A toddler with congenital heart disease got a Happy Meal from McDonald’s as a treat for his bravery and was served raw chicken, his father claims.
McDonald’s is investigating the complaint and says it takes “any complaint of this nature very seriously”. The franchisee and management were both investigating, a spokesperson said.
The 22-month-old boy swallowed one chicken McNugget and when he took a bite of another, his parents claimed they saw the inside was pink and took him to the bathroom and made him vomit.
This marks the second time a complaint has been made of a McDonald’s restaurant serving raw chicken in a week after the fast-food giant fobbed off uncooked chicken to a 6-year-old and blamed it on human error.
In this latest incident, the boy’s distraught father - who did not wish to be named - claimed staff at the Kelston McDonald’s in West Auckland where he had bought the meal didn’t take the matter seriously enough when he reported it.
Raw Chicken served at McDonald's South Auckland Branch. Video / Pravinesh Kumar
“I called head office to complain and received a call from [the group operations manager],” he said.
“However, despite their internal investigation being completed, he has not offered any comments as to what exactly happened and if the chicken was even cooked for a second.”
He said McDonald’s offered him an $8 refund for the meal and a $50 voucher.
“You’ve got to be joking,” the father said of the offer.
“You don’t go to a restaurant just to be served raw chicken and then go back again next week. We don’t want money. We just want some accountability.”
“Restaurant management have had regular contact with the customer, to check on the wellbeing of the customer’s child and explain the investigation process, and immediate actions taken,” the spokesman said.
“While we understand the customer’s concerns, the restaurant management has explained several times the formal process they are required to follow and addressed several specific requests he made relating the legal action and compensation.
“The customer was invited to meet face-to-face at a convenient time, and the restaurant management will provide an update on the investigation findings and actions once it is complete.”
The father told the Herald: “We are seriously concerned about our child and others as raw chicken food poisoning can get very bad, especially if your child has underlying health conditions.”
He said the group operations manager assured him more signs would be put up in the restaurant’s kitchen about how chicken must be cooked and staff would get further training.
McDonald’s spokesman said: “While incidents relating to undercooked products in recent weeks have been unrelated, as a business McDonald’s takes any type of food safety complaint extremely seriously.
“Findings and learnings are being shared with all restaurants, and a heightened focus on food safety has been implemented nationwide.”
The father said he and his wife had been seriously impacted by their raw deal, which they bought on Wednesday, saying they had both cried several times since.
He says his wife, who bought the meal for her son as a treat for being so brave during a recent stint in hospital, has felt responsible for the incident.
“She feels guilty. Even though it isn’t her fault, because she bought it she thinks it is,” he said.
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