Seattle McDonald's Nicknamed 'McStabby's' Removes Door and Serves Customers Through a Hatch amid Multiple Attacks By Becca Longmire

A McDonald’s in Seattle is allegedly so dangerous that it has had to remove its doors and now serves customers through a hatch.

Instead of walking into the location at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle to order food and drinks, patrons now have to go to a hatch, mostly covered in plexiglass, per the Daily Mail.

The double doors leading to McDonald’s are reportedly propped open at all times, and the glass outside the hatch is covered with plywood to protect it from vandalism.

A 45-year-old man named Nick spoke to the Daily Mail about the location in question — which Seattle locals have nicknamed “McStabby’s,” per the outlet — claiming that people tend to “do drugs and attack each other” outside the fast food spot.

Nick made the comments as the outlet visited the location, which is just blocks away from the city’s famous Pike Place Market, and said, ​”When it’s dark, it’s way worse – way more people getting assaulted and robbed.”

Nick, who is no longer homeless but still visits the neighborhood, added that he’d witnessed a shooting in the area, referring to a fatal incident which killed one woman and injured seven — including a 9-year-old boy — back in January 2020, per the Daily Mail.

He said, gesturing toward a lamppost outside the location, “I watched a girl get shot and killed right here,” adding, “It was a horrible shooting.”

Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said at the time of the incident, “We responded immediately, and we discovered victims at the scene in about a one-block radius,” USA Today previously reported. 

“Officers immediately started lifesaving measures,” Best added.

Another incident outside the McDonald’s restaurant saw a 29-year-old man named Matthew get stabbed in the head in February 2024 while he and his partner, Christopher Burns, were waiting for their food, per Komo News. 

“This random guy came up and started kicking our dog and attacking my partner,” Burns said, according to the outlet.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, a young employee recently said while pointing to the sidewalk outside the McDonald’s location, ​”I’ve seen some physical assaults, just right here,” adding, “People tripping out, just a bunch of stuff.”

David Santillanes, the owner and operator of the McDonald’s restaurant, said the location previously closed its dining room in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, per The Independent. The doors have since remained shut to keep workers safe amid issues with crime and poverty in the area.

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Santillanes told the U.K. paper, “As a small business owner here in Seattle for 24 years, my team and I care deeply about feeding and serving this community.”

“We have implemented security measures at this location to allow us to keep supporting the neighborhood while ensuring the safety of our people. Despite the challenges in this particular area, we will continue doing what we can to effect positive change, working in close partnership with local community organizations,” he added, per the outlet.

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When asked of the specific McDonald’s criminal activity, the Seattle Police Department told PEOPLE that officers patrol the city, especially downtown, “on a 24/7 basis.” 

“Seattle police officers often do proactive policework and emphasis patrols in crime hotspots such as 3rd Avenue and Pine Street – including bike patrols, foot beats, warrant arrests, weapons arrests, and drug enforcement – when not responding to emergency calls for service, the agency said.

McDonald’s has not responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.