A father received a £170 parking fine for spending more than 20 minutes eating his McDonald’s meal at a drive-thru. Ed Chatterton, 42, bought Chicken Selects, fries, and a milkshake at a Walsall, West Midlands McDonald’s in July but exceeded the time limit while eating in the car park.
Despite McDonald’s indicating the time restrictions through signage, Ed claimed he was unaware of the rule. He expressed frustration at the steep fine, emphasizing the short timeframe given to consume his meal after queuing at the drive-thru.
Debt collectors contacted Ed regarding the fine, escalating from £60 to £170. Ed highlighted the lack of notification prior to the debt recovery letter, criticizing the aggressive tactics used by the firm.
Ocean Parking defended the fine, stating that a Penalty Charge Notice was issued due to the vehicle overstaying the time limit without payment or using an exclusion tablet. They mentioned sending notices to the DVLA-registered address and emphasized the importance of complying with parking regulations.
Both McDonald’s and Ocean Parking advised individuals disputing fines to appeal to the relevant parties. The incident has sparked a debate on the strict enforcement of parking rules and the handling of fines by external agencies.
