McDonald's in Altoona, PA flooded with Google reviews after suspect arrested in CEO's killing

[Coventina]

Google intervened and removed negative online reviews aimed at McDonald's this week after a suspect in the killing of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson was arrested at the fast food chain's restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

A Google spokesperson told USA TODAY on Tuesday the negative reviews, which were unrelated to the actual business, violated its policies and were removed. Some reviews that appeared to reference the arrest were still active Tuesday morning, with some receiving hundreds of likes.

The spokesperson confirmed Google would continue to remove additional derogatory reviews online.

According to Google's online policies, contributed content must be based on the reviewer’s real experiences with a location, and Google closely monitors policy-violating content. Google is also is placing additional protections on the profiles to prevent further off-topic reviews.

The negative reviews popped up online after Luigi Mangione, 26, was captured on Monday following a multi-day manhunt at a McDonald’s in Altoona, about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. According to Pennsylvania State Police, he was spotted eating at the restaurant by a customer who alerted a McDonald's employee.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/12/10/altoona-pennsylvania-mcdonalds-google-reviews/76883542007/

**********************************************************************************************

Does anyone seriously believe that the decision whether to patronize this McDonald's will hinge on a Google review about the arrest?

[underpants]

1. So these were negative reviews? How about - good job having a staff that has an idea what's going on in the world and

are paying attention.

[Raine1967]

6. I wish I could rec this more than once.

It's absolute truth.

[niyad]

8. Itt was a customer who alerted the staff, who then did the correct thing.

Kudos to alll of them!

[SocialDemocrat61]

13. Wendy's

We don't snitch either 😉

[underpants]

14. Okay. Good. And thanks

I didn’t know that.

[niyad]

16. It was in the last quoted paragraph.

[Metaphorical]

2. Welcome to the 21st Century

I suspect that this particular McDonalds saw a 10,000% increase in traffic as all the looky-loos checked the place out. 15 minutes of fame time.

[niyad]

3. I could have sworn that the last report I read had him in Atlanta. So some

"reporter" cannot spell Altoona?

[Coventina]

4. Maybe auto-correct?

Or, as I like to call it: auto carrot!

[niyad]

7. Snicker!!!

[SocialDemocrat61]

5. Burger King

We don’t snitch!

[Renew Deal]

9. Waffle House

Snitches get stitches

[Ptah]

10. With in-network pre-approval?

[NameAlreadyTaken]

11. The reviews of the food itself

should be enough to drive away business.

[Wiz Imp]

12. Yelp was even worse than Google. I guess people thought they were being funny

In reality, I found it rather sickening.

https://www.wtaj.com/news/local-news/altoona-mcdonalds-slammed-with-bad-reviews-after-arrest-of-luigi-mangione/

Altoona McDonald’s slammed with bad reviews after arrest of Luigi Mangione

An Altoona McDonald’s is getting backlash online after an employee called 911, leading to the arrest of Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Mangione was taken into custody at the McDonald’s on Plank Road in Altoona Monday morning, Dec. 9, when a customer noticed a man in the back of the store with a mask, laptop and backpack. The customer then went to an employee who in turn called 911.
-----(snip)-----
A recurring theme for the reviews is “rats,” which likely refers to the employee “ratting out” Mangione by calling 911. Others are also calling it “noisy” because “employees talk too much,” again, likely referring to the employee talking to dispatch/police.

“Mcdiarrrhea of the mouth here. Would not recommend. Unsafe food served by unsafe ppl. Curious what insurance plans employees get working here,” one user from Illinois wrote on Yelp.

“This McDonald’s location is dealing with a serious rat problem. They have rats working the register,” said another from New York on Yelp.
------(snip)-----

https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2024/12/reviewers-slam-pa-mcdonalds-after-worker-tip-leads-to-arrest-in-ceo-killing.html

Reviewers slam Pa. McDonald’s after worker tip leads to arrest in CEO killing

-----(snip)-----
“This fast food restaurant houses a traitor among its employees,” the first review posted Monday said. “The working class has betrayed humanity.”

“Very large rat behind the counter,” another reviewer said. “Not very nutritional food. I’ve heard the employees get free food for working a shift--hope they have health insurance to cover the future heart attacks. .! oh wait.”

“The fries were sad and cold, like that snitches heart,” another review said. “Pretty depressing atmosphere too. Feels likes someone might rat out on you.”

“Never eating at this McDonald’s again. Imagine going to grab a Big Mac and witnessing Officer Snitchy McSnitch (Employee of the Month) calling the feds on a HERO. Dude was just trying to enjoy his McNuggets after literally uniting Americans, and this cashier speedran dialing 911 faster than he’s ever assembled a McFlurry.”
-----(snip)-----

[leftstreet]

15. So none of the reviewers could have used the $60k reward?

Smh