Family 'told to wait in cold' for table at Burger King 'despite place being EMPTY'

Staff at a new Burger King apparently reduced children to tears after allegedly making them wait outside in the cold for a table - despite the restaurant appearing to be empty.

Chris Sharp, 31, and his family were on a walk in New Brighton, Merseyside when they decided to visit the fast-food restaurant which recently opened.

Looking to get shelter from the cold weather, and noticing several empty tables, they approached the eatery.

However the father-of-five claims that staff told them it was too busy to come in and would not even let them wait in the doorway - despite the family seeing plenty of empty tables inside.

Chris said: "I was amazed, and asked if they were actually being serious. The kids just wanted a burger - they were freezing. I said 'can't we just wait in the door?'

"All we were met with was a point blank 'no', and the door shut. 

"I couldn't believe the attitude - no explanation or anything. I think it's ridiculous the way we were treated. A disgrace."

Chris, who was with three of his young children and wife Ashleigh at the time, said the family ended up going to Subway instead.

Describing the situation, which is said to have happened on Sunday, he said: "We went for a walk along New Brighton promenade because the weather was looking alright.

"We got to Fort Perch Rock and it started to get chilly.

"The kids were moaning that they were hungry so we decided to go to Burger King.

"But there were two people working there stood outside who told us 'you can't come in'.

"They said 'the kitchen is busy so you have to wait outside for 10 to 15 minutes'."

Chris continued: "I said 'what's the problem?' We've got an eight month old in the pram and a three-year-old I was carrying. By the time we have sat down and taken our coats off it'd be about 10 minutes anyway, but they said 'no, you're not coming in'. So we were left outside in the cold. Shocking. 

"We looked into the restaurant and there was no one at the till and only about eight or nine people sitting down eating. I was fuming to be honest. The kids were crying."

Chris said it was doubly disappointing because there has been "so much hype" about the new restaurant opening recently.

When asked if there was any chance he would return to the store in future, he said: "No chance. The way we were spoken to was disgusting. I couldn't believe it."

It comes after the world-famous chain said it would open its new store with a "brand new prime design", having received planning permission. 

In November, it had advertisement consent approved by the council for its new signs - to "bring the premises over to the Burger King brand".

Approving the proposals, which were submitted in September, the council documents said: "The proposed fascia signs are functional and relate to the business premises, they do not have a detrimental impact on the character of the area, the building concerned and its neighbours and are therefore considered acceptable."