Horrible Publicity For McDonalds

We probably all know that fast food may be a bit high in the fat and sodium content to be considered "healthy." But the fast food giant realizes that effective advertising such as using the video of Oscar Robertson making the big shot can mean increased revenue. LINK. But bad publicity can equally decrease business such as when a member of a franchise management team allegedly makes a serious mistake with personnel. LINK. Or when someone gets seriously injured on the premise. LINK.

So what does horrible publicity do to a business? Recent headlines for an Ohio McDonald's may provide the answer. Supposedly, a 13-year-old boy sexually assaulted a five year-old girl in a McDonald's play area in Ohio. While the exact facts are unknown, the Hamilton County Sheriff's office in Ohio has cooperated with local prosecutors in charging a 13-year-old boy with the rape of a 5-year-old girl. The rape allegedly occurred at the McDonald's play area on October 29. The victim's grandmother was in the restaurant at the time. There is no information that McDonald's did anything wrong. In fact, the local owner of the McDonald's, Judson Pickard, is cooperating with investigators and presumably furnished the video surveillance which lead to an identification of the alleged perpetrator. But one can't help but think how such an occurrence could tarnish the family image of McDonald's.

The 13-year-old's parents are also apparently cooperating with authorities as the boy was taken to a to a juvenile detention center. Authorities are expected to rely heavily on the surveillance video in pursuing charges against the 13-year-old defendant. Fox news.com

On the other-hand, the boy denies the charges and will have a juvenile detention hearing/trial on Nov. 22, 2011. sacbee.com
In the meantime, the defendant is to be presumed innocent of all charges unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Would You Like Fries With That by Tim McGraw