San Francisco Puts McDonald's On Notice Over Drug Sales, Other Problems At Haight Street Restaurant
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera Tuesday sent a letter to McDonald's Corp. warning of potential legal action due to ongoing problems with drug sales and other public nuisances at the Haight Street McDonald's restaurant.
The letter, addressed to Steve Easterbrook, president and CEO of McDonald's Corp., marks the first time the city has reached out directly to the corporation after failed attempts to work with the Vacaville-based franchisee, Yin McDonald's, that runs the restaurant, according to deputy city attorney Megan Cesare-Eastman.
"Our office and the San Francisco Police Department have repeatedly contacted the franchisee regarding the drug activity at the property seeking simple solutions to the problem," Herrera wrote in the letter sent today. "The franchisee has refused to address the issues, and the drug activity persists."
McDonald's owns the property through its real estate arm, Franchise Realty Interstate Corp., and the city is hoping the company can intervene to resolve the problems without litigation, Cesare-Eastman said.
According to the city attorney's office, police responded to 641 calls for service at the restaurant between Jan. 1, 2014 and April 22, 2015 and nearly 1,100 since January 2012, a number that far exceeds those seen at other properties in the area.
"No other business in the area has generated nearly the same number of calls for service to SFPD," the letter stated. "We firmly believe that, in its current condition, your Property threatens the health and safety of the surrounding neighborhood."
Police have arrested people on drug-related charges on or in front of the property on at least 11 different occasions over the past seven months, the letter states. They have also recovered more than 100 doses of LSD, more than two pounds of marijuana, 88.5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, more than half a pound of marijuana edibles and an unspecified amount of hashish from individuals on the property.
The city would like to see the property owner employ a security guard and take security measures such as improved lighting, Cesare-Eastman said.
Requests for comment from Yin McDonald's and named potential litigants Betty Lin and Chei Chen Yin, as well as to McDonald's Corp., have not yet been returned.
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