For a free meal… this trip to McDonalds cost one 18-year-old quite a pretty penny.
We have all occasionally gone to grab some fast food and ended up spending much more than we intended.
Not normally the end of the world, it happens.
But I doubt you ended up having to fork out hundreds when you were hoping to get a meal for free.
That is what happened to one unfortunate 18-year-old.
Mason Prima, has said he was waiting inside his car on his phone at one of the McDonalds locations in Saskatoon, Canada when he was pulled over by a police officer.
He hoped to explain that he was on his phone, using the fast-food app to bag himself a free meal using coupons – but things didn’t turn out how he planned.
Prima told the police officer that he wasn’t really driving, but rather that his car was just rolling, barely moving. (CTV News)
“I’m barely even moving. I pull up my app and look at the rear-view mirror and there’s a motorcycle cop behind me,” Prima recalled as he spoke to CTV News.
“I just go like this and show him I’m on my McDonald’s app loading up the code to get a free meal.
“I’m just trying to get a free meal, but no, turns out to be a very expensive lunch.
“I was kind of shocked to be honest. I’ve never had that before — I open up my app every time I go over to drive-thru and I’ve never had that issue.
Prima told the police officer that he wasn’t really driving, but rather that his car was just rolling, barely moving and he did not have his foot on the gas or the brake.
The Saskatoon police officer issued Prima with a $580 (CA$) fine, the equivalent of $425 USD.
The Saskatoon police officer issued Prima with a $580 fine, the equivalent of $425 USD. (CTV News)
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police refuted Prima’s account of the traffic stop and defended their actions according to CTV News.
The department said: “RCMP can confirm that on May 13, 2024 the individual was observed driving a vehicle on a public roadway while using a cellphone.
“A Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan RCMP officer initiated a traffic stop with the individual. The individual then pulled in the McDonald’s parking lot, where the traffic violation was issued.”
Prima has said that the hefty price he has been ordered to pay is less of an issue than the demerits placed on his license as he has only had it for two years.
He has added that he does not intend to pay the fine but rather fight the ticket in court in July.