A Wyoming resident, Allen Hatch, found himself barred from a local McDonald’s after an unusual visit to the Drive Thru. His mode of transport? A wagon drawn by his two faithful horses, Coal and Onyx.
The 53-year-old recounted his unique experience to the Cowboy State Daily, explaining his practical reasoning behind the trip. “There’s no better way to fetch horse feed than by having the horses themselves along for the ride,” Hatch quipped.
Upon reaching Powell, Hatch decided to indulge in a classic cheeseburger and fries from McDonald’s. His arrival at the Drive Thru was met with enthusiasm from the staff. “The young lady at the first window was thrilled to see horses in line,” he noted. “And the employee at the second window thought it was fantastic as well.”
However, the excitement was not shared by the fast-food chain’s management. The manager informed Hatch that animals, particularly farm animals, are not permitted in the Drive Thru, leading to the unusual ban.
‘The young lady at the first window was very excited to see horses in the drive–thru,’ he said. ‘The young lady that was handing me my food at the second window thought it was great.’
But the fast food chain’s manager was less thrilled, telling Hatch that farm animals were not allowed in the Drive Thru.
‘The one thing she was very clear about is what happens if they ‘s*** in my drive through, and there’s no one to clean it up,’ he said.
Hatch added that he and his horses had been ’86ed from McDonald’s.’
Allen Hatch, 53, took his horses Coal and Onyx into Powell, Wyoming, to pick up horse feed and decided to pick up a burger and fries at McDonald’s
Hatch pulled into the drive–thru on a wagon pulled by his horses, which he claimed caused the fast food chain’s manager to ban him from the location
When contacted by the Daily Mail, a worker at the McDonald’s site in Powell said that the manager on shift for the horse incident was not working today.
He said that he heard about the situation and that the chain had been flooded with calls all day.
‘To my knowledge, we just ask that horses don’t come through the Drive Thru,’ he added.
The manager, who did not want to provide his name so as to not be involved in the ordeal, gave a simple explanation for the sight: ‘We live in Wyoming.’
Hatch told Cowboy State Daily that the ‘spur of the moment’ trip to McDonald’s was actually part of training Coal and Onyx, aged 12 and 13.
They are the first horses Hatch has owned after buying them from a farm near Chattanooga, Tennessee, last year.
He bought the pair to pull his ‘people hauler’ wagon, which can carry up to 18 passengers.
The wagon is road legal and sports a ‘Slow Moving Vehicle’ sign on the back.
Join the debate
Should businesses adapt their rules for rural traditions or stick to strict policies for safety?
Hatch said he and his horses had been ’86ed from McDonald’s’ and added that he would no longer be ‘blessing them with my presence again’
‘It’s about making sure they’re traffic safe,’ Hatch said. ‘The McDonald’s trip was ancillary to wondering how they’d do, and they did really well.’
However, neither Hatch nor the horses will be returning to the fast food franchise any time soon.
‘After that experience, I won’t be blessing them with my presence again,’ Hatch said.
He said he was told that company policy did not allow ‘having livestock in the Drive Thru for purposes of liability.’
Hatch said he had been working with his horses for months before the McDonald’s Drive Thru incident.
‘This particular pair are trained but they’re new to me, and they speak a little bit of a different language than most of the local teamsters,’ Hatch said.
‘It’s a matter of me getting used to them, and them used to me.’
Eventually, Hatch will allow his family and friends to take rides on the wagon pulled by Coal and Onyx.
Hatch said he was told that McDonald’s company policy banned ‘having livestock in the drive through for purposes of liability’
‘I’m definitely not in the outfitting business, and I have no intention to be,’ he said.
The Wyoming man said that he would not ‘be out for hire’ and that he would limit the experience to those closest to him.
Hatch added that he would also be using the horses to train mule colts.
‘I can tie the little mule colts behind the wagon and take them with me,’ he said. ‘They’re going to learn what moving wagons are and the noises that are associated with them. They’re not going to be working, just tagging along.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to McDonald’s USA for further comment.
