Veteran asks McDonald’s manager about free Veterans Day breakfast, then walks out after hearing her response: ‘A total disrespect’
The veteran wasn't upset about paying for breakfast. He says the manager's refusal to check the promotion was what made him walk out.
A veteran stopped at McDonald’s on Veterans Day after reading online that the chain was offering free breakfast to former service members. Instead, Les Reinier says the manager denied knowing about the promotion and offered him an unspecified discount. He walked out without ordering, frustrated by what he considered a dismissive response to a holiday meant to recognize military service.
In a November 11 Facebook post, Reinier explained that he rarely takes advantage of Veterans Day promotions but decided to stop by because the restaurant was on his way to work. After waiting at the counter, he asked about the breakfast offer. According to Reinier, the manager immediately told him no without checking whether the restaurant was participating.
Reinier says the interaction bothered him more than missing out on free food. However, McDonald’s Veterans Day promotions vary by location, and participating restaurants in several states advertised complimentary breakfasts this year. Reinier did not identify which restaurant he visited, making it unclear whether that location offered the promotion.
The manager offered a discount, but the veteran walked out
Reinier says he had already spent a while waiting at the counter when the manager finally approached. He asked about the free Veterans Day breakfast he’d seen advertised online, but her response caught him off guard. She reportedly looked at him like he was crazy before telling him there was no such offer, without checking whether the restaurant was participating.
“I guess I could do some kind of discount,” Reinier recalled the manager saying. He decided to leave rather than accept it, later responding with a sarcastic “Gee thanks!” in his Facebook post.
For Reinier, the exchange was particularly frustrating given his four years of military service. He explained that he’d worked long hours for little pay because he believed serving his country was his responsibility. He rarely took advantage of Veterans Day freebies and hadn’t expected anything beyond the promotion he’d read about.
What bothered him was that the manager seemingly dismissed his question without looking into it. “Not because I didn’t get free food,” he wrote, explaining why he’d walked out. “Because of the total disregard for the situation and what it represents.”
McDonald’s Veterans Day offers aren’t available everywhere
Veterans Day falls on November 11 each year, honoring Americans who served in the military. Originally known as Armistice Day, the holiday commemorated the end of fighting in World War I before expanding in 1954 to recognize veterans of all U.S. wars. Restaurants often mark the occasion with complimentary meals or discounts as a way of thanking former service members.
McDonald’s is among those businesses, although its Veterans Day promotions aren’t necessarily available nationwide. The company says its independently operated franchise locations can decide which promotions to participate in. That means a free breakfast advertised in one city might not be available at another McDonald’s.
For example, participating Indianapolis-area restaurants offered veterans and active-duty military members a complimentary Egg McMuffin meal on November 11. The meal included a hash brown and small coffee, with military identification required. Meanwhile, McDonald’s locations across Hawaii offered free breakfast sandwiches to eligible service members.
McDonald’s explains on its website that franchise operators can choose whether to participate in promotions. Without knowing which restaurant Reinier visited, it’s unclear whether the manager was unaware of an available offer or simply worked at a location that wasn’t participating.
Whether that particular McDonald’s offered free breakfast remains unclear, but Reinier says the manager never bothered to check. He believes restaurants advertising Veterans Day deals should make sure their employees know about them. “When businesses offer things like this, I think it should be a priority to inform your staff,” he wrote.
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