# McDonald's PlayPlace in Tennessee goes viral after customer shares 'heartbreaking' photo | Fox News

## 'Heartbreaking' photo of McDonald's PlayPlace triggers social media firestorm

### Customer's X post showing McDonald's play area in Tennessee attracts 16M views

**By Ashley J. DiMella**  
**Published March 12, 2025 7:00pm EDT**

A McDonald's in Franklin, Tennessee, is attracting viral attention after a customer called out the children’s play area.

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New Zealand artist Marama Davis creates realistic miniature food out of various shades of polymer clay. The tiny treats include mushrooms, pears, bread and cheese, among others. She also makes flowers and furniture.

## X user @NancyAFrench posted an image of the PlayPlace, writing, "This is so heartbreaking. I’m at a new McDonald's in Franklin, TN, and look at their ‘play place’ for children. Two screens/two chairs."

The photo showed a corner of the restaurant with a sitting area and two screens embedded in the wall.

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"McDonald’s and our franchisees are proud to provide  across many of our U.S. restaurants," a McDonald’s spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

"While this restaurant has a few interactive features for younger guests, it does not represent the full PlayPlace design and experience," the spokesperson added.



A post showing a photo of a McDonald's PlayPlace in Franklin, Tennessee (pictured), that includes digital screens, is going viral. (Fox News)

The X user added a video to her thread, saying, "I went back in to make sure I didn’t miss something."

She continued, "There was this column thing that might be for getting kids . But I don’t think this is temporary. I think this is it."

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The video shows the woman stomping on an interactive music pad along with a "playground safety rules" sign.



Some McDonald's restaurants feature a PlayPlace consisting of a playground area for children. (iStock)

The post garnered more than 16 million views and nearly 2,000 comments.

"I hope that’s only temporary! We still have the play equipment at my local McD’s," commented one X user.

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"Upsetting," another user wrote.



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"McDonald's is not a childcare facility. They are there to eat," another user wrote.

Children ages 8-12 spend four to six hours a day watching or using screens, while teens spend up to nine hours, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).



For children ages 6 and over, the AACAP recommends encouraging "healthy habits and limit\ activities that include screens." (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

It is advised that children between the ages of 2 and 5 limit  time to an hour per weekday and a maximum of three hours on weekends.

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Too much screen time can cause obesity, , behavioral problems and possible exposure to violent content, according to Mayo Clinic.



For children ages 6 and over, the AACAP recommends encouraging "healthy habits and limit\ activities that include screens."

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