to leave after a McDonald’s employee who appears to be the manager of the branch in Myrtle Beach asks him to calm down

The manager tries to calm Gallo down before asking the officer to remove him as well from the premises

The manager tries to calm Gallo down before asking the officer to remove him as well from the premises

The manager tries to calm Gallo down before asking the officer to remove him as well from the premises

Gallo then asks for the name of the manager that wanted him evicted from the restaurant.

The manager then walks out and appears to hand Gallo an envelope.

‘Can I get your name please?’ Gallo asks the manager, who doesn’t reply.

‘I’m getting kicked out of here because I gave a homeless guy food,’ Gallo is then heard telling other customers in the restaurant.

The officer then confronts Gallo again and tells him that he needed to leave.

‘I am the law,’ she is heard telling Gallo. ‘You need to get your stuff and leave. If you want a refund, you gotta go through corporate.’

Gallo then approaches the cashier register and asks for a reprinted receipt. 

After finally getting his receipt, Gallo was then escorted out of the restaurant by the officer.

Gallo then invites the homeless man into his car and offers to buy him food elsewhere – as the officer watches them leave.

The officer and Gallo engage in a heated conversation during which she tells him: 'I am the law'

The officer and Gallo engage in a heated conversation during which she tells him: ‘I am the law’

‘You know what you’re doing is wrong,’ Gallo yells at the officer as he gets into his car in the parking lot. ‘Deep inside you, you know that.’ 

Myrtle Beach police told WMBF-TV that an officer was called to the premises after a McDonald’s employee complained about a man who was asking them for money in the parking lot.

When the officer arrived, she was told that the man had gone inside and sat down to eat, according to police.

The employee asked the officer to issue a trespass warning to the man and that he be asked to leave.

‘The officer advised the male of the request made by the business and issued the warning,’ Myrtle Beach Police Captain Joey Crosby said. 

‘A bystander, who was videotaping the incident, was also trespassed from the location, at the request of the manager, for what management deemed as disorderly behavior.’ 

Joel Pellicci Jr, who owns the McDonald’s franchise where the incident took place, released a statement saying: ‘At my restaurant, the goal is to provide our customers with a positive and welcoming experience each time they visit. 

‘Unfortunately, the individual in this video has a history of disruptive behavior and has been asked to leave by management and police on several occasions.’ 

After Gallo posted the video on Facebook, a number of social media users left misogynistic comments about the officer.

Facebook users who watched the video were particularly angry about her ‘I am the law’ comment.

It was reported that the officer’s private Facebook page was inundated by trolls who left angry messages.

The owner of the McDonald's location said that Gallo (seen above) has been disruptive with restaurant staff in the past

The owner of the McDonald's location said that Gallo (seen above) has been disruptive with restaurant staff in the past

The owner of the McDonald’s location said that Gallo (seen above) has been disruptive with restaurant staff in the past

The officer reportedly either changed the privacy settings on her Facebook page or deleted it altogether.

Gallo later told WMBF-TV that he did not agree with those who left crude comments about the officer.

‘I think that’s completely wrong,’ Gallo said. 

‘Completely wrong. I do believe that she was doing her job. 

‘I do believe that she was doing her job. She did nothing wrong. I don’t have any anger towards her in any way.’

Gallo asked Facebook users to refrain from trolling the officer.

‘I would say please definitely leave her alone,’ he said. 

‘She was very polite. She was doing her job. 

‘I wouldn’t want anyone to speak badly of her. She was very nice actually.’

Facebook users flooded the McDonald’s location’s page with one-star reviews.  



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