The ignoble end of ‘the world’s worst McDonald’s’

In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s challenging to gain notoriety among the more than 40,000 McDonald’s franchises worldwide, but Ottawa’s Rideau Street location managed to achieve it. With incidents ranging from violent confrontations to general chaos and viral occurrences (like the infamous raccoon fight), this recently closed restaurant earned the moniker bestowed upon it by a former police chief.

Amy Dempsey, senior writer at Toronto Star, reported on the reputation and legacy of the Rideau Street McDonald’s.

“This story is one that illustrates the challenges downtown business districts and communities are facing–amid a national housing crisis, an epidemic of homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction,” says Dempsey.

However, this McDonald’s story extends beyond crime and online fame. It is a tale that explores public space and who gets to use it, the transformation of cities during nighttime, the provision of resources to those in need, and the ongoing evolution of downtown areas across various cities. Today’s Big Story investigates the rise and fall of Canada’s most renowned McDonald’s.

You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.

You can also find it at thebigstorypodcast.ca.