Some of the UK’s biggest restaurant chains, including McDonald’s, KFC, Nando’s, Subway and Wagamama, have been illegally denying toilet access to the couriers that have helped keep them in business during the lockdown.
Couriers claim government laws stipulating that people making deliveries should continue to have access to loos during the pandemic are being widely flouted at food outlets currently restricted to takeaways only.
They highlighted instances where toilets were locked or barricaded off, or couriers were made to wait outside the premises. They say it is humiliating, unhealthy, discriminatory against female couriers, and unjust given how much money they are making for restaurants.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said restaurants should be reminded that denying couriers access to toilets is unlawful. The chains have denied the problem is widespread but have agreed to remind outlets of the law.
Andrew Jones, a 42-year-old courier in Southampton, said: “I’ve asked KFC, Subway and McDonald’s and I’ve never been allowed to use their customer toilets during lockdown. It’s like being treated as a second-rate human.”
Lana, a 52-year-old courier in north London who did not want to give her full name, said: “As a woman I can hardly just pop behind the bins like the lads, and besides, that’s illegal, unsanitary and disgusting. This whole situation is humiliating, degrading and unhealthy and it’s affecting my income – I’ve only been able to book single three-and-half-hour shift because there’s no guarantee I’ll find a loo, I can’t risk booking in for a six-hour shift.”
Inez, not her real name, has documented incidents of McDonald’s toilets being barred from couriers, via a courier WhatsApp group. It highlighted instances over the last few months in Aberdeen, Stoke-on-Trent, Cannock, Liverpool, and across London.
She said: “Before the lockdown there was only a problem after 10pm, now I’ve only found two McDonald’s where drivers are allowed in to use the toilets. Without us they wouldn’t have a business, and yet we’re being denied the right to use the toilet because we are deemed self-employed. Morally they should help because we are keeping the restaurants in business. It is antisocial and against the law to force anyone to pee in public. And if I’m on my time of the month it means I can’t work at all.”
Dave, also a pseudonym, works as a Deliveroo driver to supplement his income as an Enfield council parking enforcement officer. He says he has been denied access to loos in both jobs. “Small independent businesses have been more willing to open their doors. But the big suppliers point-blank refuse. You feel like you are being treated like the scum of the earth.” He said he had been denied access to customer toilets in Greenwich branches of Wagamama, Nando’s and KFC.
The HSE said: “Any prevention of a driver to access welfare facilities is a breach of law, but more importantly is not the decent thing to do. Failure to allow access to welfare facilities increases the risk of failing to control the virus. Drivers should remind those in control of the premises they visit of the legal requirement.”
Adrian Jones, of Unite, which represents couriers, said restaurant chains were “endangering the health of the couriers and their customers and the HSE should take immediate action”.
Some restaurant chains have apologised to couriers. McDonald’s, Nando’s, KFC and Subway all said drivers should have access to toilet facilities in their restaurants and they would be reminding their stores that this was the case. Wagamama said it was company policy to allow couriers access to toilets and it could find no reference of such incidents at its Greenwich restaurants despite checking back over the last few weeks.
