Donna Ganson, 33, was devastated when it was announced McDonald’s would close during the coronavirus lockdown.
Her sons Luke, five, and Jake, four, are both on the autistic spectrum, and part of their routine is a trip to the McDonald’s drive-thru in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, once a week.
The mum worried that the change in routine would cause her sons immense distress.
So she decided to get creative.
Donna made her own ‘drive-thru’ in her own home – and was overwhelmed by the generosity of McDonald’s workers, who donated Happy Meal toys and packaging so she could match her makeshift dinner as closely as possible to what the boys hoped for.
The stay-at-home mum now sticks chips in a deep-fat fryer and cooks up chicken nuggets from Iceland once a week for her sons while the family is in lockdown.
‘My eldest, Luke, if he starts asking for something he won’t stop asking until he gets it and I had visions of requests for days,’ said Donna.
‘I spoke to a lovely man called Michael at the restaurant and I asked if I could come in and buy some of the packaging for the Happy Meals and chicken nuggets and he said of course.
‘When I arrived I mentioned to staff I was due to meet Michael and the man I spoke to asked me how much I would need.
‘He then came out with hundreds of boxes and toys, which I hadn’t asked for, he had just added in.
‘I was almost in tears when they gave me the boxes. He wouldn’t accept any money for it and he said to me that his friend’s son has autism and that he understood.
The boys now have their homemade McDonald’s Happy Meals every week at home.
Donna said: ‘It is just about keeping routine with them as everything is upside down so it is just one less thing to have to deal with.
‘We always go through the drive-thru but all that is different for the boys now is that Mum is coming through from the kitchen.
‘I am doing the fries in the air fryer and am using Iceland’s chicken nuggets, which taste just like McDonald’s.
‘The virus has meant a big change for the boys but it is keeping as much routine as possible.
‘We are lucky we have a garden and they can get out but they are adjusting well.
‘I think they are quite happy to be out of school and nursery.’
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