Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

No McDonald's ice cream for man in mobility scooter

By Alice Lock
Hawkes Bay Today·
23 Jan, 2017 04:18 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Wayne Sykes, Napier, is angry after being denied an ice cream at McDonalds Napier for riding his scooter in the drive-through. Photo/Warren Buckland

Wayne Sykes, Napier, is angry after being denied an ice cream at McDonalds Napier for riding his scooter in the drive-through. Photo/Warren Buckland

A Napier man was humiliated after being denied an ice cream from McDonald's after going through the drive-through on his mobility scooter.

Wayne Sykes who only moved to the area recently was travelling home from Countdown in Napier with his groceries when he felt like a cooling treat.

"I had small change from the supermarket and the Napier McDonald's was just next door so I thought I would roll down there and get a $1 soft serve."

The 56-year-old arrived at the speaker, read out his request, and to his surprise got no answer.

He repeated his request for an ice cream and again there was silence.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I then decided to drive to the window and do it that way. There were two girls standing there so I asked them again for an ice cream."

He said the girls told him twice that they don't serve people on mobility scooters.

Left angry and "pissed off" Mr Sykes went to the non automated door to speak to the manager.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

After waiting a couple of minutes the 56-year-old gave up and decided to go home.

"I don't get it. I used to live in Gisborne and all the time McDonald's and Burger King would serve me. I won't be going back to Napier McDonald's that is for sure."

Once back at home Mr Sykes rung and spoke to the store manager.

"The manager apologised to me and said there was a complete misunderstanding and a mistake made by the girls."

A McDonald's spokesman supported this in a statement released yesterday.

"Initially the manager thought a person on a push scooter was in the drive-through, which would be safety risk. He quickly realised the person was on a mobility scooter and sought to find the customer and help them with their order," he said.

"The manager has since apologised to the customer and explained about the miscommunication."

When asked if McDonald's Napier would look in to getting automated doors for disabled or elderly people the spokesman said no.

"There is still wheelchair access and one of the staff members working will always help and let the person through. Some McDonald's have automated doors and others don't."

Despite the apology and explained misunderstanding Mr Sykes is standing by his decision not too return to the Napier McDonald's.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I actually had a response from McDonald's in Taradale saying they would have served me but the only problem is I would be riding six miles for an ice cream, which is a bit ridiculous."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Teen killer found after escaping custody by fleeing health centre with cast on arm

Hawkes Bay Today

The council with just one candidate as deadline for nominations looms

Hawkes Bay Today

Date set for new Puketapu Bridge to open: 'It means so much to our community'


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Teen killer found after escaping custody by fleeing health centre with cast on arm
Hawkes Bay Today

Teen killer found after escaping custody by fleeing health centre with cast on arm

'Immediate review' will be carried out, Hawke's Bay Regional Prison says.

21 Jul 03:29 AM
The council with just one candidate as deadline for nominations looms
Hawkes Bay Today

The council with just one candidate as deadline for nominations looms

21 Jul 02:56 AM
Date set for new Puketapu Bridge to open: 'It means so much to our community'
Hawkes Bay Today

Date set for new Puketapu Bridge to open: 'It means so much to our community'

21 Jul 01:25 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP