Tradie warns of hidden winter fire risks in homes<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_650077f903971e4302693d56daa27ba4_853ec64d54a552b3bd49cf519b96f710.jpeg\")
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McDonald\u2019s Waterloo has joined other fast-food franchises in charging for parking for people staying for one-hour or longer. Source: David Campbell\/News Corp<\/p>\n
Managed by Secure Parking, this franchise now slaps a flat daily fee of $35 on patrons who exceed a one-hour stay.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a figure that has left many scratching their heads, especially when compared to other McDonald\u2019s sites.<\/p>\n
While Waterloo leads the charge with its steep fee, the cost of convenience varies wildly across the nation.<\/p>\n
McDonald\u2019s Perth Airport West Car Park, for instance, charges $11 for a two-hour limit.<\/p>\n
In NSW, McDonald\u2019s Padstow also charges $11 for an hour, while McDonald\u2019s Belmont offers a more palatable $5 for all-day parking.<\/p>\n
The inconsistency is adding to customer confusion and frustration.<\/p>\n
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Customers at McDonald\u2019s Waterloo now have one hour to \u201ceat for free\u201d in the carpark, after that, they will cop a fine or chose to pay $35.<\/p>\n
The system relies heavily on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which automatically issue private breach notices or fines to overstayers.<\/p>\n
While most McDonald\u2019s outlets offer a free parking allowance for genuine diners \u2013 typically ranging from 45 to 90 minutes \u2013 exceeding this window, or simply visiting multiple times, can trigger a significant enforcement fee.<\/p>\n
A Queensland patron shared her \u201cMaccas parking fine\u201d surprise on Reddit after receiving a $77 penalty for staying 55 minutes at McDonald\u2019s Maroochydore.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went for lunch a few weeks ago, waited for some family to travel to from Brisbane, ordered food and our kids had a quick play on the playground,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe then rushed off to Sea Life. We were there 55 minutes. We recently got a $77 fine\u2026 saying we overstayed the 30 minutes they allow. The car park is huge and wasn\u2019t even 1\/4 full. Anyone else had this happen?! I think it\u2019s ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another Reddit user recounted being fined after spending 2.5 hours at McDonald\u2019s Merivale.<\/p>\n
However, some customers have found success in appealing these fines.<\/p>\n
\u201cYea we got one a few months back, I wrote an email to McDonald\u2019s Merivale and they wiped it,\u201d one user commented.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have kids and wife was meeting a friend so she was there just under 2hrs while kids played at playground and had lunch etc, 90 mins isn\u2019t a long time imo.\u201d<\/p>\n
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McDonalds says a number of franchises have opted to turn their carparks into paid parking for non-customers.<\/p>\n
In a statement provided to News Corp, a McDonald\u2019s Australia spokesperson addressed the parking situation, emphasising the company\u2019s commitment to customer experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike many businesses, some McDonald\u2019s restaurants engage third-party operators to help manage their car park,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis ensures customers have a convenient place to park when they visit our restaurants and is part of our commitment to providing a great customer experience.\u201d
Specifically addressing the Waterloo location, the spokesperson added, \u201cAt McDonald\u2019s Waterloo, customers can enjoy one hour of free parking when visiting the restaurant, with paid parking applying after this period. Clear signage is in place throughout the car park to help customers understand the parking conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate our customers\u2019 understanding and co-operation.\u201d<\/p>\n
As McDonald\u2019s continues to roll out these paid parking schemes, customers are being urged to exercise extreme caution.<\/p>\n
Checking signage, understanding time limits, and being aware of the potential for multiple visits to trigger fines are now essential steps to avoid an unexpected and costly addition to your next McDonald\u2019s run.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Australians are increasingly facing an unexpected charge with their Big Mac and fries: hefty parking fees. What was…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":800985,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[64,63,99],"class_list":["post-800984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/800984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=800984"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/800984\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/800985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=800984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=800984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=800984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}